so, if you work freelancing from home and are pregnant.....

[rascalboys]

...how much maternity leave are you planning to take/did you take?

I am thinking of working right up until he/she is born and having two months off after.

Sounds scary but I work completely from home, don't have to go out at all, and it's only ten hours a week to be done at any time. DH home at 5.30 pm, other two DC's at school all day.

Plus, I won't get any maternity allowance

Why wont you get maternity allowance? I thought those registered as self employed did get some form of maternity payments.

I only just started up and haven't paid the NI contributions as I haven't earned enough.

Although I have worked for the last 15 years as employed until last year...

Oh, it's such a bummer isn't it? I was employed for 8 years solid then took a year off to travel. By the time I came back and got unexpectedly pg, I hadn't paid enough NI to get any help either even though I was working full time.

Your plan sounds reasonable - you are working so few hours a week that I'm sure it will be feasible even if you have to do some of the work at weekends and DH handles the kids.

Thanks meemar, just wanted someone to tell me I wasn't being completely unrealistic!

I worked up to day before dd2 was born (probably would have worked on day but she was a 9am arrival ) and started doing bits and pieces within a couple of weeks. Not ideal but feared dropping off radar if I didn't keep working and I didn't tell any of my work people that I was pregnant as didn't want them deciding on my behalf how much work I could/couldn't do.

I think it's worth compromising a little because working from home is such a boon in other ways later dow the line.

I stopped the day after DS's due date, and started again about 3 weeks after he was born (once I could stand up comfortably again!)

Are there no other benefits you could get? Incapacity etc.? Doesn't seem fair...

brilliant, thank you - maybe I will be up and running before I thought then!

Feel loads better now