thinking of having another baby while on maternity leave.

[becca85]

hi guys, just wondering if anyone has got pregnant whilst on maternity leave? we are thinking of having another baby and my first one is now 6 months old, and was wondering how you coped and did you go back to work after as i want to be a stay at home mum but really worried about money problems. my partner works full time.. has anyone got any advise?

Hi Becca, my advice is go for it! Its much easier to get babies 'out of the way' in one go from my perspective, then you aren't faffing about sorting out nursery etc when you go back to work. My employers have said it is in one way easier to have maternity leaves that run on from each other, so they don't have to mess about getting your position covered all over agin etc.

I have a 4 yr old, a 1 year old and I'm 14wks preg with our third, I had to have emergency leave from work straight after my mat leave because of our youngest having hip surgery, so it has tied in quite nicely that I will only be back at work for 3-4 months before having mat leave again. These few months have been so busy, tiring and stressful especially with DD's surgery etc, BUT you find ways to cope and it becomes easier as time passes. Also if you remain employed, you can go back after your 2nd maternity leave as i will be doing, and it looks good on your C.V to be employed for a long time (no one need know that half of it was spent on mat leave)

thankyou for your reply twopeasonepod, im thinking about telling them i cant return to work once i finish my second maternity leave as i would be working for nothing the amount it would cost to pay a child minder for two children. do you not have that problem? but i really want my children close together and once they are a little older we can get back to normal again. hopefully we will have a girl so i dont have to have any more, got a boy but i really want a girl:)

The 4 year old is at school full time now so thats the nursery bill vastly reduced! My partner works fulltime and I was working part time, with me earning just over what it cost for nursery fees a month, however working tax credits contributed towards nursery fees so it was worth not really earning much just to keep the job, iyswim? Because I stuck it out long enough to survive till my 2nd maternity leave, and will stick it out sending my youngest to nursery for the 3-4 months before I'm on mat. leave with this 3rd pregnancy.

It sounds depressing to work for sod-all money but its about keeping the long-term benefits in mind (its only for a few years, once they are 3 they get 15hours nursery free a week which definitely helps, also it's hard to get a job these days so i plan on hanging onto mine) Im only 24 and haven't got a 'plan' as such, but it seems sensible to me to have a job rather than not, just in case things take a downturn, partner gets fired etc etc

Plus, I want my daughters to see their mum working and contributing to the house, being a SAHM for years on end wouldn't suit me personally (its much harder than my job!!)

Hope you have a girl, I'm betting that my third one will be a girl AGAIN just because I want a boy

yeah i think it keeps you sane being at work, but i find my job really stressfull, i was thinking of maybe doing a night job one night a week or something just for a bit of extra money because i dont want to have to pay anyone to look after the kids. i will prob agree with you once i have two and want to go back to work bet its hard work being pregnant with two children lol..bet your run off your feet..there worth it though arnt they x

No experience personally but my best mate has a 9 month old and is starting back at work full time next month. She will be 12 weeks pregnant when she returns! She planned it that way as it means only putting her DS in full time nursery for six months then getting full maternity pay before going part time after leave for youngest. She also said having them so close together (16 months) would mean the sleepless nights and nappies aren't too drawn out. She also has a 6yr old at primary school and her DH has two teenagers from previous relationship so I reckon they know what they're talking about.