Delaying TTC until starting a new job

[dini123]

Hi all, this is my first post on mum's net. Just hoping to hear if anyone has ever been in a similar situation and would do the same?

My husband (32) and I (30) have been wanting a baby for 2 years now but delayed TTC so that I would qualify for better maternity pay.
In hindsight we should have just had a baby and not worried so much about getting the best financial outcome I think ...
We started TTC 7 months ago and got pregnant 3 months in but then had an early miscarriage; it hasn't worked out since.

My company started having lots of issues and I couldn't bear it any longer so I decided to leave. I'm starting a new job in 5 months, earlier wasn't possible.

It looks like the best option now is to postpone TTC again until the first month of being in my new job. I think being in the role for 9 months - at least, depending on how long TTC takes - until going off on maternity is bearable for an employer and I could settle in, pass my probation and qualify for maternity benefits.

Does that sound like the best option to you too?

It would just mean postponing TTC again for 5 months which makes me so sad because we've been wanting a baby for so long. I also worry that it might take a while and with each time that it doesn't work we'll be slightly older ...

Thanks so much in advance for all the answers and advice!

Are you confident you'll get pregnant easily? If you are to easily get pregnant, then it's a no brainer that you should settle in your new job first. However, if you were to delay TTC and you struggle to get pregnant or have miscarriages, how would you feel?

I had the same issue where I was made redundant when I was trying for DC2. But I was already 38 and had been actively trying for 2 years. I found a new job quickly and felt pregnant but I remember it was after the qualifying period. There wasn't any doubt in my mind I would keep trying. I knew I will regret pausing TTC.

There really is no answer to this unless you can see the future.

Sorry to hear about your loss. I would just keep trying, particularly with you saying you shouldn't have waited in the past. Lots of companies don't offer enhanced pay at all and if you were to have a baby before the qualifying period and then, for example, decide to stay at home or change career after maternity leave there's no paying back or returning for x amount of time to worry about. Good luck :)

I wouldn't postpone it personally. Money and jobs return. The main things is your relationship is strong and you have a nice family environment to bring your baby into. Which is sounds like it the case x

Could you manage with statutory mat leave package? If so I wouldn't wait.
I'm nearly 18 months on from starting to want to ttc number 2. It took 8-9 months to change meds to ones safe to conceive on and have had 2 miscarriages in 6 months. Time slips away so quickly

I started TTC and got pregnant very quickly. It ended in a D&C as it was a molar pregnancy, followed by a miscarriage, then à TFMR, then a chemical… I’m now in third trimester of my fourth pregnancy but it’s taken five years to get here since we started trying. I wouldn’t delay TTC just because you never know how long it will take. Then again you are younger than I was when I started trying so you have better chances…

You never know how it's going to go, OP! I moved jobs, waited until I qualified for maternity pay and then started TTC. Absolutely hated the job and was holding on for pregnancy, thinking 'in 9 months I can go on mat leave'. Couldn't take it any more and ended up moving to another job. Pregnant 5 months later. Made redundant 5 months after that. 🤷 Turns out it's not the end of the world, and looking back I think had I fallen pregnant any time in the past 4-5 years it would probably have worked out ok.

It never works out the way you plan! (Well, presumably it does for some lucky individuals. But most of us just have to roll with the punches.)

Personally I’d just go for it and ttc now but that’s me

Thank you all so much for your responses 🙏
I just wanted to let you know that we have decided not to delay TTC and have just found out that we are having a baby. Hopefully everything goes well this time.

Our baby is due when I will have been in my new job for 5 months, so I won't qualify for SMP unfortunately (6 weeks pay of 90% of salary). However, I do qualify for Maternity Allowance (£~187/week).

To qualify for SMP we would have had to have a baby in February 2026, which seemed like such a long way away. We decided the additional money wasn't worth the wait and we should be able to make do without it.