Maternity pay can run out before the baby has left hospital

A survey by Bliss found on average, a sick baby cost parents �1,885 in lost earnings and extra spending.

The first six weeks of maternity pay is paid at a rate of 90% of the mother's regular salary, before switching to a statutory rate for the next 33 weeks.

But some premature babies remain in hospital much of that time, Bliss says.

That means many mothers have already used up most of their paid leave by the time their baby comes home, leaving them facing difficult decisions on childcare, the charity says.

Having a premature baby is already a traumatic experience without parents having to worry about how they will manage financially Andy Cole Bliss 'We just needed help'

Premature babies account for around 10% of all births. Even those now born as early as 25 weeks have a good chance of survival, but will probably spend much of their early life in hospital.

Taxis and takeaways

After surveying 169 parents, the charity found the most significant costs were run up by travel, buying food away from home, and lost earnings through taking time off work.

Nearly half of parents lost money this way, with average lost earnings totalling �2,457.

Childcare for existing children while the parents were at hospital was also an extra expense, at an average of �552.

Those on low incomes or families where one or both parents were self-employed were particularly hard-hit, the charity said.

However it did note that many parents reported sympathetic employers, as well as the support of family and friends in terms of childcare, transport, and even loans.

"These findings are deeply troubling. Having a premature baby is already a traumatic experience without parents having to worry about how they will manage financially," said Andy Cole, chief executive of Bliss.

The charity, he said, would like to see the government "reconsidering the way maternity and paternity leave is calculated when a baby arrives early."

But a spokesperson at The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform noted that the government had just increased statutory maternity pay - �112.75 per week - from 26 weeks to 39 weeks.

This is the equivalent of �1,456 extra.

The spokesperson said: "While the government does appreciate the difficulties some parents face in these circumstances, it wouldn't be practicable to provide for different periods of maternity leave, depending on exactly when the child was born, or the individual circumstances of each birth.

"We hope that in many cases the extra paid leave will considerably extend the time that mothers can spend with their babies once they have returned home."