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June 2019 Moms
Dcwtada
member
Discussion: Working after baby
Dcwtada
member
This popped up today and I remembered there had been some interest in having a thread about returning to work (or not) after baby. I think an open forum might work best but I included some talking points below to get started
Current or former position?:
FTM or STM (+)?:
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?:
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?:
Any questions, concerns, or advice?:
What is your dream job?:
Current or former position?:
FTM or STM (+)?:
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?:
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?:
Any questions, concerns, or advice?:
What is your dream job?:
Re: Discussion: Working after baby
FTM or STM (+)?: FTM
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: plan to be off 3-4 months then return to work
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: 12 months at 55% or 33% over 18 months which can be combined with DH. He will take over paternal leave when I go back to work
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: MONEY is huge concern. As the main bread winner its important for me to go back asap
What is your dream job?: getting to be a travel agent as my full time gig would be awesome
FTM or STM (+)?: STM (DD - 4, DS1 - 3, DS2 - 1)
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: I returned to work after DD for a few months, I was torn and when I did quit I was more confident in my decision. I worked from home those months but had a close friend watching my daughter while I worked. Not sure if that made it easier or harder to be honest, I could hear them playing or her crying while I was on calls or working and sometimes it was tough but I have no idea if complete separation during the work day would have been easier to turn off the mom-side.
Now I am a stay at home mom full time and with soon to be 4 little ones I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: My maternity leave now involves the 48 hour hospital stay after my c-section...
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: I am pretty introverted so staying home was a big shock socially but I will say I noticed a huge difference in my attitude/happiness and productivity by getting dressed (sometimes makeup) every morning. I can usually tell when I am getting in a bad spot because I stop doing those things and I feel so much better when I force myself to get dressed even if no one will see me other than the family.
What is your dream job?: Running a wildlife and senior animal rehab/sanctuary. Definitely will be a labor of love but both DH and I are extremely passionate about doing this down the road
FTM or STM (+)?: This is my second
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: First time, I took 4 months off (half paid, half unpaid), came back part time (MWF) for two months, and then returned full time. I used my vacation days while part time to cover the Tu/Th days so I would go back to full time pay.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: 8 weeks at full pay (+2 extra weeks if you have a c-section), then I can take 12 weeks unpaid FMLA leave.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: last time, coming back part time helped me settle back in so much better. It also helped with separation anxiety. On the first day back, I didn't freak out because I knew I'd be with her all day the next day. It was helpful not to go from 1 to 100 but to ease in. I think even just a few weeks of part time can help the adjustment (esp if you are pumping).
What is your dream job?: law professor
FTM or STM (+)?: STM (one son, almost 2)
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: I had 4 months maternity leave, then did part time for a couple months after maternity leave ended. This time, I think I'm just going to do the 4 months of maternity leave then will go back to work full time.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: Local law is 16 weeks paid leave. No specific goals other than getting the new little one on a schedule as soon as possible -- we found that really worked with our first, so hoping history repeats itself!
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: I'm just nervous about going from a family of three to a family of four! Not sure how I'll manage them both, especially at the beginning, but I keep reminding myself that I felt the same before my first came along, and it somehow just works out... still it's a lot! @Dcwtada, I totally agree with you on the getting dressed/make up making you feel better -- I feel the same way. I work from home a lot so I find I'm way more productive if I dress as if I'm going out vs. if I stay in my sweats all day. Same when I was on leave -- forcing myself to get dressed and go out for a walk did wonders for my mental health.
What is your dream job?: I think graphic designer or photographer or something in the visual arts.
FTM or STM (+)?: STM I have a 2.5 year old son
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: I will go back to work after about 8 weeks.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: We do not have maternity leave benefits. I will use all of my sick, vacation, and comp time which will hopefully cover about 5 weeks. Otherwise everything is unpaid. Since it will be my only time off we are hoping to do a few camping trips. (we have a travel trailer)
(I am also very lucky that my time rolls over 8/28 and not in January so this is a well timed baby)
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: I was home for 9 weeks with my son. At that time I was working as a truancy officer so I was off for the summer anyway. It was really nice to not have to take any leave and just focus on being off. My biggest thing about returning to work and dealing with the guilt is that I don't have a choice. For me it is much easier knowing that I don't have a choice. 1. I need to work to bring in my income. We could not function on just one of our salaries. 2. I was home for 9 weeks and I was READY to go back. I love my son dearly but I am a much better parent when he goes to daycare and there is no shame in that. I spent SO much money on my maternity leave just trying to get out of my house. We went to lunch or shopping daily. 3. I love my job. I love my son more but my job is part of my identity and that is ok.
