New job in pregnancy?

[Francesca1986]

Hello

I wondered if anyone has started a new job while they were pregnant?

I’m 14 weeks pregnant, been desperate for a new role for ages and the perfect opportunity has come up (role, pay, company, location - it’s perfect!)

I have to give 3 months notice, at that point I’d lose the “enhanced” maternity pay from my existing job but still qualify for statutory.

Would you take a new job while you were pregnant? If you have done how did the new employer take the news? What was it like upon return?

My friends are advising against making any moves now and waiting until after I’ve had the baby.

What do you think?

I wouldn’t be losing out financially long term - I think maybe I just risk setting off on a bad foot with new employer if I can only do a few months then have to go on leave.

Thanks for reading 😊

F x

I’d wait personally! You’ve got more rights with your current employer, plus the extra money. Wait until after you’ve had the baby and are ready to go back to work.

Have you been offered the job or do you still need to go through the interview process? If you still have that to go through, as well as the offer and notice period then they’d be recruiting for your mat cover before you’d even started. At what point would you tell them? Personally I wouldn’t do it. There will be other opportunities.

Something else to think about is when you return to work you may feel the pressure of having to prove yourself. I had to take ridiculous amounts of time off in the first year back as DS was constantly sick from nursery. In one 3 month period I only did 4 complete weeks at work - I had him home 2/3 days all the other weeks. If I had just started a new job then I would feel even more stressed with it. Form Mmmm

I interviewed for and got a new role in the same large organisation while pregnant. I thought about it hard and didn't want to rule myself out of new opportunities for potentially an 18 month/2 year period that no man would have to consider doing. I hid my pregnancy for as long as possible, wanting to make a good impression based solely on the quality of my work first before discussing mat leave, return to work etc. I felt super awkward about it all but they responded really well.

I had a similar dilemma but ttc not pregnant. In my case, I decided to go for the job and delay ttc by a month or too so at worse I arrive and get pregnant instantly but have 9 months before I go off for mat leave.

I wish I could say go for it but I think in your position I would hold off. Just because of the stress on yourself worrying about the upheaval and having little time to settle before you go on mat leave.

I’m in this exact same situation.
I am usually extremely spontaneous and a bit of a risk taker but decided to stay safe this time and keep my enhanced mat leave and hope for progression within my own business.
If you are honest with your new employer and not worried about the money go for it (I’m the breadwinner at home).
My company recently hired someone who was 6 months pregnant and she was honest about it.
Other option is to speak to your current place of work about progression like I did.
Often goes better than you think even with a pregnancy announcement to boot 😊

Please apply! There is absolutely no harm in expressing an interest if it really is the perfect job. Recruitment can take so many forms and the worst possible thing would be that this new company don’t know you exist. There is no guarantee you get the job, and then of course no guarantee you have to accept it! Then you have longer to make a decision. Plus there is a chance if they like you, they will have other positions, or will create one for you later down the line. It’s what I try to do if I think a candidate is a perfect fit! Hiring good people is so hard….so don’t underestimate the power you have!

No harm in applying, but remember even if you get the role you might find you have to start maternity leave way sooner then originally planned.
Plus the mental drain of starting a new job could take a lot out of you depending on how far along you are starting.
If you really want to apply do it so you don’t have any regrets.You don’t have to accept.

I started my job when I was 14 weeks - no regrets and they have been great & very understanding. Unfortunately I don't qualify for maternity pay so I'm having to claim maternity allowance. If I'd have stayed at my old job I'd have got enhanced maternity (12 weeks full pay) but I'm still happy with the decision to move and will be better off in the long run.

@Bee16 wow that’s still a small amount of enhanced!
@Francesca1986 my advice would be go for it if your enhanced isn’t amazing.
My enhanced is 6 months hence deciding not to move.

(full pay)

@firsttimelondonmummy exactly, so to me it wasn't worth sticking around and missing out on the new job just for that.
My new place is 6 months full pay but I just missed out unfortunately as it took so long to organise a start date!

@Bee16 ahh that’s so frustrating! Great they offer it so soon though.
Mines a few years before you are entitled!