Any school staff here?

[Youandmetimesthree]

Hi I’m just looking for advice from any school worker parents/parents to be. I’m planning to ttc soon, I’m a TA and want to time the birth for a good month that works out fairly for myself and work. I know I have no control over when I conceive or give birth so it will be an average. My dd is an august born which seems ideal as a TA so I can go onto maternity leave at the end of July, but I will miss out on the august wage which will be substituted by a low maternity pay. A September born I know is the most favoured and I am presuming will get me an august wage then maternity leave early September. Has anyone done this and it worked out financially well and you got a good amount of leave working around school holidays? I’d want a year off and not have to pay childcare for July to then have august off and still need to pay childcare, if I was to conceive now (currently ovulating). It also seems unfair on my colleagues and children to return for 1-3 months to then go onto leave if I was to conceive early next year. Any advice would be much appreciated.

As a teacher who felt the same way at the beginning of my ttc journey, I say now that I couldn't care less! I conceived originally and would have been due in September, which was ideal jn my eyes and works well, like you say, for the school too. I sadly miscarried that one and it made me realise that timing isn't everything.

I'm now due in April, which isn't great timing for the school as I'm the Year 6 teacher and we have SATs in May. I don't care - its not my job to worry about that, and the pregnancy has been difficult enough without worrying about additional things. My headteacher doesn't care - she is thrilled that I'm expecting! Pay-wise, I'm not sure how it'll all work out, we have yet to sit down and look at budgets etc once baby arrives. But I would encourage you to just start trying as soon as you're ready - none of us can tell how long it'll take or what might happen along the way. Things will always work out somehow x

I'm a teacher too. I had absolutely no preference over when I conceived as unless you are super, predictably fertile, you can't control it so leave it up to when it happens it happens. I just wanted a healthy pregnancy and baby. The month of birth was totally irrelevant.

Plus, I did as it goes have my ds1 in September. Everyone at the time said how well planned that was (it was chance, not planning, that was just our time). So when he starts school next September, he'll be one of the oldest but that won't go in his favour at all. He has ASD and ADHD.

So I would just say, put it out of your mind.

Sorry for your loss simply
I completely agree it’s irrelevant when a baby comes along, I’m just keen to make the most out of any funds, if I was to miss out on an august wage due to maternity pay we may struggle a bit, but of course a healthy baby at all is the only outcome I’m interested in. Thank you both for replying

I understand the wage thing - I'm considering shared parental leave, as it may well be the only way we can afford for me to take the whole year - I'm the breadwinner and my husband works from home and could quite easily care for baby instead of having to find childcare. Ultimately, we will make it work somehow, whether I go back sooner or find some way of stretching the finances. Shame the cost of living crisis happened!

I agree that if we could time it perfectly, a September birth is 'most ideal' but in reality, it just doesn't work so easily.

I'm currently pregnant and due late May/June. Financially it is going to be a hit and going back mid year will be incredibly tough but an egg is gonna do what an egg is gonna do.

Wishing you luck if you do TTC

Took me 3 tries but DC3 was due Nov 5th. I had summer off then went back in until the end of September. It was lovely as everyone was rushing around but I didn't have a class or any time pressures at all! I took the full 9 months and then went back for 2 weeks at the end of the summer term to get my August pay. I thought that was a pretty good way to do it!

Thank you all, fingers crossed it will happen soon for me and good luck to you all with your new bundles of joy