Adoption
Maternity leave after adoption
Hi! I haven't posted recently, so I thought I should introduce myself. We have two biological children and are adopting from China. We just finished compiling our dossier and are about to start the authentication process. Then the dossier is off to China! It feels like a dream that we've made it this far.
Although we're a long ways off from planning for leave after the adoption, I know this is a good group to throw out all the random questions that are on my mind. How much leave did you take? How much leave did your partner take? I'm covered by FMLA and have the opportunity to take up to six months, but I doubt we can afford for me to take that much time off, especially since I carry our health insurance. Of course I know a lot depends on the needs of our child. Our two children currently go to a daycare center and like every family with a new child, we have to decide whether we should (and can afford to) keep them in daycare while I'm home on leave. Then we have to decide what our childcare options will be after I go back to work. Our options are to send all three children to the daycare center or rehiring a nanny.
On a side note, I feel like I'm constantly educating everyone that even though I'm not giving birth to a baby, I will be and need to be taking maternity leave. One co-worker is still asking if I've gotten approval yet for my 2.5-week "vacation" for when we travel to China to meet our child. Luckily my boss and HR are supportive of our adoption and taking time off for home study meetings and doctor's appointments hasn't been an issue, so I don't imagine planning leave will be a problem either. It just seems crazy that others do understand why I need to take leave.
Although we're a long ways off from planning for leave after the adoption, I know this is a good group to throw out all the random questions that are on my mind. How much leave did you take? How much leave did your partner take? I'm covered by FMLA and have the opportunity to take up to six months, but I doubt we can afford for me to take that much time off, especially since I carry our health insurance. Of course I know a lot depends on the needs of our child. Our two children currently go to a daycare center and like every family with a new child, we have to decide whether we should (and can afford to) keep them in daycare while I'm home on leave. Then we have to decide what our childcare options will be after I go back to work. Our options are to send all three children to the daycare center or rehiring a nanny.
On a side note, I feel like I'm constantly educating everyone that even though I'm not giving birth to a baby, I will be and need to be taking maternity leave. One co-worker is still asking if I've gotten approval yet for my 2.5-week "vacation" for when we travel to China to meet our child. Luckily my boss and HR are supportive of our adoption and taking time off for home study meetings and doctor's appointments hasn't been an issue, so I don't imagine planning leave will be a problem either. It just seems crazy that others do understand why I need to take leave.
Son #1 - September '09
Son #2 - October '11
Son #3 - Hoping to adopt from China some time in 2014!
Our adoption journey: Talkin' 'Bout the Next Generation
Son #2 - October '11
Son #3 - Hoping to adopt from China some time in 2014!
Our adoption journey: Talkin' 'Bout the Next Generation
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Re: Maternity leave after adoption
I took 12 weeks per FMLA. Part of that was covered by my company (full pay for 2 weeks and nominal pay for another 6 weeks). DH wasn't eligible for any parental leave, he took a week off when DD was a couple of months old.
I was very lucky in that my company recognized the importance of bonding with any child, whether biological or adopted, and recognized maternity leave equally for both situations. You will find that it varies widely by company. You'll see that some people got nothing, some had to just save up PTO, some companies distinguish between adoption and giving birth, etc.
I'm taking 3 months unpaid time off from work and MH took 2 weeks unpaid time off. FMLA covers my job position, but I wasn't eligible for anything to cover a portion of my missed salary like I would have been if I had had a bio child. I carry our family health insurance and my work was really nice about covering my portion these 3 months and letting me repay them once I get back to work. I feel really lucky that we had saved enough for me to be off work for so long.
Have you asked your daycare if they'd be able to do 50% full time? Maybe they would let you enroll for 2-3 days per week at a lower rate so then you'd have a day or two for just you & your new little one to spend at home?
It's a bummer that some people can say really stupid things about adoption! At the scheduling meeting where my boss announced that I would be taking maternity leave for my adoption, I had a co-worker say that he should get at least 9 weeks off too, since he was going to be adopting a cat. :-O Overall though I've been really impressed with most people's reactions and how supportive people have been.
1/13 Decided to pursue DIA, 4/13 Home study Approved 9/13 Matched!
10/13 DS home with us! 2/14 TPR completed 5/14 ADOPTION IS FINAL!
3/14 Surprise BFP 11/14 DD is here!
TTC #2, Operative hysteroscopy March 2011; IVF #1 long lupron protocol April 2011-cancelled due to poor response; IVF #2 flare protocol May 2011=hospitalization due to abdominal hemorrhage during ER and no fert due to MFI issues. Moving onto international adoption from Moldova January 2013!