TTC, work, move: how would you handle it?

[zinrepus]

I'm having a bit of a mental dilemma and am struggling to find people to discuss this with. I'm 30, been in the UK since 2014 (got an MSc, have been working since), been living in the south since autumn 2015. I have been with DH for 5 years, married for 3.5, and am now in my 5th job since finishing my degree in 2015.

I've been bopping around between jobs because, with limited UK work experience, it's taken a while for me to end up in a job that actually was at my level. My industry is considered unskilled, so the pay isn't fab. But now I have a job, the pay is reasonable, management are lovely, the staff are great, etc.

My husband has had a change in management at his company, so he's happy to start looking for other work. The hitch is we've been planning to move back to Scotland when he was ready work-wise. I know once we get settled up there, we'll be TTC our first, but I also know that could mean baby in 10 months or baby in four years.

I'm coming close to the end of my probation. DH says he's happy to follow my lead (he's thrilled I've found a job I like for the first time in several years as well). How would you play it? We have a number of distance workers in my company. While I do work with people in the office day to day, I also work on my own for much of my job...I'm tempted to ask if I can become a distance worker, but would that be an unfair ask, knowing my intention is to TTC once we're settled up there?

Are you moving very soon/defiantly plan to in the next 6 months or so?

It sounds like it's worth asking once you know for sure that you're moving. I would probably start applying for jobs in the new location before approaching your current workplace.

Alternatively would you consider changing the order of events? Maternity packages often differ depending on how long you've worked at a company. Could you have a baby before moving, and move later on, then part of the argument for distance working is that it would also fit nicely around childcare? Regardless of whether you're on Scotland or not.

We had been planning to move in 2020, but DH has had a management shift in his workplace, so now when we leave is more in my court. I'd rather be in Scotland before TTC as where we currently live is not very community based.

DH has been here for 5 years and I have been for 4 and we have really struggled to establish a social network. Whereas I already have a network I can rely on up north... My family is abroad, so having children with no support aside from my husband is quite overwhelming to think about.

Regarding mat leave, I'd only get it with this company if I don't have kids until 2021, which means I'd be 32 before we could start... So I'm thinking SML is what I'd be getting regardless.