Maryland Babies

Maternity leave for baby #2 (a whine and a poll)

I realized that unless we get a bumping tax return (doubtful) I am not going to be able to take as much time off with Baby #2 as I did with Evie.  This time around I need to use my STD policy to cover Evie's daycare slot, so unpaid FMLA leave isn't going to cut it.

I am lucky because I still think I'll be able to swing 10 -ish weeks of leave staying in paid status.  (Thank you advanced sick leave!)  The final amount depends on when I go out.  That is so much better than just the 6 week recovery period.  I guess I am just a little sad that I won't get to spend the 4 months at home with new baby as I did with Evie.

Have any of the other PG mamas started thinking about their leave and how much time you'll be able to take. 

If this is baby number 2 for you, will you get to take as much time as you did the first time around?

Lilypie First Birthday tickers Lilypie Third Birthday tickers

Re: Maternity leave for baby #2 (a whine and a poll)

  • do you work for the government? i used advanced sick for bradley and do not have much leave built up so thats a reason why if we do decide on number two it will have to be a few years down the road.
    Daisypath Happy Birthday tickers
  • Loading the player...
  • I'm not pregnant yet, but we are TTC #2... and I'm in the same boat. We've already planned some vacations this year so if we end up expecting at the end of 2012, than I'm going to be out of vacation time and will be at unpaid leave until disability kicks in... and then I'd possibly have my vacation time restart if it's close to 1/1/13 after that : ) But, I also was sent out a week early before my inducement due to hypertension. So, that took at week of STD right there. We are on my company's insurance, so in addition to paying #1 daycare, I will also have to pay my health premiums while out... ughh... there goes the STD check! So, I feel you... and for me, it will depend on when it actually happens... I could end up spending less time, or the same time... Nov/Dec is a slow time at work, so I'm hoping that it happens soon haha. Good luck!!
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • If I work until my due date or close to it (which is the current plan) I'll end up with exactly 12 weeks of paid leave.  I'd have more but I was stupid last spring and used leave randomly (about 60 hours of annual and 60 hours of sick, which ticks me off now bc that's another 3 weeks.)  But oh well.  I would like to take more time and I think we could make it work if I took some time off unpaid, but I'd rather not. 

    I have it calculated that if we start trying for #2 when this one is a year old I should have enough leave built up again to take close to 12 weeks if I get pregnant as soon as we start trying (and who knows if that will happen, took almost a year with this one.)

    Lilypie First Birthday tickers
  • well I am not pg but I will chime in. With Sean I took 8 weeks....he started daycare at 9 weeks old. With Blake I took 11 weeks. Both were unpaid because my company has less than 50 employees, so FMLA does not apply and we have no STD. It worked out ok, but I really would have liked to take 12-14. I have no idea how some people only do 6 weeks. I was soooo not ready to go back at 6 weeks.
    Lilypie Third Birthday tickersLilypie First Birthday tickers
  • If I make it to my due date then I won't need to use any leave for this school year. I'll have the summer off and will take STD when we start again in the fall. I'll be home for a total of 18 weeks. Of course that all depends on when this LO makes her appearance. 
    imageBaby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • I did a rough estimate, but if I don't take any leave (which I know wont happen, I'll have to take some) I will have over 240 hours of vacation and sick.  The Federal gov't doesn't have STD at all, so last time I took half the pay period accrued leave (I went through sick first, then vacation) and the other half unpaid.  Of course last time we didn't have one in DC to pay for, and it was tight.  Once I get further along we are going to see if J can go part time to DC while on on ML, it's not ideal, but it might be the only way we can swing taking off 12 weeks like I did with him.
    Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickersLilypie First Birthday tickers
  • imageCooper81:
    I did a rough estimate, but if I don't take any leave (which I know wont happen, I'll have to take some) I will have over 240 hours of vacation and sick.  The Federal gov't doesn't have STD at all, so last time I took half the pay period accrued leave (I went through sick first, then vacation) and the other half unpaid.  Of course last time we didn't have one in DC to pay for, and it was tight.  Once I get further along we are going to see if J can go part time to DC while on on ML, it's not ideal, but it might be the only way we can swing taking off 12 weeks like I did with him.

    Can you join the union?  I am eligible to join but haven't, but the union recently (maybe last year?) started offering STD.  It'd be too late for you now unfortunately bc I think it doesnt kick in for 10 months or something but it may be something to keep in mind down the road.

