Due March 2023 - thread 5

[TeddyBeans]

Off we go again 😘

23/2 - botleybump 💓
24/2 -
25/2 -
26/2 - TeddyBeans 💓
27/2 - Ubbee 💙
28/2 - BabyNumber3OnTheWay 💙
1/3 -
2/3 - BethBeef 💙, Cams50 💙
3/3 - LittleAcorn20 💛, LaForza101 💙, SammyJay5 💓, pamplemousse19 💓, Lauren11x 💙
4/3 - EastyBaby19 💙, Cdoc 💙
5/3 - Babynum2 💙, hopingforarainbow27 💓
6/3 - allthingssparkly, Thirdtimesacharm3 💙
7/3 - GreenIsle 💓, Noodle20, Pickles23 💛
8/3 - Splashh, June628 💓, BabyLimey 💛
9/3 - Penelope_2023
10/3 - iratepirate 💛, PeonyPops 💓
11/3 -
12/3 - Katlouise24 💓
13/3 - ToffeeEl 💓, Franklin321 💓
14/3 - beatingheartbaby 💓
15/3 - Hrf1503 💓, TTC24 💙
16/3 -
17/3 - Room4onemore 💓
18/3 - XjustagirlX 💛, CristinaNov182 💓
19/3 - Dreamingof3 💓, alotoftutus 💙, AK93 💙, hellosunshineagainxxx 💙, Allthegirls3 💓
20/3 -
21/3 - FirstTimeTryer93, LifeOfRiley1 💛, Rose429 💓
22/3 -
23/3 - Choc2022 💛
24/3 - whydotheyallhaverubbishwheels, Charlothevet88 💛, Mrs2022 💛, Blocklynn 💛
25/3 - Whywhwhy, Missy95 💛
26/3 - purplerain555
27/3 - Cats23, firstlittleone 💓, dmb91 💛, AGirlsNameIsAryaStark 💛, hol92 💙, Amy1303 💛, Bobduncan 💛, OonMP 💛
28/3 -
29/3 - Perexi 💙
30/3 - ChristmasJumpers 💓
31/3 - Baby2iscooking 💛

Unsure about form, I can’t remember last time.
25w this week and have my first midwife apt this week so wondering if it will be then. I know they def come from midwife not hospital as there was a lady asking the desk at my last scan apt.

@ChrisTheSheep16 felt fine after whooping cough but a very sore arm for a few days!

Just a question about maternity I don’t know if anyone can help me with - so we know we definitely can’t afford for me to be on maternity for more than 2 months, my work have agreed I can work from home 3 days a week, will I still be able to get my maternity pay for the 2 days I’m not working? Or does it have to be all or nothing? Thank you so much! X

Hey,
I believe working any more than your keeping in touch days (10 for the period of leave I think) cancels your rights to maternity pay.
You may be able to structure the first month back so you can have both - by working less than the 10, but beyond that I believe you'll lose entitlement to maternity pay.

@ChrisTheSheep16 I was pretty wiped after mine. Managed a busy weekend but had to go for a few lie down's to recharge throughout - not proper naps, but just put my feet up and chill for a minute.

I did get equally poorly after both covid and flu jabs though - so your reaction to those could give you an idea.

My arm was incredibly sore after whooping cough, more so than I ever had with any others.

@CristinaNov182 nobody was forthcoming with mine either. After my 20 week scan I asked for it and they sent me through to see a midwife who wrote it there and then. Otherwise who knows when I'd have got it!

@ChristmasJumpers aah, should have asked earlier too, I have an app in about a week so I can ask the midwife then. I will tell the hr next week too, so hopefully they can wait a few days.

I had a locum midwife at my 24 week appointment who couldn’t get her hands on the Matb1 form (it was her first day and she was getting to grips with everything with no handover from previous midwife). I ended up having to contact the main midwife team for my area who asked me to call down to the surgery for it - they wrote it there and then for me

Sorry for rushed reply, lunch time at work! Whooping cough vaccine for me just resulted in a sore arm. No other side effects.

