Maternity Leave?

hullabalou · July 2017

Working moms:

How long of a maternity leave are you planning to take? Will you get any paid leave? Are you planning to return to work after baby? I told my boss today where she didn't hear it through the grapevine after we announced to our friends and family last night, so it has me thinking about leave options.

hullabalou · July 2017

I will have about 3 weeks of PTO to use. When baby is born I'll only have been here 18 months, so I don't have a ton of leave stockpiled-especially since I have to take time off when my son catches every bug that goes around daycare. I plan to save enough to take the remaining 9 weeks of FMLA unpaid. I also have the option to take up to a year of unpaid leave of absence, but it would be really tight financially for me to be without a paycheck and I don't want to drain all of our savings. I am hopeful that we can save more than I think in the next few months and I can take a longer leave.

lexidawg · July 2017

I get 8 weeks (i'll have to have a scheduled c-section due to a previous myomectomy) of short term disability at 60% pay. I will also use all of my stored vacation time, which will be 6-7 weeks. The goal would be to take an additional 2 months unpaid if we can have enough saved.

LiveNLove44 · July 2017

Is this is a good time to mention another reason I wish I lived in Canada?

If we can afford it, I will have 8 weeks. It will be the shortest leave of all my kids, and I'm incredibly sad about it. I just switched districts last year, so I have hardly any sick/personal leave available. The time I had with my babies in the first few months is time I never get back, and I keep trying to figure out a way for us to afford for me to have even one more week at home with our last little one. Any ideas??

muggle621 · July 2017

I work for the State so my leave is a little different, but it is low since I had 3 surgeries, a wedding, and a honeymoon in the span of 4.5 years. I'm hoping there are not any issues and I can wait to start FMLA late Feb. early March and I plan on taking all of it. I have short term disability to supplement when I run out of leave.

muggle621 · July 2017

@hullabalou a year unpaid is awesome! I understand the financial strain though. I know how hard it is to save but I bet y'all can make it happen!

crossfitbabybump · July 2017

My work has maternity leave under the FMLA. I get up to 8 weeks for vaginal delivery, 12 weeks for C-Section. 6 weeks is paid at 70% and the rest of the 8 weeks I use PTO at full 100% pay. I plan to take the full 8 weeks if it's not C-Section. I just talked to my boss today about how I am thinking of coming back part time after baby is born, but I do have 7 more months to think about it. It's quite a scary decision, actually. I'd be losing the best insurance around and would have to get on my husband's insurance. But I don't think I can sit at work for 9 hours without my baby. I'd go insane! Plus if you think about it, we're going to be losing money either way, whether it be me working full time and paying for a sitter/nanny. Or me working part time and being home with the baby, not missing out on milestones. Money to me is a materialistic thing and well yes, it can help, I know it's not that important to me to be super rich. I'd rather spend time with my baby.

crossfitbabybump · July 2017

@LiveNLove44 my sister is now staying at home while she's finishing up PA school. I asked her how she does it with just her SO working. She said they cancelled everything, like cable, Netflix, etc... unnecessary things and she budgets their monthly grocery list. She said it was tight at first but once they got the hang of it, things got easier. Try looking at all of your bills and see what you can and can't live without. A little extra cash a month can go a long way!

hullabalou · July 2017

LiveNLove44 said:

Is this is a good time to mention another reason I wish I lived in Canada?

If we can afford it, I will have 8 weeks. It will be the shortest leave of all my kids, and I'm incredibly sad about it. I just switched districts last year, so I have hardly any sick/personal leave available. The time I had with my babies in the first few months is time I never get back, and I keep trying to figure out a way for us to afford for me to have even one more week at home with our last little one. Any ideas??

@LiveNLove44 I'm not sure what line of work you're in, but do you have the option to do any work from home part time to supplement your income? I did that at my last job (in medical billing at the time) toward the end of my maternity leave.

hullabalou · July 2017

@muggle621 I'm a state employee as well. I wish I had been here longer so I would have more of a cushion with my paid time off.

hullabalou · July 2017

crossfitbabybump said:

My work has maternity leave under the FMLA. I get up to 8 weeks for vaginal delivery, 12 weeks for C-Section. 6 weeks is paid at 70% and the rest of the 8 weeks I use PTO at full 100% pay. I plan to take the full 8 weeks if it's not C-Section. I just talked to my boss today about how I am thinking of coming back part time after baby is born, but I do have 7 more months to think about it. It's quite a scary decision, actually. I'd be losing the best insurance around and would have to get on my husband's insurance. But I don't think I can sit at work for 9 hours without my baby. I'd go insane! Plus if you think about it, we're going to be losing money either way, whether it be me working full time and paying for a sitter/nanny. Or me working part time and being home with the baby, not missing out on milestones. Money to me is a materialistic thing and well yes, it can help, I know it's not that important to me to be super rich. I'd rather spend time with my baby.

