Got MAT1B at 18 weeks

[erikab922]

Hi ladies, I had an appt with the midwife this afternoon at 18 weeks (was supposed to be at 16 weeks but I had amnio that day) and before I left she was like 'I'll give you your MATB1 now so you don't have to come back for it in two weeks, lots of HR departments are getting really naggy with us about getting it to them earlier these days'.

I remember there was a lady on here a few weeks ago and her midwife wouldn't give her her MATB1 until 25 weeks (!!!) and her HR department wasn't too happy about that - fight for your right ladies, you can have it from 20 weeks! (or 18 weeks, apparently )

 

[xloulabellex]

I get mine on Friday I think xx

 

[babyv_s2012]

I get mine at my next appointment 23rd December i will be 22 weeks. i know my friends mw was really horrible with her and said she will only give them from a minimum of 25 weeks!! Thankfully mine is lovely

 

[1liz9]

I'm sorry...I've googled with no good response. What is a MATB1?

 

[babyv_s2012]

I'm sorry...I've googled with no good response. What is a MATB1?

Its a certificate given to women in the UK to give to their employer to prove the woman is pregnant and prove the edd of the baby to enable maternity leave.

 

[kristen77]

Ooooh, what a naughty midwife you have Erikab! X

 

[rocknrolla]

see i thought i'd get mine at my 16wk appt as im sure mw told me she gives it to me...and my next appt is 25wks :-/ unless she posts it out to me...guess ill be waiting too! xx

 

[erikab922]

Ooooh, what a naughty midwife you have Erikab! X

I know right! She's a rebel! I'm actually considering holding onto it and posting it to work (I work remotely) in two weeks 'cause I don't want to get my MW in trouble

 

[MyLittleFish]

Hi,
My MW gave me mine at my 16week appt. as i won't see her again till 28weeks and we have to inform our employers by 25 weeks - she told me to hang onto it until i was 20weeks and then hand it over!

 

[Siuan]

It was me who posted that original thread - thanks for posting this. You've reminded me to try and get through to my maternity unit AGAIN (they don't answer the phone!!!!) to try to get it sorted..

 

[erikab922]

It was me who posted that original thread - thanks for posting this. You've reminded me to try and get through to my maternity unit AGAIN (they don't answer the phone!!!!) to try to get it sorted..

Good I'm glad you saw it, I thought of you straight away when she offered it to me.

 

[Siuan]

Thank you I have just finally got through to them and they were lovely! Fingers crossed that if I get OH to pop in after work (he has my notes and certificate because he works in the area) that they'll be able to sign it finally.

I get the feeling that the midwife I saw on Thursday last week (the one giving me trouble) is from the main hospital at Colchester, whereas these (much more lovely ladies!) are at the dedicated unit in Harwich and they are more than happy to sign it now

Cautiously optomistic....

Edited to add... success!!! OH has returned home with a signed MAT B1.... I'll be getting a photocopy of it tomorrow morning and then giving the original to HR... stupid midwife with her "we don't give them until 25 weeks rubbish"!!

 

[erikab922]

Edited to add... success!!! OH has returned home with a signed MAT B1.... I'll be getting a photocopy of it tomorrow morning and then giving the original to HR... stupid midwife with her "we don't give them until 25 weeks rubbish"!!

Oh HELL YEAH!

 

[Siuan]

Edited to add... success!!! OH has returned home with a signed MAT B1.... I'll be getting a photocopy of it tomorrow morning and then giving the original to HR... stupid midwife with her "we don't give them until 25 weeks rubbish"!!

Oh HELL YEAH!

Haha!!! HELL YEAH indeed!! .. another plus point for me having our baby at the Midwife led unit in Harwich instead of the General hospital ward at Colchester. They just seem so much nicer there

 

[Ashlee B x]

I didnt get mine til my 24 week appt, but i didnt ask for it and work hadnt pestered me for it so it didnt really matter, I just took it to HR they photocopied it and gave it back to me lol. I plan to leave in 9-10 weeks, eeek how scary lol

 

[lalitas charm]

I had trouble getting mine with I was having DD. MW said GP would give it to me, GP said MW should give it to me and so it went round until GP got community midwife to get one and she signed it off. Luckily my HR department are so disorganised that they didn't mind it being late!! I'll try to get mine off GP this week as I don't see MWs again until 34 weeks!!

 

[Kaede351]

I don't know when to get mine I mentioned to my boss I would like to wait until February to start my may leave and she said that I should wait until nearer the time to get the form because she has to sign and date it?

But the last week or so I've been thinking I might start my mat leave in descender when I am due to start it.

How many weeks are all you ladies starting your maternity leave?

XxX

 

[Siuan]

There is nowhere on the form for your employer to sign and date - that is done by the GP or midwife.

The form does say that you should make sure it's handed in early enough or you might miss out on SMP. It's actually in bold font "you may lose money if your claim is late" (I'm not sad enough to have that memorised, I just have the form right next to me!!)

It does also say that you need to give it to your employer at least 28 days notice of the date you want SMP to start.

I am personally thinking of taking 3 weeks annual leave before maternity leave. So I'll actually be 36 weeks when I go off, but will start official maternity leave a week before due date. I'm hoping in that way to be able to save a bit more money than I might otherwise towards the time when I'm on far less than I want to be due to mat leave!

But, that's one of the reasons I've been so desperate to get my MAT B1 - HR won't tell me what pay I'm entitled to until they get this form. So I can't make final decisions until it's all been sorted.

 

[Kaede351]

I'm seeing the MW next Wednesday so I will ask her about it then... Although I'm not sure what sense I will get from her lol. She seems a bit dappy to me :/

XxX

 

[sparkle83]

https://www.direct.gov.uk/maternity.dsb if you fill the questions in, it tells you when you have to tell them by, and this is also when they tend to want your matb1 by