How long to take mat/fmla leave?

gwennec

I am due with baby #2 next month. I was in between jobs when I had my first, so ended up staying home with her for 10 months. It was tough. After the first few months, I thought I was going to loose my mind from being home all day and had no energy to do much of anything. Now I work from home full-time and my daughter is nearly 2. I have a part-time nanny for about 25-30 hours a week now and am planning on having her work a little longer once the new baby comes and I go back to work.

So my question is, how long should I take maternity leave? I can get the strandard 6 weeks std and then the rest is pto and unpaid. I can take up to 18 weeks, but I am leaning more towards the standard 12-16 weeks. What should I do? I am leaning towards 12 weeks, but am also afraid that it won't be enough especially if the baby isn't sleeping, etc. I would prefer not to go the full 18 weeks since that would mean nearly 2 months without pay, which we could technically afford, but I would prefer not to. Especially since the nanny is going to continue watching my toddler in the mornings while I am home. I also really like my job and I know my boss would freak out with me taking the full 18 weeks. She doesn't have any kids and seems to think I am going on a vacation or something.

Thoughts?

LoCarb

Kimbus22:

I'd ask for and arrange for the full 18 weeks.  You can always go back early.  It's much harder to ask for a leave extension once you're out than it is to tell them you'd like to come back early.

I agree with this. With both of my children I went back early.

sheryn2

I could have done 12 wks ... maybe.. but far preferred 16 wks with PTO remaining to transitioning back PT to FT over another 4 wks.  It was my 1st.