Maternity Support & Resources:
Your Guide to Maternity Leave

Planning maternity leave can feel like a job in itself. There's your maternity pay to work out, conversations to have at work, dates to organise and a whole new chapter of life to prepare for You might know some of what you need to do, but it's not always obvious what you're missing or when you need to do it. And when you're already juggling work, appointments and everything else that comes with preparing for a baby, finding the time to piece it all together can be difficult.

That's where The Maternity Plan comes in.

I've brought together practical guidance to help you understand your options, prepare for maternity leave and think about what comes next. Whether you're just starting to plan, already on leave or getting ready to return to work, you'll find information to help you work through things one step at a time.
You don't need to figure everything out today. Start with what matters to you right now, and come back to the rest when you're ready.

Maternity leave planning

There's more to preparing for maternity leave than deciding when to finish work. You'll need to think about your dates, what needs to be handed over, conversations with your manager and the things you want to get sorted before you go. Getting started early gives you more time to work through everything without feeling as though you're trying to do it all at once. Whether you're looking for a checklist or need help working out what to do first, this is a good place to start.

Explore maternity leave planning

Maternity pay and finances

Working out how much maternity pay you'll receive is often one of the first things you'll want to do. But knowing the weekly rate is only part of it. You also need to understand how your pay might change during leave and what that means for your finances. I've put together guidance on Statutory Maternity Pay, Maternity Allowance, enhanced maternity pay and the other things worth thinking about before your income changes.

Read the Maternity Pay & Finances guide

Your maternity rights and work

It can be difficult to know what you're entitled to at work, particularly if this is your first baby or you haven't been through maternity leave before. Understanding your rights can help you feel more confident when speaking to your manager or HR team. It can also help you know what questions to ask and where to look if something doesn't seem right. This section will cover maternity leave and pay rights, workplace policies, keeping in touch during leave and other employment questions you may have along the way.

Understand your maternity rights

Looking after yourself during maternity leave

Maternity leave is a big life change. There's the excitement of meeting your baby, but there can also be uncertainty, difficult emotions and days that look very different from what you imagined. You might find that your priorities change, that you're thinking about work more than you expected or that you're trying to work out who you are in this new chapter. You don't have to feel a certain way about maternity leave. This part of your journey is about understanding what you're experiencing, finding the support you need and giving yourself some space to adjust.

Explore wellbeing and support during maternity leave

Returning to work after maternity leave

Going back to work can bring up all sorts of questions. You might be thinking about childcare, flexible working, how you'll manage the juggle or whether you'll feel the same about your job when you return. It's worth giving your return some thought before the final few weeks of leave, so you have time to explore your options and speak to your employer where needed. You don't need to have every detail worked out, but knowing what to expect can make the transition feel more manageable.

Prepare for your return to work

Practical advice for the questions you have along the way

Sometimes you don't need a complete guide. You just need an answer to one particular question, whether that's about KIT days, your maternity handover or how to approach a conversation with your manager. The articles below explore specific topics in more detail, so you can find the information you need without having to start from scratch. As the resource library grows, you'll find more practical guidance covering the questions that come up before, during and after maternity leave.

Browse all articles

Want help bringing it all together?

Reading about maternity leave can help you understand what's ahead, but it can still be difficult to know what applies to you, what to do first and how all the different pieces fit together. That's why I created The Maternity Blueprint, a practical maternity leave planning portal that helps you organise the details around your own circumstances. It brings together support with maternity dates, pay planning, annual leave, workplace conversations and the things that are easy to overlook when you've got a lot on your mind. You can work through your plans step by step, rather than trying to keep everything in your head or piecing together information from lots of different places.

Explore The Maternity Blueprint

You don't have to work it all out alone

Maternity leave is more than time away from work. It's a major life transition, and you deserve support that considers both your working life and everything changing outside it. The Maternity Plan brings together practical guidance, professional knowledge and lived experience to help you feel better prepared for the journey ahead. Start with the area that's most relevant to you, take it one step at a time and come back whenever you need to. Your maternity leave should feel supported, not like another thing you have to figure out on your own.