Help! On maternity leave but due another baby!!

[Rachel19880]

Hi,

so today I was in a bit of shock finding out im pregnant with baby number 3 (complete accident on holiday!) I have a 2.7 year old and a 7 months old. Currently on maternity leave for a year (12 weeks 90% pay followed by 27 weeks SMP pay, followed by the last 12 weeks unpaid) due back 2nd Sept. Also have my 6 weeks annual leave for this year to come back to.

my question is has anyone been in this situation that can give advise on what to do?

I have mixed emotions right now on the thought this is actually happening, but even more mixed emotions on how i’m going to manage going back to work at 7 months pregnant as I'm drained as it is with my two little ones, especially the 7 month old he wakes every few hours. I remember how much I struggled with both my last pregnancies not sleeping well at night and constantly up to the toilet or just lying there sore in bed.

I mentally don’t think I will be able to cope being back at work being that far gone, my job alone is quite a stressful one in an office and needs 100% focus so no muckups are made. my work is also 1.2 hours drive from my house and that does not include the nursery drop offs and pick ups I’ll have to do which is a good 20 minutes from my house, also to add 2 separate nurseries as my daughter will be up at the primary school nursery after summer.

has anyone been on maternity leave, been due back but because they are pregnant were signed off until baby number 3 arrived?
Would your doctor feel this was valid to sign you off because of the sheer exhaustion? ( which I'm guessing I will be feeling by then)

would love to hear people thoughts on what they would maybe do if they haven’t been in this situation or people experiencing who have been in a similar position

I'm a bag of mixed emotions right now!

I don't think you'll be able to get signed off "sick" just because you are pregnant. I think pregnancy related sickness normally triggers early maternity leave.

I suppose it'll depend on your company's policy in this area.

@Rachel19880 how many weeks will you be? I think sickleave after a point you are just forced to start mat leave. Will you be entitled to a second mat leave? X

I think if you go off sick from a certain point maternity leave is automatically triggered. You’re not the first to happen and it does happen. People go back for a month and off again. Can you go back sooner from this leave and then start your next at 7 months?

I’ll be 20 weeks on my return date. I read online the earliest I can go on maternity again will be 12 weeks before due date (guessing that will be 27 weeks pregnant)

Yes I could go back earlier, the only reason why I was taking the full year off was to try save money by not having two children in childcare as right now I’d be paying £140 a day (£70 each) my daughter starts primary school nursery beginning of September which is then freeas she turns 3, which is when I was going to be going back to work.

I did as you are planning, but I was legitimately unfit to work with PND. Small gap, didn’t go back between babies.

You don’t seem to be factoring in baby’s dad in any of your plans or concerns here. I had similar worries, but DH paid proportionally for childcare and did probably around 60% of all drop offs/picks ups. It shouldn’t all be on you.

Just speak to GP and say you don't feel well enough to go back (if that's still how you feel at the time). Just explain you are either too tired, too sore, too anxious, too stressed, whatever it is that you're feeling. I think that will give you a sick note! Then start mat leave either as early as you can, or it will start automatically 4 weeks before you're due if you're still off sick.

Don't let anyone make you feel bad about this. Pregnancy is so rough on a woman, as is raising young kids. Your physical and mental health and the wellbeing of your baby and kids are the very top priorities here, and work doesn't even come a close second. It's miles down the list in fact. Take care of yourself and do what you need to do!

Can you use your Annual leave to effectively go back part time? So you book two or three days off each week until you start the next maternity leave?
You won't be as tired, your little one won't need a full time nursery place and your child care bill will be lower.

Are you with the father? You don’t seem to be factoring him in at all, can you do shared parental leave with him? Or can he do some of the nursery runs since you’ll be heavily pregnant, even if it’s not the long term plan?
I’d check your contract and see what you’re entitled to, it really depends how much you earn and how much you could get if you go back.
at my last work place you had to work I think it was 20 weeks to be entitled to another mat leave. So in that case I’d calculate how much I’d lose from childcare costs and how much mat leave ont I’d gain, and if it was worth it.
also it’s worth noting if you are with the father only 50% of the childcare money comes from your wages - he should be paying 50% too!

what sort of job is it? Maybe you couldn’t get signed off but you could have reasonable adjustments made like wfh a couple of days a week?

oh and use your annual leave to eaither effectively go back part time, or instead of being on mat leave. So you’re technically back at work and getting full pay and maybe building up to being able to have another mat leave, but you’re not paying childcare!

Something else to think about - to qualify for SMP, you'll need to earn above the threshold for it between weeks 18 and 26, so you may want to time your return to work around this, or alternatively budget for maternity allowance instead.

maternityaction.org.uk/advice/pregnant-during-maternity-leave/

thanks for letting me know you were in a similar situation. My partner is great and I’m very fortunate his wage pays for our mortgage and big bills like the car etc, My wage is not great as i’m part time so my wage is used for the food shopping, kids, smaller bills like mobile phones, broadband etc. His job is 6am-6pm so he really cant help me out with nursery drop offs or pick ups but I know he would if he could x

I did this OP with my second baby. Went back to work at 13 weeks pregnant.

Word of caution - your SMP earnings for your next maternity leave will be based on what you earn during weeks 17-25 of pregnancy. (Your employer policy may override this but do check!)

Hence if you are on unpaid leave for some/all of those weeks, you will get reduced pay.

In your case I would definitely go back earlier to secure higher pay for your next leave.

Wishing you all the best!!!

if you will be returning to 6 weeks accrued annual leave that will take you almost up to the point of being able to take mat leave with baby #3 - would that work to bridge the gap?

I went back to work 5m pregnant.
Why panic now when you might be feeling fine to work?
You'll probably feel less tired going to work than being at home with the kids.

Thanks! I didn’t think about adding my 6 weeks annual leave to extend my 1 year maternity. That would be a big help

Just be careful on the earnings front OP so you don't get caught out with maternity pay.

My big concern would be pay - if you’re off over the qualifying weeks, which it sounds like you’re planning to be, you’ll only get maternity allowance.

How far a long are you? Is it worth having an informal conversation with your LM about your pregnancy? I agree about the pay hence why you might want to have a chat with your LM

I do feel bad for the employer. You’re talking about going back for 6 weeks and can’t even manage that?!

Tbf they’re only paying SMP so it’s hardly a generous payout
and they’ll have someone already in the role now, it’s probably better for them to extend that persons contract of op doesn’t return properly, than to let the mat cover go for a few weeks then have to rehire

But it’s the unknown - they think OP is coming back but then she won’t and he gone again for an undetermined amount of time. It’s so hard to plan

You don't have to continue the pregnancy.

In your position I'd be considering the impact on your existing family.

This is part and parcel of being an employer though. People leave, people get sick, people have to be fired, people you recruit don't turn up ... unless they're a very small company something like this won't be a big deal.

First decision is do you want another baby. You have options.......

I also returned from maternity leave pregnant.
If you do not earn a certain amount between certain weeks then you will boy qualify for another lot of maternity pay, so be aware.