MATB1 form was given at 24 weeks. The appointment should have been at 25 weeks but the previous midwife booked me in early so they had time to book my next GTT. I'd call up if I hadn't been given it by 24 weeks because you have to let your employer know by 25 I think

Yep this is what my manager told me yesterday

Oh no, midwife didn’t mention mine today. I’ll ask at 28wk apt I guess. 😔

My midwife said she will give me my matb1 at my 24 week appointment

Oh no. I’ll have to remember to ask next time.

@iratepirate call her asap. If you don't have it into your employer by a certain date I don't think they have to pay you mat leave

@iratepirate ignore that, I should have checked before I posted.

Do I have to give it to my employer by a certain date?
Yes. The current rules state that, in order to claim SMP, you must tell your employer at least 28 days before you wish your SMP to start and you must provide proof that you are pregnant. The MATB1 form is the required proof that you're pregnant – and this must be provided within 21 days of your SMP start date.

Am I the only one still feeling so rubbish and still being sick every day? It's so draining I just want to have 1 day were I can feel semi normal and get some things done indoors.

@Babynum2 my sympathies, that sounds really rotten ❤️

@botleybump ah okay thank you! Just trying to work out what’s best to do, I will get £624 a month ssp if i stay on maternity but just worked out if I loose that for working 3 days a week I will only get £900 a month anyway! And would mean 3 days not spent with my baby and having to find child care is it even worth it for £300 is anyone else’s company maternity scheme just awful :(

@CristinaNov182 I think different NHS trusts do it differently. With my first it was given to me at my 20 week scan. With this one I had to email my midwife and they emailed it back.

@hol92 ahh, snap! I'll also drop to statutory pay after 6 weeks, which is frankly shocking given I work at board level!
We're very fortunate that we've been able to save in the run up, but are still discussing how to return after a short leave so we don't miss my salary for too long!

It’s so crap isn’t it! Makes you think doesn’t it! So many other people I know have good schemes so annoying considering all the work we do for them! I have been saving as much as I can but sadly our fixed mortgage rate ends in April (great timing!) and looking at all the news articles it will more than double we just don’t know how we will cover it, currently looking at selling up and getting somewhere cheaper but then keep second guessing if it’s the best idea 4 months before giving birth - oh fun times haha! Xx

Also had no bad effects from whooping cough, other than sore arm!

I don't even qualify for statutory maternity this time so will just go straight onto maternity allowance! Although luckily I only work part time so it isn't much different to what I'd earn anyway

When do you need to worry about headaches? I've had one on and off the last few days. Feel ok otherwise, just generally tired and my hips hurt...but that's normal for me😂

Also still feeling quite sick in the mornings 😒

Luckily my work just updated our maternity policy so I now get 12 week's of full pay rather than just the 8 before dropping to SMP! It's still rubbish compared to some but it really did provide a sense of relief! I've been trying to squirrel as much away as possible and we are looking to cut what costs we can and utilise the KIT day's and annual leave to get as much off as possible it's really such a tough situation but hopefully it will all come together and my partner is super keen for me too take as long off as possible which is reassuring.

@hol92 oh! Not ideal timing at all! Hopefully it won't come to that - I did see something today that said the rates have dropped for the first time in weeks, so fingers crossed they keep moving that way!

I thought we were unlucky as our fixed energy plan ends in February! Pales in comparison really. Hope you find a workable solution for you! Xx

@hol92 I also only get statutory. There's absolutely no extra maternity paid by my work so it'll be 6 weeks at 90% salary and then smp from then on.
It's so rubbish isn't it?!
Childcare costs are so frustrating too. I'm weighing up not going back for a few years, until this one gets some free hours at least. I'm not sure how I'd manage my job around school hours or school holidays. I think I'd make a loss by the time I'd covered those.