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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

How long was you back at work between maternity leave?

33 replies

SueyF · 23/09/2021 20:37

This really…

I have been back 6 months and I have just found out I am expecting again.
I am beside myself with worry.
Pregnancy no2 is unexpected and was not planned

OP posts:
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PotteringAlong · 23/09/2021 20:38

18 months between 1 and 2, 14 months between 2 and 3.

You will be back for 15 months when you go off again. I reckon that’s fairly standard!

MirandaWest · 23/09/2021 20:39

I went back in September 2004 and found I was pregnant again (not planned) in January 2005. So I’d been back 4 months. Started maternity leave at the end of July 2005.

MeadowHay · 23/09/2021 20:40

About 18 months. Number 2 was planned though (although would have been up to 3 months earlier if had fallen as soon as started trying). Nobody in my work has been back for shorter stretches than that actually in the time since I started the job over 4yrs ago. But what is it you are worried about anyway?

Original poster
SueyF · 23/09/2021 20:43

Comments from others mainly. I started my role and got pregnant within 4 months and then covid hit and I was made to stay home due to the nature of my work.
I return for 6 months and fell pregnant again.

OP posts:
Yummymummy2020 · 23/09/2021 20:44

Three months 😂😂😂 and not a thing can they do about it, if that’s what’s worrying you.

Original poster
SueyF · 23/09/2021 20:45

Obviously covid was out of my control but still worried what it looks like to others

OP posts:
WhyOhWhyOhWhyyyy · 23/09/2021 20:49

Just over a year. Same as you, was back around 6 months when I found out I was pregnant again. If anyone judged me for it they never let on, I wouldn’t really care if it bothered them anyway, I’m entitled to make whatever decisions I want about when to have children.
Why are you so worried? Are you concerned that you’ll be discriminated against?

RandomWordGenerator · 23/09/2021 20:50

I found out I was pregnant at the end of my first week back, and I was already 6 weeks pregnant at that point.

It was fine, they’d only be waiting for me to get pregnant again anyway. I did some useful work covering for someone else on maternity leave and on some short projects in the 7 months I was back at work. I had been there many years before pregnancy one though.

Only about 10 months pay in 2 years was a bit of a challenge though. I had shorter maternity leave with baby 2 as a result.

Miserablewithweight · 23/09/2021 20:53

6.5 months between returning from DS2 and leaving for maternity for DD.

Siennabear · 23/09/2021 20:53

17 months. I feel like I earned it though. Nearly 11 years in the NHS and worked to the bone. I feel like it would be rude not to take advantage of the maternity benefits.

Temple29 · 23/09/2021 20:54

10 weeks. Returned in January 2020 and put on leave because of Covid from March 2020. Never returned before my official maternity leave started in August.

Original poster
SueyF · 23/09/2021 20:57

@Temple29 I started in july 2019, was pregnant by November 19 and put on early leave in March 20 due to Covid.
Returned March 21 and now pregnant again.
I worry about comments

OP posts:
2under2howscary · 23/09/2021 21:00

I returned august 2021 and will be going on mat leave Jan 2022

DramaAlpaca · 23/09/2021 21:02

@Yummymummy2020

Three months 😂😂😂 and not a thing can they do about it, if that’s what’s worrying you.
Same here Grin

I went back after a year's maternity leave already five months pregnant. I didn't get any comments.

Original poster
SueyF · 23/09/2021 21:03

Can I ask how did all of your employers respond?

OP posts:
user1592512579 · 23/09/2021 21:03

I returned from maternity leave pregnant and worked about 3 months before going off again.

Lightswitch123 · 23/09/2021 21:04

were

user1592512579 · 23/09/2021 21:06

My employer was absolutely fine. Both my children are in school now and I still work in the same place (on school hours now)

Cakeandslippers · 23/09/2021 21:22

5 months for me.

It is hard not to worry but in all honestly one I was back after number two it all seemed like an unimportant memory and basically no one cared!

Plantsandwine · 23/09/2021 21:38

I was back for 8 weeks before going off again on maternity 😅

AmyDeirdre · 23/09/2021 21:39

It really doesn't matter. Your employer is on dodgy grounds if they say anything other than congratulations.

Congratulations.

neverontrains · 23/09/2021 21:43

8 weeks back at work before starting my second mat leave- and I only took 9 months off for my first mat leave Grin my work said they were a bit 'surprised' (I told them very early on in the second pregnancy even though I was still very much in my first mat leave) so that they had time to plan. They were very good about it though, if surprised!

waitingpatientlyforspring · 23/09/2021 21:55

I went back pregnant and was there 5.5 months then went back off again.

WhyOhWhyOhWhyyyy · 24/09/2021 07:03

@SueyF

Can I ask how did all of your employers respond?
Mine were lovely about it. I’m in a senior role and I know it’s been a massive headache to cover my role twice. I’ve no doubt that when I told my boss she was probably thinking how inconvenient it is, but she never would have let on and has been really supportive. There are probably a few of my male colleagues who silently judged me but I know they wouldn’t dare say anything.
thunderandsunshine01 · 24/09/2021 07:25

Started a new job in February 2020 and was in lockdown by the end of March so had roughly 5 or 6 weeks to get to know everyone. We then worked from home where I got pregnant, and had baby Feb 2021 (but started maternity in December). I’ve not long had to inform them that I’m expecting again in December 2021!!! So my maternity is going to be back to back with no return in between.

I was initially worried about telling them in case it looked like I wasn’t committed to the position. Luckily my HR lady was lovely and told me not to apologise for having my children! I can’t imagine my manager took it great though Grin

Honestly it’s just one of those things, and I know it can be daunting to tell them but I felt like a weight was off my shoulders once i did!

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