FMLA allows 12 weeks regardless of what type of delivery you have. It is a federal regulation. It doesn't have to be paid, but they have to allow you the time off.

missydallas · July 2017

I get 12 weeks full pay (6 weeks FMLA supplemented, and then my employer covers the last 6 weeks 100%) and I'm not planning on coming back after maternity, especially if we have twins (which is a good possibility with two PGS tested embryos transferred).

@crossfitbabybump - I'm in the same boat as you - I have amazing insurance and going on my DH's is basically us taking a pay cut. However - we wouldn't be grossing enough paying for daycare and me working full time to make it worth it for me. I'd rather cut our budget somewhere else than go back to work.

I haven't told my boss yet - just waiting for my ultrasound tomorrow.

muggle621 · July 2017

@hullabalou I was literally typing the same thing about FMLA, you beat me to it!
@crossfitbabybump Maternity leave and FMLA are different things. I recommend following up with your HR to make sure they are not screwing you.

arhodes6 · July 2017

I work for myself so I won't really have any time off, but I'll be at home so that will be amazing. With DS I had to work while he napped (still do) and when DH got home, but it worked out great. I just let my clients know ahead of time that I will be taking a few weeks to myself but that I'm available if they need me and I had no issues! It will probably be harder with 2, but I'll make it work. I hope.

[Deleted User] · July 2017

I'm a high school teacher so I get zero paid leave. I can use sick time for the first 6 weeks though and I also thankfully signed up for short term disability so I'll get that compensation as well. I'm due 9 weeks before summer break begins so I'll take those 9 weeks off, then 6 weeks of summer, and then I'm thinking of requesting the first quarter of the following school year off as well (that would be unpaid). I do want more time off, but missing the start of the school year would be pretty shitty, so we will see.

I actually am going to a district wide presentation about maternity leave on the 1st so that will be interesting.

crossfitbabybump · July 2017

So my work must just have FMLA then and it's paid at 70% because they keep using the term FMLA. Thanks!

I will follow up with them because I know they've said up to 8 weeks for regular delivery and up to 12 for C-section. But we don't have to take the full time, although I don't know anyone who wouldn't?

justkeeptrying · July 2017

Please don't hate me. I live in Canada.

So...with DS I got a year of paid maternity leave. Then I put in my notice and am now a SAHM. I work casually so I'll take a year after this baby before picking up more shifts probably.

You're about to hate me more. Because I'm not taking any maternity leave this time, DH can use paternity leave. Our plan is for him to stay home for the first 1-3 months. We haven't decided for sure how long. I think he can take up to 6 months paid.

I really feel for you mamas. I hate that my American friends don't get more maternity leave. It's so sad to me.

JournoGrl23 · July 2017

I'm really lucky this go around that my job offers 8 weeks of fully paid maternity leave. I can take up to 12 through FMLA, but nothing over 8 weeks will be paid unless I use PTO. My daughter gets sick all the time being in daycare, so I may not have much by the time March rolls around. DH said he would stay home with her the next few times she's sick so I can build up my PTO. I'm hoping to take 10 weeks. We won't be able to afford any unpaid time, though, unfortunately.

becausescience · July 2017

I'm a teacher so the only leave I get to use is unpaid FMLA. Oh and I have to use all of my sick time during that period. So I'll have like 10 days paid and the rest unpaid as this will be my 3rd year in the district and I used up everything from year 1 and 2 during my leave when I had DD. If all goes well, I'll take off from spring break to the end of the school year this time around.

@antoto I had DD at the end of August and took off the full 12 weeks, so did not start the school year. It actually went better than I expected and my students liked me more than my sub - so that's a win. (I was seriously worried they'd rebel against me.) What subject do you teach - are long term subs easy to find in your area? The biggest stress for me was that my district didn't find my sub until the week before school started - it looks like there may be a math teacher shortage...

