Having a baby Old Style???

troubrs

Timing of baby - I did this by accident, but if you are working & get a bonus, they calculate your 1st 6 weeks smp on the average pay over an 8 week period ending 15 weeks before due date (check it, but it's something like that). So, in the 8 week period 15 weeks before my maternity leave start date in which my 1st 6 weeks at 90% pay was calculated I had a hefty bonus, so my 6 weeks Stat maternity pay at 90% was 90% of my normal pay + bonus - which was about 142% of my usual pay cheque (hope that makes sense!!) effectively I got my bonus all over again! & I did this twice without actually planning it! It helped against the £9,000 I had to spend on IVF. so, for example, if you get a bonus at Christmas, aim to get pregnant around the end of August!

Breastfeed - enough said in other posts, but it's also loads less hassle - no messing around with bottles, sterilising etc. Worked a treat with no. 2, not so well with no. 1 so don't beat yourself up if it doesn't work - check out your clinic for reduced price formula milk. Check out breastfeeding facilities too - my local mothercare has a fab lounge with rocking chairs, aircon, water machine, magazines - great!

If you use reuleable nappies (I'm a convert with baby no 2) & you pre soak - don't buy a bucket from mothercare or the like. Go into any bakery & ask for a 10L jam bucket. Seriously, bakers buy in loads of premixes, jams etc in buckets & the empties are waste - they will gladly give you a couple or more. These are food grade & have lids (make sure you ask for the lids as well!) so are perfect for soaking nappies in (my Dad is a baker!), just as long as you don't want fancy or pretty pictures on your nappy buckets. A 10L jam bucket holds about 8 nappies.

If you have to go back to work, see if your company does a childcare voucher scheme. basically you can 'sacrifice' £50/week of your salary (ie you don't earn it) which your company then pays to a childcare voucher provider (who pays your carer), & you don't pay tax or national insurance on this. It need not cost your employer anything so see if they will do this for you - you could save £800-£1000 p.a. depending on what level tax you pay - & that's per person, if 2 of you are earning you can both claim. Have a look at care-4 website for example - they have a calculator to show how much you could save.

if you have to go back to work like me though - the best tip I can give is to enjoy every minute of your maternity leave - the time you have with your baby is priceless!

Spendless

Echoing the 1st part of the previous post. If you're not entitled to SMP you may be able to MA (you need to have worked 26 weeks in the 66 before babys due date and earned at least £30 a week). You need to submit payslips but these don't have to be consecutive ones. I also submitted payslips on which I'd received bonus so my MA was slightly more than my ususal wages had been. I was missing some payslips so I contacted my ex-employer and they sent me duplicates foc.

donna-j_2

I'm really hoping the bonus thing works for me, as the timing was right, but HR dept said it wouldn't work like that. I did loads of overtime round then too, just in case.

zippybungle

The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) holds 'nearly new' sales which sell maternity clothes, baby/toddler clothes, moses baskets, prams, toys etc (basically everything, lol). I've been to a few and got some good bargains. If you are going to one, it's best to get there as soon as the sale opens - to get the best bargains.

You can find your nearest NCT Sale by going to: http://www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com/events.asp?show=nns

I would also recommend modern reusable nappies, you will save a fortune! If you are going to use them, the ask your local council if they give nappy grants (Chesterfield Borough Council give you £25.00 when you spend £50.00 on reusable nappies).

Good Luck!

troubrs

Reuseable nappies - If you live in Essex, you can order a trial pack of 3 Modern Baby reuseable nappies & 1 wrap worth around £30 for £5 (tip, order small 8-15lb, not newborn, as if you order newborn you get small nappies but newborn wrap which is only up to 10lb))- go to Modern Baby website for details. Then with that order, Modern Baby will send you a voucher for £10 off when you spend £50 with them - then keep that receipt as Essex County Council will then send you £10 cashback as long as you've spent £10 on reuseable nappies - total saving therefore £25 on a £55 spend! NB it is subject to availability.

jellyhead

donna-j wrote:

I'm really hoping the bonus thing works for me, as the timing was right, but HR dept said it wouldn't work like that. I did loads of overtime round then too, just in case.

it probably depends on the maternity package of each company. i didn't get SMP, just the MA so i'm not sure (i only worked a few hours a week so am not a taxpayer). i just got out with my baby today and we were the only ones there with the standard paternity package. my husband (full time work) is allowed one or two weeks off at £106 per week but every other father there worked for a company who paid at least 2 weeks on full pay, or gave an extra week holiday entitlement etc. it did vary for everyone, it's all down to the company.

HappySad

Kyley_Wyleykat wrote:

Incidentally, with regard to going back to work, I'd have gone absolutly BONKERS if I was at home full time until they went to school!! I have a happy medium now, after trying various things, and work part-time for myself. My youngest is two and she goes to an excellent minder one morning a week just so I know she's had some quality time AWAY from me :-D. It's wonderful when they're pleased to see you. I work about 16 hours total.

And I'm a bright August baby grown up!!

I am also a stay at home mother and if I had to literally stay at home all week then I too would go made. I am luck where I live there are loads of parent and baby/toddler groups to go to. Twice a week I go to a church group where my son plays with the children while I play with him or chat with the other parents. I have made real good friends in this group. I also visit my local nursery 2-3 times a week for a "stay and play toy library"... "Toddle-In group " class(you learn about looking after your child and developing their mind through play)..." and finally "Parent as first teachers" were you do a class for 1 1/2 hour about child care ( first aid, feet development, brain gym, healthetc...). Where I live there are a whole load of activities centres, gyms, messy play centres, music classes, farms, parks etc... which are within walking or bus ride away. They are also at a good price. I normally pay out £2.20 a week for the groups I go to on term time and much more for the groups I go to during the school holidays.

I don't feel lonely because I have got to know other mums in my local area and we see each other most weeks at the groups. We talk a lot about our children; but we also have long chats about the normal non children stuff. I get to learn a lot about child care from going to the nursery classes and by talking to the other parents.

I feel that if other areas in th UK had more baby/toddler facilities like i have then more parents would no feel so isolated at home. And some would not feel that they are going made at home and want to go back to work for the adult company.

HappySad

I would recommend that you read ...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0852029896/qid=1122935059/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/026-0079525-0922869

The "The Which? Guide to Baby Products" by Sian Morrissey. As you new mother you can have not a clue about what to buy for you new baby. I did not have a clue and this book gave me a good idea of what I needed and did not need. It also have some good money saving advice.. like just buying your baby 0-3months clothes and not buying new born as they are only in it for a few weeks. My son went straight into 0-3 and looked fine.

I also did not wait my money buying those bulky travel systems and bought a great handy buggy that suits all my needs. I also found the "Practical Parenting S." book range all very useful... They cover Crying, Weaning, Tantrums and potty training. You can read the book in a day or two and it arms you with all the knowledge you know to tackle the thing you are reading about.

Also join your local NCT and go through the news letter/magazine you get to learn about all the local activities, shops and sales in your area. Do all this before your child is born because in the first 6 months you will find that you have little time for these sort of things.

SomersetPrincess

Jellyhead congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HappySad

donna-j wrote:

What is it about babies (and weddings) that make people feel that they can comment on other people's choices? To all mothers who have to or WANT to go back to work it could be seen as a hard reply. It certainly was by me.

I am 37 weeks pg and do plan to go back to work 4 days a week. I do not need anyone insinuating that I am greedy or materialistic because I'm going to do this. We have saved up enough to cope for 1 year but after that a) we have to pay the mortgage and b) I did not spend 5 years at university and a further 8 years sorting out my career to throw it away because some 'well meaning' people think I just want to buy a new car every year. I'm looking at a nursery that teaches the kids French from an early age, takes them all to the local leisure centre a few times a week, takes them on weekly visists to an old folks home etc. They are well socialised and independent.

As well as being a mummy I am also going to be 'me'. That doesn't stop as soon as I give birth.

Rant over.

I also spent years going to university and building up my career to get a very well paid job in IT. I gave that all up to bring up my child and I don't feel that I have wasted it all. I will be bringing up my child as an educated person. Instead of researching and learning all about the lasted version of software and email systems (my job was in email & database computing)... I now research and learn more about being a better mother and house wife. I read journals about healthy eating and all the lastest research about food, I read and learn more about children's mental development, I go on classes about childcare, I spend my time finding all about what facilities are availalble in my area to entertain and educate my child. All this is done while I am looking after my 22month old son. I am using my education and my thurst for knowledge to bring up my son.

Education is NEVER EVER wasted. You will always be using your education in all areas of you life. If you choose to become a full/part-time mother then you will be using your education in that area.


A bit of a dig.... If your child is at nursery from 9am until 5pm that mean that there are only 4 hours awake time with your child... and most of this would be spent getting dinner ready & doing all those chores you could not do because you were at work for the day. I personall feel that working part-time if you can would be a better work-life balance. You still get to keep your career going and still get to spend more time with your child.

Do you work full time?? How to you manage to get quality time with your child during the week?