What are your Job/Career plans after delivery?

SnobunnieMel

I will have 12 weeks fully paid between my PTO days and sick time that I plan on using. Some of my coworkers can gift me some of their PTO as well since we never actually get "charged" when we take time off. I am the main salary for us so getting full pay will be huge.

We both work crazy hours in the medical field and are looking into a daycare near my hospitals with flexible times.  I will be more strict about leaving by a "normal" hour like 7 unless DH is off that night. It will just require us coordinating schedules. We already got most of our debt paid off after our first BFP in Jan so we are actually ahead of where we expected to be financially now. 

Kacie209

I plan on taking the full amount of time allowed, which is up to 12 weeks... although have noticed that some that have just left on leave are a little less than that. Regardless, my leave is 100% paid since I have been with my company for almost 15 years; it's considered short-term leave.

However, after baby... I don't know. I have been debating switching jobs... whether it's internally or externally. A couple friends of mine have been passing me job openings from their companies, which I have declined due to TTC and NEEDING that PTO. I don't mind my job and the company I work for... but I need a change. There are a lot of opportunities within, I just don't like to apply to just to see what happens. I'd like to know that I'd enjoy it, as I do stay in positions for quite a few years before moving on. I've been in this one over 6 now. And honestly, it's not the job I don't mind... but some of people I work with on my small team. Most are debbie downers and it's just hard working with them.

An old co-worker of mine said to at least quit, if I left completely, after I know that everything medically has been paid by insurance. Ha.

I don't think I'd ever be a SAHM, as DH doesn't make enough to support us both. So, FT will be it for awhile.

juliehollz13

Well it's official. I let my job know i'm not coming back. The fact that the company is looking into one of the most unethical and despicable people to be the next CEO who I would have to work directly under was the final nail in the coffin. That's office politics for you. 

cantalopes24

I will take 12 to 16 weeks off depending on what we have going on at work and then come back part time for a few months. My dad watches my older 2 for 2 hours after school every day so I will probably have him watch the baby some of the time and bring the baby to work with me occasionally. I have never had paid maternity leave before and with my oldest I took 15 weeks and with my youngest I only took 6 because that's all we could afford.

aarabowl

I'll take 6 or so weeks off and then take baby to work with me. I work pretty independently and have a private office with a door that closes, so I shouldn't disturb my co-workers too much. DH and I are planning to launch our own business by the time baby is 6 months old, so we will work for ourselves and I won't have to worry about childcare or maternity leave.

zubenescamali

I'm in a very different job now than with my first 2 children, and I will need to discuss it with my management team.  It may put a big strain on the department with me gone for 12 weeks again, and with my second I left at 37 weeks so I ended up taking 16 total.  I might be able to take off about 6-8 weeks and then ease back in, maybe do half days for a few weeks after that so I can still run the department but not be gone entirely

aframe77

I'm resigning from my teaching job and moving into part time free-lance work that is more in line with my long time career goals. This will allow me to spend more time with the new baby and my 1 year old son. Nervous about the uncertainty of self employment but ready to take the leap! 

cjt121413

I'm going to take either 6 or 12 weeks depending on what we can save between now and then. I'm the breadwinner so I'll continue to work full time after my leave is over. DH will probably work part time so we won't have to put LO in daycare for a while.

sweetlittlegoose

I just started a new job the week before I found out I was pregnant. So I won't be elligible be for STD or FMLA. However I plan on taking the full 12 weeks I'd be allowed. I'll just have to risk my job not being there when I come back. They've already been really happy with my work and what I'm helping them accomplish so I'm hoping they work with me. I have a friend who was in the same situation and her job ended up giving her STD anyways. We'll just have to see when I tell them at 12-20 weeks.  (Gonna keep it a secret for as long as I'm not showing)

1982Babies

I am a real estate agent in a cold-winter climate, so I will probably take a couple of weeks off and then take it easy until March-ish.

ea301

I'm currently the person in charge of my company. We're a 10 person small business and I am the executive VP. There are owners "above" me in the hierarchy, but I handle the entire day-to-day management of the company at large. I'm extremely nervous about pregnancy and motherhood. I can't quit my job, and I worry about what will happen when I have to take time off. The company is doing okay but it is not at the point where it can "run itself" so to speak. All in all, very stressful. I'm trying not to think about it until later on down the line, but it's been difficult.

caeraRose

I have 6 weeks unpaid and then I'll go back. I have the capability to work from home but that means I won't be able to take phone calls, and that's a huge part of the job so I don't know how if I'll be allowed to work from home for awhile - a manager in my company recently had a baby and she's been coming in to the office in the mornings and then working from home in the afternoons, so I'm hoping I can swing something like that. I'm going to visit with her before I tell my manager to see what she tried and what worked. 

brittnic86

DH and I both work full time, BUT we work pretty much opposite schedules. This is actually a good thing, because not only will we both get almost equal time taking care of baby, but we will only need childcare for 12-15 hours a week. And lucky for us, I have a sister in college, who only works graveyard a few nights a week. She's more than happy to watch baby for $60/week for the three afternoons we will need help Mortgage+student loans+baby+all the other bills=2 incomes a must for us!

