mat. leave ? for MDs

FortMyersBride

I have 2 weeks left of mat leave (7 total) and my residency director emailed to check in on me and see if I want to take any additional time.  I can get up to 8 wks paid (1 more than I'm taking) and 4 addl thanks to FMLA.  I was thinking of possibility taking another week or 2 as we are just now starting to get DS's reflux under control and his sleeping at night is rather erratic (plus, having another wk or 2 with him would be pretty nice too!).  The only downside is of course any additional time I take will be added on to the end of my residency and I'm sure at that point I'll be itching to graduate and move back home.  Oh, and the longer I'm away I'm sure the more rusty I will feel.  If I take just one more week all of my leave will be paid.  If I take 2 I'll be coming back at the beginning of a new OR rotation instead of the middle of one. 

 I guess I'm just wondering, if any of you had your kids during residency, would you have wanted an extra week or 2, and/or did making up the time drive you crazy?  Also, how rusty did you feel coming back from leave? (I'm in anesthesia if that helps) TIA!
 

lynsef

I'm not an MD, but I am in health care.  I would think coming in at the beginning of the OR rotation would be easier than when it has already started.

Plus its an extra week with DS.

AlisaS

Hi and congrats! I had my boys after residency but FWIW, I would go back at the beginning of a rotation. If you go for the last week, you'll totally be lost and be a drain on the team (at least that is what everyone else will think).  An extra week won't be that bad and maybe you can make up a day here and there in your last year.

Good luck and congrats again!

Em&B

I'm dental, not medical, but fwiw I'd go back at the beginning of a rotation. I agree w/ pp  you'll be lost if you try to go in, in the middle of another one. Plus, you may not get another chance like this to spend at home with DS.

bdbart

Sorry I can't help, but thought I'd tell you that DH is also in anesthesia, and refuses to take more than 2 weeks off back to back because he's afraid he'll get rusty. ?I ask what his female colleagues do when they come back from maternity leave and tell him he's being a wuss. ?Granted, I've never had to stick a tube down anyone's throat but it's not like I forgot how to do math while on ML! ?By the way, which Rochester are you in?

FortMyersBride

Roch, NY.  Yeah, Dh tells me I'm being silly worrying about getting rusty as he took a whole year off to do research (he's a surgeon), but I can't help but be paranoid.

bdbart

Hey, that's my Rochester, too! ?I had both my kids at Highland - gave me a whole new appreciation for DH's job... ?Good luck with whatever you choose. ?I don't envy you being in that position - I've never been a resident but it sounds pretty miserable. ?We waited until I had tenure to start with the kids, so it was a little easier but now we feel old!

FortMyersBride

Wow, small world!  I had my DS at HH too, had a great experience there.  I ended up deciding to take the extra week, and don't really regret it.  I had originally hoped to wait until after residency to have kids but DH is a few yrs older than me and was worried about being an "old dad".