MSE Pregnancy Club XIV

kindofagilr

Aww sorry lol, yeah one of the perks to wokring here is the full pay for 6 months, I have considered being off for 9 months, but dont know if we could afford me having another 3 off with no money at all coming in.

I know we should save for it now, but we have a £5000 credit card we want to pay off first

aless02

kindaof - you might want to check with HR on your mat leave policy. I also work in n'tl gov't and I get 6 months (26 wks) full pay + 3 months (13 wks) SMP (and another 3 months unpaid if you want), so I am taking the full 9 months and only get stung with SMP for the last 13 weeks. I thought that was the norm in civil service, but not sure...

karen1907

I am not sure if I returning to work so I am just taking the SMP and then if I don't return I won't have to pay anything back (you have to return to work for 3 months to be entitled to OMP) and if I do return they will pay me any OMP due as a lump sum after I have been back at work for 3 months.

Triggles

I agree that men should be given time to go to appointments and scans. We've been lucky that DH works nights, so he's available to go to all appointments and scans, it just cuts into his sleep time a bit (although I do try to schedule them either right away in the morning or late in the afternoon to accommodate his sleep as much as possible).

Of course, him working nights is going to work against me once the baby is here! lol Thank goodness he is quite flexible about his sleeping and has already discussed changing his sleeping schedule so that he is awake to help out as much as possible, depending on the baby's schedule. He'll also be home for 3 wks immediately after the baby is born (2wks paternity leave, 1wk holiday).

kindof - SMP and maternity leave is such a quagmire (sorry - that word popped to mind and I liked it lol). It's complicated as I think some employers offer varying packages to employees that have been there longer (my last employer offered a much better paying package to those who had been there over 2 yrs). And there's always the consideration of going back to work part-time as well. I did try full time back to work and DH & I decided it was not worth the hassle and stress involved, not to mention it didn't make us really much better off financially, due to child care costs and such. So I'm a SAHM now. But either way, even if you get full pay for 6 months, you should still have that extra 3 months of SMP paid as well.

SuzyWuzy_2

I'd rather the men get better perks after the baby is born tbh.

My OH will get 1 weeks paid leave then a drop to what is it now paternity leave ...£123 for the other week? There is no way we can afford ! So oh is taking 3 weeks off 2 annual and one paid.

newmoneysaver_2

I agree suzy - there needs to be better provisions for fathers after the birth. Hubby will be on SPP for both weeks he's off on paternity leave - luckily this will be within the 6 weeks I get 90% pay - there is no way we could cope if we were both only on £123 per week!

skintchick

I'e popped back on but excuse typing.

Went for a walk with my friend and it has definitely brought things on! Contractions are stronger and spreading into my back and pelvis now, which is a good thing. Not sure if I said before I've had my show - clear mucus like egg white _pale_

I'm now on my ball, with a wheat and lavender heat pack tuked in teh back of my trackies, with the birth area all made ready by OH although my cat is now curled u over there cos it has a duvet on it!

Doula hasn;t gone to London eitrher but I don;t feel I need her yet and I still haven;t told the MWs yet cos I don;t wanna be oin their 'waters have broken' clock in case labour takes a while to get going properly.

I am monitoring my temp and it is fine so that's not an issue.

Calcium - Weezl found out about it and I have some links. Basically it is apprently good for pain relief so I got some tablets and am taking them now laboutr has started. Weezl did the same and she thought htey helped her.

Here are links:
http://www.curezone.com/forums/am.asp?i=1365741
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Garden/5991/childbirth.html
http://www.herbs2000.com/disorders/labor_pains.htm
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=mpXt_seL2XAC&pg=RA1-PA240&lpg=RA1-PA240&dq=take+calcium+in+labour+for+pain+relief&source=bl&ots=Hd8IcLrc-w&sig=7eKStNCxMoXV6ojJWN694KwPQBg&hl=en&ei=uaGrSZ2rBYzIjAecxvXvDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result
http://www.1stholistic.com/reading/health/A2005/health-tips-for-painless-childbirth.htm

karen1907

I know what you mean about paternity leave - my OH gets 2 days (!!) paid and unfortunately we had three weeks off for our wedding this year so he does not have much leave left to take. He is saving 3 days so he can have a week but that is the maximum really.

newmoneysaver_2

Good luck Skinty!

kindofagilr

aless02 wrote: »

kindaof - you might want to check with HR on your mat leave policy. I also work in n'tl gov't and I get 6 months (26 wks) full pay + 3 months (13 wks) SMP (and another 3 months unpaid if you want), so I am taking the full 9 months and only get stung with SMP for the last 13 weeks. I thought that was the norm in civil service, but not sure...

Yeah sorry thats what I meant, that is what I get as well, I just dont know if I could afford to have another 13 weeks off after that (taking it to the year) does that make sense?