God, don't even get me started on maternity rights, lol! No, I get zilch. We investigated this so thoroughly, mostly in disbelief, and it culminated with the guy at Citizens Advice Beureau saying "this is disgraceful. You don't exist in the eyes of the uni or the government". Yeah, I REALLY believe it's a human rights issue! I am looking at hardship funds from the uni, filled in all the necessaries but it takes so long to gather together the 'evidence' - all in progress. I have also registered self-employed and back dated NI, in view of the fact that I have been teaching an A level student in the evening. Trying my best to not panic!

Thanks AcademicMum! I am always open to hearing another opinion, and perhaps you are right. We've already set up some childcare at home for me to finish off the last bit - the whole situation is somewhat eased by my husband working from home most days.

What suprises me really is the lack of proffesionalism - she does have a reputation for having very low tolerance for families, so perhaps I shouldn't be suprised. I think this all harks back to the one thing that REALLY riles me - these people have no management or people skills, and yet are happy to be managers. She's usually a completely nice person, but she's just terrible for bullying when in a bad mood. Anyway, I'm writing today and happy to be at home, away from her prowl!

The more I think about it today, with a clearer head and a good nights sleep, the more I see just how out of order she is, with particular reference to my personal life. Yes, I would consider getting a mentor/someone else involved, but get very worried over the usual academic politics.

All this goes to prove is that once the PhD is done, I'm out of academia! This is not the first nor the last instance of bullying in our department, and it's just such a shame because it squashes the enthusiasm so many early career researchers feel.

Thanks jojo, and you are right. It's just downright rude for her to place her own sad assumptions and experiences on anyones relationship. I was a bit gobsmacked - I have such a supportive husband and a strong marriage. It all seemed surreal for someone who's met him a couple of times, in passing, to make that giant leap!

No, H, she doesn't. She also has a failed marriage that broke up years ago...figures!

You see Neseesa, when I was 6, someone asked me what I wanted to be and I said a scientist. When I was 18 and the choice of uni came along, I realised that my commitment to that dream wouldn't be enough and I was too immature, so I worked and grew up a bit. I left a decent job and my own house at 23 to finally go to uni, but even then all I focussed on was the goal of a PhD. This IS NOT a career move and never has been. I know of a lot of mums (my best friend in fact) studying for their doctorates and successful climbing the usual ladders. For me, just getting the PhD is enough - I'll have achieved my dream and put a tiny, incremental grain of knowledge towards breast cancer. In all this stress, I still don't lose sight of that.

It's really really naive to assume that your reason for doing a PhD is everyone elses reason too.

I'm 31 weeks pregnant and in the final PhD year. Funding expired at the end of September - lab work is 4-6 months off completing.

I recently received a call offering a paid role of 8 hours a week, from home and very OK with maternity. I'm not currently being payed and just don't feel I can refuse this.

Told my supervisor today and this is what I was told:
a) Choose between this and the PhD;
b) you'll not complete the PhD;
c) your husband should be more supportive!

Then she had the audacity to sit there, saying she was worried about how tired/stressed I was and pregnancy had "really taken it's toll"!!

I am furious at the insinuation about how much my husband [apparently doesn't] support me, and the naivety to assume that the PhD won't be finished. This last bit of work answers my hypothesis - why on this holy earth would i let that slip?!

I love my subject and am one of the most passionate scientists in our group. I feel thoroughly disappointed at her response. How can I respect someone who treats people like this?!

Maybe someone here can help. I am in my final year of the PhD. Money runs out in September and I am hoping to finish lab work by the end of October at the very latest.

I am also 7 weeks pregnant, baby is due 24th december (yep, a little suprise and what timing!).

However, although I am MRC sponsored, I get no maternity allowance at all. The sponsorship isn't direct so the MRC can't use their usual decent maternity support. The uni will only do hardship funds, but I am definitely looking into this.

The most annoyinhg thing though is this: I won't even qualify for the government Maternity Allowance, which is apparently given to all women; or at least all women with the exception of PhD researchers it seems. This is £106 a week and is a lot of money to not get.

Has anyone had this experience? Was I misinformed?

Oz, I can join you on this! CONGRATULATIONS!!

I am 7 weeks pregnant and just told the supervisors.... It was dreadful, the build up, but they were suprisingly OK. I am in my final year and the gene work has gone very well, so I had the results of that as well which may have explained their reaction. The baby is sue in december and I am hoping to finish the lab work by the end of October. They have told me to focus on papers before the thesis, but I am a little scared at the prospect of having no job to go to. There was a lot of talk about me staying on as a post-doc prior to this, so I just have to wait and see.

I'm putting up another post now on maternity rights - I have just found out I get NONE. Hopefully someone might be able to point us in the right direction...