Maternity Leave...

thekristenkay

This is our first baby, and at my job I don't get any kind of benefits (paid vacation, paid sick leave, insurance or paid maternity leave). He does, but obviously he isn't the one who gets the maternity leave privilege. It would be a huge financial burden for dh and I to go 6-8 weeks without my paycheck too. Any thoughts on how to best handle the situation?

jlaOK

It's just a numbers game.  I don't know how far along you are but the more time you have before the baby comes, the more time you have to prepare for an unpaid maternity leave.  I would make a budget of all your expenses to try and figure out how much you can save until you deliver and how much you can squeeze out of your budget (the easiest things to cut are eating out and cable).  Will you be paying for childcare?  You could "practice" making these payments now (put the payment into savings) to help prepare. 

Once you figure out how much you can save, that'll let you know how much time you can realistically take off.  The "standard" minimum is 6 weeks for vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for C-section.  You may not be able to take that much time off and there are some women (a couple on this board) who haven't been able to.  You might also talk to your employer about coming back part-time for a few weeks that way you'll be making some money while also not taxing your body by working full-time.

FemShep

Depending on where you live, you may be entitled to disability benefits through your state.  Otherwise, you should start saving as much as you possibly can.  I'm sorry I don't have better advice for you, it's a tough situation.

emberlee3

Will your husband be able to take parental leave?  If so, consider saving his leave for after you go back to work.  It would make the first couple of weeks back a little easier if you're not having to juggle both parent's schedules, pack baby's stuff, etc.  Your husband could handle night duty and nap with baby during the day, so you can get extra sleep after going back to work.