    Lilypie First Birthday tickers
  • I would like to take the full 12 weeks, but I carry the health insurance and daycare, so I'm thinking I may take less time. I took 9 weeks with Annabelle, but that's because DH lost his job and we needed the money. I'm hoping at at least take 9 weeks off with this baby, but we shall see. I currently have three weeks saved, not much, but at least it's something.
    image

    image

    image 





  • As rough as my job is, this is one of the major perks - and a big reason why we wanted to have #2 while Brad was still in school and it was a no brainer that I'd still be here anyway.  With Maddox I had 18 weeks and was able to increase that to 21 total by using some accrued vacation time at the end.  I'll likely do something similar this time around (with all of the same weepiness as last time when it's over and time to return to the 'joy' of doing deals). 
    image
    lovelylittleworld
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    BFP#2 1/12/12 ~ Missed M/C 8w2d
  • imagemrsbecky07:

    imageCooper81:
    I did a rough estimate, but if I don't take any leave (which I know wont happen, I'll have to take some) I will have over 240 hours of vacation and sick.  The Federal gov't doesn't have STD at all, so last time I took half the pay period accrued leave (I went through sick first, then vacation) and the other half unpaid.  Of course last time we didn't have one in DC to pay for, and it was tight.  Once I get further along we are going to see if J can go part time to DC while on on ML, it's not ideal, but it might be the only way we can swing taking off 12 weeks like I did with him.

    Can you join the union?  I am eligible to join but haven't, but the union recently (maybe last year?) started offering STD.  It'd be too late for you now unfortunately bc I think it doesnt kick in for 10 months or something but it may be something to keep in mind down the road.

    Hm, the only Union I know of for my agency is for officers and I'm not one of those.  Is there a general gov't workers union?

    Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickersLilypie First Birthday tickers
  • imageCooper81:
    imagemrsbecky07:

    imageCooper81:
    I did a rough estimate, but if I don't take any leave (which I know wont happen, I'll have to take some) I will have over 240 hours of vacation and sick.  The Federal gov't doesn't have STD at all, so last time I took half the pay period accrued leave (I went through sick first, then vacation) and the other half unpaid.  Of course last time we didn't have one in DC to pay for, and it was tight.  Once I get further along we are going to see if J can go part time to DC while on on ML, it's not ideal, but it might be the only way we can swing taking off 12 weeks like I did with him.

    Can you join the union?  I am eligible to join but haven't, but the union recently (maybe last year?) started offering STD.  It'd be too late for you now unfortunately bc I think it doesnt kick in for 10 months or something but it may be something to keep in mind down the road.

    Hm, the only Union I know of for my agency is for officers and I'm not one of those.  Is there a general gov't workers union?

    I don't know what Agency you are with, but mine is represented by the NTEU.  I've never heard about the STD though, and although I am represented by the union, I am not a member.  I also had to combine sick, vacation, and LWOP to get to 12 weeks.  I was disappointed that i was only allowed to use 6 weeks of sick, when I had 16 weeks worth saved.  I also learned that once you use 80 hours of LWOP in a calendar year, you no longer accrue leave any pay period you are on LWOP status, even if you take some other leave (like vacation) in the same pay period.  I know this isn't helpful, but they are my lessons learned.  

    IMG_2304IMG_3206
    Baby Girl #2 is on her way!
    Lilypie First Birthday tickers Lilypie Third Birthday tickers
  • The STD policy I have was offered through the CMS Employee Assistance Association (EAA).  I believe SSA and CMS' EAA are still the same even though we are different agencies.  They run the gym, the little post office and the little stand that sells trinkets in the lower lobby.

    I know that it won't help you now, since there is an exclusion for pregnancies that predate the policy, but it may be worth looking into if you think you will have more kids.

    Lilypie First Birthday tickers Lilypie Third Birthday tickers
  • Ras-I know ours is represented by the NTEU, but I've never heard of anyone in my series being a memeber. That is weird about not being able to use all your sick leave, I was able to use all of mine, then dig into my vacaation time. But I've also heard that agencies are different, I had someone I know who is a Fed say their HR wouldn't allow them to take any LWOP unless they burned through all their leave first, so she couldn't do the half pay half unpaid. Also I just went back to look at my E&L statements and I did accrue after using 80 LWOP hours in that year.
    Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickersLilypie First Birthday tickers
  • imageCooper81:
    Ras-I know ours is represented by the NTEU, but I've never heard of anyone in my series being a memeber. That is weird about not being able to use all your sick leave, I was able to use all of mine, then dig into my vacaation time. But I've also heard that agencies are different, I had someone I know who is a Fed say their HR wouldn't allow them to take any LWOP unless they burned through all their leave first, so she couldn't do the half pay half unpaid.

     

    We are represented by AFGE and it's weird who they represent and who they don't.  The STD is fairly new like I said so maybe other unions will pick up on it if there's an interest.   I didnt do it bc you have to join the union and pay the dues and then pay for STD insurance and my theory was that I could just save that money rather than paying it out every paycheck like that, but for some it could be useful.

    Lilypie First Birthday tickers
  • Quick question, STD and FMLA run cuncurrently right? You cant use STD and then the FMLA(?) I plan on staying home at least four months but I have zero PTO. I was so good last year and saved but I ended up using it all when I got sick at the beginning of this pregnancy. My STD was actually already approved to start 6/21. After my FMLA runs out, I plan to change my work schedule so I only work weekends that way I'll be home with the baby during the week. 
                       image 
     Mama to Baby K. born @25wks due to pProm/PTL. Forever in Our Hearts. Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"