Help! Civil Service Related

[Babymam]

So I qualified for occupational maternity pay with my daughter in the civil service (6 months full pay, 3 months statutory, 3 months unpaid) but my husband and I are trying to decide if we want to have another.

Does anyone know if there is a time frame I need to be back in work for before I qualify for the full benefits package again?

There's a bit on the website Maternity Action, titled - Pregnant during maternity leave (expecting again), that goes into this.

I think your maternity leave counts as continuous service for the CS so no, I don't think you do have to be back for a certain length of time (that's how I read the policy so certainly hope this is the case anyway!)

Maternity leave counts as continuous service in the CS so you’re entitled to the full package again at any point after giving birth really.

i went back to work (in the CS) pregnant with dd after 9 months maternity with Ds2.

I went back to work after maternity leave with DD1 already 3 months pregnant with DD2, you accrue all your annual leave etc so I actually only worked 4 months between the pregnancies (18m gap) I was worried about the bit of the policy that said your pay is calculated on what you earn in the 6 months prior to the qualifying period so I made sure I was back on full pay (either working or annual leave) at that point.
Not sure this is 100% helpful but as long as you have an 18m gap you should be fine 🙈

I have colleagues who got pregnant while on mat leave and were able to take the same entitlement for the second baby as for the first. One only had 11 months between babies so didn’t actually come back between leave periods.