[Deleted User] · July 2017

@becausescience I teach Art so it will definitely be harder than finding an English sub. I'm pretty nervous about it. Hopefully I can find someone!

becausescience · July 2017

@antoto Retired teachers could be a good place to start or if you know somebody from your education program/previous schools that would be interested. My district was kind of pushing me to find my own sub - and then made me call people who applied after they posted the position. It was weird.

[Deleted User] · July 2017

@becausescience yeah my district says it should be the teacher's responsibility too - which is just insane to me. I seriously don't know ANYONE. I'm probably going to email the other art teachers in the district and see if they know anyone.

ladybugsamom · July 2017

@journogrl23 It sounds like you and I have similar leave benefits available. I get a total of 12 weeks. 8 weeks (c-section) paid at 100%, then I can take the remaining 4 weeks through FMLA unpaid or use my PTO to keep it at 100%. I don't know how much time I can save up by then - hopefully at least 2 weeks worth. I don't want to come back with ZERO time left (cause that's never wise when you have kids).

KLmyz · July 2017

I live in Canada also. so Im gonna work as long as possible so I can maximize my mat leave with LO we get a year I think it is ?( ftm so I'm not sure if the entire details. It's paid but not 100% of your wage) I plan to return to work, because I enjoy my job and it will be nice to have a second income. I may request to come back as casual instead.
If we can save enough my H might take a couple weeks off after the birth

citygirl17 · July 2017

I lost almost all my benefits when I decided to come back part time after having my daughter (we have family plans through DH for everything). I will be able to use 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA, and I believe I will have 30 hours of sick time to use, which for me is essentially a little more than one full week of pay. I haven't decided if I will take the full 12 weeks of FMLA yet. Right now I work three days and am home with our daughter the other two. I intend to do the same with baby #2. It'll work out so we'll only have about a year of paying for two in daycare at once, then DD will be in Kindergarten. That plus we have a pretty good nest egg, so we can swing it. AND *fingers crossed* DH is waiting to hear back about a new job. If he gets it he will be making more than he and I are both making now COMBINED. So....yeah. Please send good vibes for that!

EDIT: I'll also have the option for some OT between now and then to hopefully get a little more put away, and DH and I will be sure to get our taxes done nice and early so we'll have the refund to cushion us too!

LiveNLove44 · July 2017

@becausescience and @antoto I'm a teacher, too, and won't have more than 10 days, maybe, of sick/personal to use before the rest is unpaid. Thankfully, spring break will be the third or fourth week of my maternity leave, so there's a cushion there.

You guys have to find your own long term sub?! That's so strange. I had DD at the end of August, so I didn't start the school year either, @becausescience. I thought it would be horrible because I'd have to re-introduce expectations, routines, etc., but it went better than I anticipated. This time around, I'm happy to have so much of my year with them before I go, but it's over testing time and our district is pretty serious about student performance. I hope I set them up for success before I go!

Gingermom15 · July 2017

I'll be getting 8 weeks short term disability and the payout will be 60% of my salary. Then I'll be taking 4 weeks pto, after the four weeks I will hopefully have passed my NCLEX, so I could drop my position to casual there and take a payout of the rest of my PTO while I job search.

Jessicakent08 · July 2017

I am talking 12 weeks through FMLA. First 6 weeks paid at 60% and the rest is unpaid. I do get a baby week from my work but I will probably save that for sick days with one of the kiddos since my sick balance is currently in the red

pumpkinpancake · July 2017

The topic of maternity leave gets me so infuriated. I can't understand how the US is literally one of the only countries in the world that doesn't care enough about women and families to make paid family leave a federal policy. It sickens me to think about mothers being forced to go back to work when their newborns are only weeks old, because either their employer won't give them time off, or they can't afford to take it. A mother (or father, for that matter) shouldn't have to choose between bonding with their new child and paying the bills. End rant.

In my case, I'll have 12 weeks unpaid with FMLA, but my state also gives 12 weeks, with 6 weeks of "pregnancy" leave. Part of it runs concurrently with FMLA, so I'll basically have 18 weeks in total (all unpaid) assuming a normal delivery. My employer also requires us to use all sick time when going on leave, so I'll probably have about 2 weeks (at most, assuming I don't actually get sick before my due date) saved up by that point.