My biggest thing is make sure you are comfortable with your daycare. We are on our 3rd daycare. My son was at a center when I first went back to work but it was expensive and they kept mixing him up with other babies and it pissed me off. He was in a room with 12 babies and 3 adults. That is a lot of babies. 2nd he went to a lovely in home but she went to work at a preschool and closed her daycare. He is at another in home now and it is working out wonderfully.
What is your dream job?: Honestly I love working with crime victims. Even though I don't always agree with the system I love it when it works. So it may not be at my same agency but it would definitely be doing the same work.
FTM or STM (+)?: FTM
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: My plan is to go back to work full time after my leave.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: I get 10 weeks of maternity leave plus 6 weeks of parental leave at 100% of my pay. The 10 weeks must be taken directly after birth, however the 6 weeks can be taken anytime within the first 12 months after birth. I do plan on taking it all at once.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: I'm definitely worried about going back to work with a 4 month old. I honestly don't know what to expect. I plan on using every ounce of PTO that I will have to be at home with the babe.
What is your dream job?: College professor
FTM or STM (+)?: STM. DS is almost 2
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: I WFH 80% of the time now but DS is still full time at daycare. I may only send baby PT for the first year.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: 12 weeks 100% pay. Goal is to heal and bond with baby.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: I'm concerned about daycare costs. DS goes to a fantastic place and he was $1000 for infant room. In two year old room he is still $750. I love his school everyone knows him. The director is amazing.
Advice for looking for daycares, if you are interested in a center, make sure there is not a lot of turnover. His infant teacher was there for 20 years! The director had been there for 10. Some of the places we toured vwere taken aback when I asked how long they had been working for the center, but a director who had only been there for 6 months with teachers leaving every month is a big red flag.
What is your dream job?: Stimulating the economy by being a multi million dollar lottery winner. Lol.
FTM or STM (+)?: STM (DD is 1.5)
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: This time, I plan to take 12 weeks. I haven't told my employer yet about the baby, so we'll see how that all goes. I am planning to go back full time, but luckily my job is super flexible hours-wise, so we'll see. DD currently is in a daycare center, but I'm planning/hoping to look for a nanny to come to the house to watch her and the new baby. I just can't wrap my head around bringing a 12-week old to this center. Its so big and meh.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: I don't have any specific maternity leave benefits, but I will take short term disability for 6 weeks at 70% pay then PTO/unpaid the rest. I wont have enough PTO to cover, I don't think.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: I'm concerned about working full time. When I was pregnant with DD I was part time at work because I was in graduate school. I graduated 3 weeks before she was born and stayed part time (2 12-hr shifts/week) for basically her entire first year. I LOVED that balance of being half SAHM and still having my career. But, like I said, I am pretty flexible. I go into the office 3 days every other week and otherwise I am out in the community and taking call. So I can make my schedule pretty nicely. I am super worried about finding in-home help, though. I can't really start until at least early June. So I'm worried about not having a backup plan. But putting this baby on the wait list at my daycare center just makes me so sad. I love where she goes for the toddler room, but a tiny infant there seems too much.
What is your dream job?: Not sure! I love what I do. I'd like to be back in the ICU doing palliative/supportive care as an NP. That doesn't exist right now but I'd really like to make it happen some day!
FTM or STM (+)?: This will be #5
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: I have taken at between 12-15 months off after each baby so far. After my year off with my third, I ran a home daycare for two years so that I could be at home with my kids but still make some money.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: Our maternity leave here has now been extended to an optional 18 months, and my employer will top up my salary to 97% for a year. I plan on taking my 18 months, and then hopefully stay off work until this baby is in kindergarten. Childcare is too expensive and I would prefer to be at home anyway. I also realize how lucky we are in Canada to have these options.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: Accept as much help as you can during those first couple of weeks! I never wanted help with the newborn, but help with the older kids was always welcome. Unfortunately, we don't have any family in town.