Oh and I get 2 weeks paid maternity...but I also still have a week of unscheduled vacation for this year still, and that will roll me into January where I get another 3 weeks of paid vacation...so I'll probably take another week or two then. I plan to take about a month off. I'm lucky I have paid time I can use/combine to do that.

Meggs516

My job currently offers 6 weeks paid and I'll use a few weeks of vacation to bring it to 9 to 12 weeks.. have not looked at daycare options yer.

newmamaro

With DS I went on maternity leave the week before my due date. I was a veterinary assistant and it was getting hard getting on the floor with animals. I ended up having him 4 days late. I was out a total of 8 weeks or 9 weeks, but only had PTO saved for one week, the rest was unpaid. With baby #2, I'd like to work up until I have the baby since I'm at a desk this go around. I'm not sure yet how long I will be out - it's still all unpaid unless I have saved PTO. I should by December, as long as I don't have to use any before then, have 3 weeks saved up. I'd love to stay out 9-12 weeks total, it will just depend on what we can save up. 

squiddy224

My plan is to go part time (three days a week) following my maternity leave.  I'd love to be a stay at home mom for a while, but unfortunately our financial situation won't allow that.

sunshine2417

Has anyone looked into starting their own daycare from home? I'm a teacher and due in the end of December. My SIL has a one year old and one due in June. She also watches 1 other child (and is getting another in a few months too!) She can write off all of her utilities, many grocery bills, etc. I'm thinking of doing this since I'll want to stay home with my baby but it will be hard to not get a paycheck!

princesslockness

@lferretti89 it can be a serious PITA to do that. It takes certificates, classes, inspections and all sorts of things. But once you have it set up, it should be a nice way to stay home.

em01092

I'll be taking 12-16 weeks of paid time, hopefully. My boss is a sole proprietor and  doesn't really have any set rules on this, all I know he is very generous generally. I know he gave the last two women who had babies paid time, but I have to consider they were also single moms with only one income. My boss may not do that for me since I have a spouse, and that's ok. I'll just come back after 6-8 weeks instead. I net around $850 a week (DH nets around $450-500 a week, but he has all our deductions like health and life insurance, 401k, AFLAC, etc.)so we really can't afford to go very long without my income. After I return, our little nugget will go to a top rated daycare that is within walking distance of our home anywhere from 3-5 days a week, depending on DH's schedule at the time. 

shoeflypie

I'm a PE teacher at a somewhat 'rough' Junior/Senior high school. And I'm only 5'2. So I plan to be done at 36 weeks. This is my 3rd baby in 3 years so I've been working extremely hard to pay off all of our debt. I will be taking at least 2 semesters off and won't return until January 2018. In the meantime, I plan on finding a job that allows me to work from home. And I also really want to be an IBCLC so I might do schooling for that. 

Amdogger82

@ea301 I am in a similar boat.

I run a small organization and have been here about 8 months. Our policy (which I wrote) calls for 12 weeks unpaid, but I am not sure I could be completely disconnected for 12 weeks. I mean I could, because everyone is replaceable, but my work is really important to me too. I guess I am not thinking about it too much until we make it to the second tri, but I'm trying to use this as a chance to establish boundaries and create a family friendly place to work... 

princesslockness

shoeflypie said:

I'm a PE teacher at a somewhat 'rough' Junior/Senior high school. And I'm only 5'2. So I plan to be done at 36 weeks. This is my 3rd baby in 3 years so I've been working extremely hard to pay off all of our debt. I will be taking at least 2 semesters off and won't return until January 2018. In the meantime, I plan on finding a job that allows me to work from home. And I also really want to be an IBCLC so I might do schooling for that. 

What is that?

spruce1978

Another Canadian here. I'll be taking my full year off, and hope to return back to work part time after that. I went back 3 days a week after my last mat leave, which was a nice balance. I started working full time hours again a few months ago (my daughter is 3). I work from home, but because of the meetings, phone calls, and workload my daughter goes to a day home during the day (or I would get nothing accomplished!). 

shoeflypie

Kate08Young said:

shoeflypie said:

I'm a PE teacher at a somewhat 'rough' Junior/Senior high school. And I'm only 5'2. So I plan to be done at 36 weeks. This is my 3rd baby in 3 years so I've been working extremely hard to pay off all of our debt. I will be taking at least 2 semesters off and won't return until January 2018. In the meantime, I plan on finding a job that allows me to work from home. And I also really want to be an IBCLC so I might do schooling for that. 

What is that?

International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. The hospital 2 miles from my house desperately needs one and I would love to use both mt health degree and 5 years experience working for Victoria's Secret. I know boobs lol