[Deleted User] · July 2017

gazelle319 · July 2017

I am very fortunate to have 18 weeks paid at 100% pay, and then up to 6 weeks more unpaid. Part of it is paid maternity leave and part is short term disability, but I can't remember the break down. I recognize how fortunate this is, and hate that most mamas aren't able to take as much leave. DH is also fortunate to have 4 weeks of paid leave. I took around 5 months with DS, but think I might take a little less this time, we'll see.

kburg15 · July 2017

I'm very lucky to have 6 weeks short term disability and 8 weeks parental leave fully paid, on top of my vacation, sick, and personal time (5 weeks total). What I did last year and will likely do this time around is take my disability time and then return part time for several weeks to extend my time at home as much as possible. DH gets 1 week paid paternity and then FMLA, but he took a month off last year. I'm hoping he takes a little more time than that next year because we will never get that time back and would be ok on my salary during that time. We also are on off-shifts, so while I'm working part time, we can delay daycare for the second baby. If anyone's company allows you to split up time off to half days (or 4 hour increments), I highly recommend it. It meant going back earlier, but I needed some "me" time early on anyway, and it let me end up spending more time with the baby as he grew.

[Deleted User] · July 2017

crossfitbabybump said:

My work has maternity leave under the FMLA. I get up to 8 weeks for vaginal delivery, 12 weeks for C-Section. 6 weeks is paid at 70% and the rest of the 8 weeks I use PTO at full 100% pay. I plan to take the full 8 weeks if it's not C-Section. I just talked to my boss today about how I am thinking of coming back part time after baby is born, but I do have 7 more months to think about it. It's quite a scary decision, actually. I'd be losing the best insurance around and would have to get on my husband's insurance. But I don't think I can sit at work for 9 hours without my baby. I'd go insane! Plus if you think about it, we're going to be losing money either way, whether it be me working full time and paying for a sitter/nanny. Or me working part time and being home with the baby, not missing out on milestones. Money to me is a materialistic thing and well yes, it can help, I know it's not that important to me to be super rich. I'd rather spend time with my baby.

Well. That didn't sound judgmental at all...

JoiaBot · July 2017

I get 18 weeks paid then up to 10 weeks unpaid. I'll probably be out from mid February until the first week of August.

kmalls · July 2017

@antoto I was this close to pointing out the exact same thing. It's like she can't help herself.

DDRRT1982 · July 2017

I only took six weeks last time and honestly it wasn't enough. I wish I had more time, but I was too nervous about my position being lost. I wasn't covered under FMLA. I don't think my boss would of replaced me, but I felt pressure to return asap. Anyways, I ended going PRN shortly after returning and my experience reminded me of an article I read that women who experience sufficient maternity leave have a tendency to return to work and do not quit like women who experience less time off with their baby. This time I will have no benefits bc I am PRN. I am still probably only going to take six weeks, because these bills don't pay themselves. I do think I am going to try and save as much as I can and maybe take longer. FX nothing comes up and I can put a good amount away.

bb3vj3n · July 2017

Please don't hate me...I live in Canada and as such I plan on taking our maximum leave (18 months). It will be difficult earning only 33% of my salary for such a long period of time but I'm lucky in that my work tops me up for the first 2 months. We are also going to save as much as possible for the next 7 months to help support my expenses during leave.

I'm so sorry to all of you mama's in the US that must go back to work so soon. I can't imagine how difficult that must be for you.

KLmyz · July 2017

@bb3vj3n. We get 18 months !?! Whhhat I thought it was 12 ! Clearly have not done my research

I also agreed I feel for your other mamas I truly wish you could have more time at home without fear of losing jobs and all the comes with taking more time with your baby

bb3vj3n · July 2017

@KLmyz yes it changed not too long ago. the only catch is the amount you earn hasn't changed ... it's just spread out over a longer term. Whatever you would have earned in 12 gets split over 18.... so you just need to figure out whether or not it works with your budget.

KLmyz · July 2017

Ohhh good to know thanks ! I remember hearing about that but I wasn't sure if it was a change or just a proposed change! A month before baby is due we will be finished paying off our debt other than my student loan so hopefully 18months will work for us !

eta tag for @bb3vj3n

DDRRT1982 · July 2017

Oh my gosh, I could never imagine all those men in Congress ever passing 18 month maternity leave. What a blessing you Canadians have in that opportunity!

Want a personalized experience?

Maternity Leave?

Re: Maternity Leave?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards