HAVING A BABY
Just found out that you are pregnant?
Your first step should be to contact your GP. Your GP can
confirm your pregnancy, give you advice and support and arrange
your antenatal care.
If you do not have a GP you should register with one
immediately - for a list of GPs in your area click here:
www.nhs.uk/localnhsservices
Your health during pregnancy
The BBC provides comprehensive details on becoming a parent,
including advice about vitamins and supplements; healthy eating;
pregnancy and weight; smoking during pregnancy; drinking alcohol;
pills, medicine and other drugs; fitness; and dealing with
emotions. Visit its website at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/womens_health/reproductive_index.shtml
Pregnancy complications
You should be able to speak to your GP or midwife at any time,
but if you think something may be seriously wrong, contact them or
your local hospital immediately for advice and help. NHS
Direct
offers general information and details of publications about
pregnancy complications including ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage
and stillbirth.
Antenatal Care
If you have booked a hospital birth, you may be able to go to
NHS antenatal classes either at the Hospital or at your local
clinic. You may also be able to do these if you have booked a home
birth with NHS midwives.
NHS antenatal classes are taught by midwives who are very
knowledgeable about labour and birth, and also the hospital's
policies and procedures. Classes will include information about
what labour is like, pain relief, interventions and Caesarean
birth. You will also learn about the skills you need as a parent,
such as how to bath a baby and changing nappies.
If you wish to go to NHS antenatal classes let your midwife
know as soon as possible.
The Birth
BBC Online (
http://www.bbc.co.uk/parenting/having_a_baby/pregnancy_index.shtml)
explains what you can expect during labour, how you might deal with
it and what will happen during childbirth. A hospital birth is
described, but this section will also be useful if you are having a
home birth. It may help to have someone present during your labour
and this information should also be useful for them.
Benefits
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)
This is a weekly amount that you may be able to get from your
employer. The amount of SMP depends on how much you earn. SMP can
be paid for up to 18 weeks. For more information about SMP you can
visit the Revenues and Customs website at
Maternity Allowance (MA)
Incapacity Benefit
If you are not entitled to get either SMP or MA, you may be
able to get some Incapacity Benefit instead. This will depend on
your National Insurance contributions in recent years. Your
maternity certificate (form MATB1) is accepted as evidence of
incapacity for work for the period starting six weeks before the
week the baby is due, to 14 days after the date on which the baby
is born. For more information about Incapacity Benefit you can
visit the Jobcentre's website at
Sure Start Maternity Grant
If you or your partner are getting Income Support,
income-based Jobseekers Allowance, Working Families' Tax Credit or
Disabled Person's Tax Credit, you may be able to get a Sure Start
Maternity Grant from the Social Fund. For more information about
Sure Start you can visit the Inland Revenue's website at
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2002/maternity/
Child Benefit
Child benefit is a benefit for people bringing up children. It
is paid for each child under 16 or under 19 in certain
circumstances. Claim as soon as your child is born. For more
information about Child Benefit you can visit the Revenues and
Customs website at
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/index.htm
Local Benefits Office
For more detail about benefits you can contact your local
benefits office
020 7712 2171 or look at the new
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
website (the DWP was formed from the Department of Social
Security and the former Department of Education and
Employment).
Pregnancy and work
Maternity Leave
All employees are entitled to 18 weeks ordinary maternity
leave whether or not they qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay or
Maternity Allowance. In addition, employees who have worked for the
same employer for at least one year before the 11th week before
their baby is due, are entitled to additional maternity leave which
lasts for 29 weeks from the start of the week in which the baby is
born.
Both of these leaflets are also available from your local
Jobcentre.
Parental Leave
Employees whose child is born or adopted on or after 15th
December 1999 and who have worked for the same employer for at
least one year, are entitled to 13 weeks parental leave to care for
the child.
You may be able to get Income Support when on unpaid statutory
parental leave if you are: sick or disabled; a lone parent; or on a
low income.
and when you were working you were getting any of the
following: Working Families' Tax Credit; Disabled Person's Tax
Credit; Housing Benefit; or Council Tax Benefit.
All employees also have the right to take time off work to
deal with an emergency involving a dependant. This right is not
affected by the length of employment.
Details are covered in leaflets URN99/1187 and URN99/1192
available from your local Jobcentre.
Registering the Birth
The birth must be registered, by law, within 42 days of the
baby's arrival. The birth must be registered in the district where
it occurred - for Crewe and Nantwich this is:
Crewe Register Office,
Delamere House,
Chester Street,
Crewe,
CW1 2LL
Telephone: 01270 505106
Fax: 01270 505107
Parenting
Take a look at
http://www.raisingkids.co.uk/ ,
a website for parents containing content about child health,
education, parenting, safety, travel and family finance.