What is your dream job?: Newborn photographer
Current or former position?: Full-time LSW in a state prison; part-time out-patient therapist
FTM or STM (+)?: First-time!
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: I want to turn my part-time job into my full-time job, but it does not offer any benefits since I'm an independent contractor. The administration under 45 makes me nervous about finding health insurance, etc., so we will see. I do love working in the prison, but the flexibility of making my own hours is obviously ideal.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: My goals during my time off will be to research how to successfully be an independent contractor full-time and not die of anxiety haha. There aren't any fancy maternity leave options offered through my job. I'll take the 12wks FMLA, and I'll get a portion of my salary through short-term disability.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: When I return to the prison, I am worried about my ability to pump. I'll have to leave the equipment in one of the admin buildings, so it'll be a whole lot of back-and-forth during the day I'm thinking. How often does a woman pump during the course of 8hrs?
What is your dream job?: My dream job is to be a therapist who utilizes MDMA and psilocybin along with talk-therapy to treat trauma.
Current or former position?: Security systems engineer
FTM or STM (+)?: FTM
I like working and enjoy what I do. But I have a lot of hobbies that I love as well, so they aren't really jobs and I wouldn't want them to be. I'd just want to have the resources to be able to pursue those hobbies full-time.
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: I will go back to work after the baby. My plan is to take 3 months of maternity leave and then go back full-time.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: Some of my maternity leave will be covered with PTO, then some with STD and the rest will be unpaid. My husband gets 6 weeks of paternity leave as well. So he will probably take some time and then take off a couple of days a week. My #1 goal is to lose the baby weight by the end of my maternity leave! Woohoo, we will see how that goes!
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: I'm not sure I have any at this point. It still seems too far away. I guess a general concern is just being away for that much time. But I guess it will be what it is!
What is your dream job?: My dream job is retirement.
FTM or STM (+)?: This will hopefully be #2
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: I will go back to work after 5-6 months.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?:
I have 20 weeks fully paid and will probably take another month unpaid if I can. Goal is to get the baby on a good schedule by then so the whole family can get enough sleep. Another goal is to figure out what to do with the rest of my working career -- I'd like to strike out on my own.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: I'm concerned about being able to spend enough time with both kids. My plan is to transition to mostly working from home or do my own thing part-time after the younger one turns two or so.
What is your dream job?: Something outdoorsy without a set schedule, or possibly teaching and research. I am terrible at big office politics and looking to get away from that and have more control over my time.
FTM or STM (+)?: Second
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: I'll take end of school year leave starting May 23 (I'm due May 30th now). I'll have all summer off, work our before school days in August, then take family bonding leave (WA state thing) until the end of November. I'll go back to work with baby is about 6 months old.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: Pretty decent...I'll take FMLA to end the year (11.5 days), work a week in August before school starts for extra pay, then state WA State Family Leave for 12 weeks in the fall. That's all "unpaid" but I'll have 6 weeks of short term disability saved from the summer to pay for the first 6 weeks. I'll also use my sick/personal time so I will have about 30 days paid due to that. All in all I'll only lose about 2 weeks of pay over the time I am off which is a home run!
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: To first time mommas...don't stress about your kiddo being in daycare if you plan on working. My 4 year old started daycare at 13 months and I was a wreck initially. He LOVES is there though and it's been so good for him. He's also in preschool now (2nd year) and he's thriving.
What is your dream job?: I pretty much have it! I love what I do.
FTM or STM (+)?: STM
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: I don’t even know. I told my principal this week. I was super honest and told her daycare for 2 eats up such a large amount of my salary that it doesn’t seem worth it. She said, “No, stay home with your babies! Whenever you want to come back, call me.” That helped but I know I’ll miss my job and I think staying home with 2 might make me crazy.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: No maternity leave
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: Not yet
What is your dream job?: I really love my job, but if I could do anything else it would be a pediatric nurse.
FTM or STM (+)?: STM
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: I'll come back to work full time right after my maternity leave.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: I get 12 weeks off. 7 at 100% pay and 5 at 70% pay.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: If you're not 100% sure you want to go back to work or not after baby consider just giving it a chance, going back for a bit, and being open to your options. My DH was 100% I could SAH or work and he didn't pressure me either way. But he did recommend I go back for at least a couple weeks and see how I felt. Honestly, I'm so glad I did. Staying at home just isn't for me. But it was really hard imaging leaving my little baby for the first time for so long.
What is your dream job?: Maybe being a professional photoshopper. I love editing pictures but have enough patience with people to actually take the pictures.
FTM or STM (+)?: STM
What is your dream job?: honestly I have always wanted to be a stay at home mom, but we just can't afford that because our health insurance comes from my job and I make more money that DH does at this point.
Current or former position?:. Senior Tax Accountant
FTM or STM (+)?: STM
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: I will probably take about 6 weeks off and return. I was only able to take 7 with my son.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: .I get three weeks paid maternity leave and then will take as much PTO as I can. The rest would have to be unpaid so I can't take a ton of time off.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: If you are going to breastfeed, make sure you have a place at work you can pump. My former boss wasn't very supportive of it, which was super frustrating. And don't let anyone make you feel bad about doing it.
What is your dream job?: .I would love to have my own business but not sure what I would want to do.
FTM or STM (+)?: FTM
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: Goal is to stay at home and maybe work very very part-time (like 10ish hours a week), but there's a LOT up in the air between now and June. If this season goes well, we may be moving, which could mean a better job title but less pay for DH -- or we could stay put, but that's not ideal for him career-wise. If this season goes poorly, we'll likely be moving, and have a lot less control over where to (because it's much easier to move up the ladder when you already have a job than when you're looking for anything). That'll likely all happen sometime in the March-May time frame. If DH winds up fired this season, we may have to switch to my work's insurance, which would mean I'd have to go back after Baby. If he winds up in a job with less pay in a more expensive city, staying home may not be much of an option either. My work is super flexible with me, and even if we move they've asked me to stay on and work remote, which is a HUGE blessing...and it could work just fine for me to shift back to part-time, even remotely. But I honestly don't know what my life will be come March 15 -- which is stressful enough when it's just the two of us, but adding in a kid due three months later just ups this to Challenge Mode.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: It's a roofing company and up until the last couple years the only women working here were the post-menopausal accountants. There's a couple of us in childbearing years now, but there still is no maternity policy. We get 10 days PTO every year and that's it.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: Covered this already...It's a big concern to not be able to plan a dang thing, but that's the nature of DH's job. I knew it when I married him, so I can't complain too much. I also know that he'll likely be gone a lot of July (summer recruiting) and practice starts in September, with the actual season starting in November -- and that's when he's gone a LOT, and my help dries up and I basically become a single mom (because even if he's home, I can't count on him to do much, because his schedule changes constantly and in his job environment there's no wiggle room for rough performance -- if you lose games, you lose your job). Are there such things as like a "parents day out" anymore? When I was little (like 6 months until I started 3-year-old preschool), my mom took me to that -- it was a sort of a pre-preschool twice a week for like 3 hours where we had stories, naps, snack, etc. (think like nursery at a church service, for a couple hours), and Mom could go to the grocery store or sleep or get stuff done without me. Does stuff like that exist anymore?
What is your dream job?: I'd love to work full-time with Disney vacation planning -- either doing what I do full-time (as an agent, but with the ability to actually go to the park with the family as a guide too), or doing something on the Disney side, getting to make the magic on property.
FTM or STM (+)?: FTM
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: I'm truly undecided. My hours can be unforgiving and my husband's job is not any better. I can't see how we can both work as much as we do (I'm talking regular 80 hour weeks) and care for a child. But @runyogamom's advice is resonating with me right now. Maybe I try to go back at 60% (which they will allow for a short while) or 80% (which I can do with a pay cut, but doesn't always work in practice) and see how things go. Daycare or a nanny will eat up most of my salary if I'm on a reduced schedule.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: 18 weeks paid; I'll also take all of my accrued vacation for another month, and I can take 2 weeks of pre-birth disability before labor. All in all, looking at 6 months paid - I want to use that time to get on a good schedule with the baby, find childcare I trust, and adjust to being a mom!
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: I'm concerned that whatever choice I make, I'll feel like I'm failing. (The quote at the top of the thread sums it up). I know I have to do what is right for me and my family, and tune out the critics....it's hard because my worst critic is me.
What is your dream job?: Probably to be a judge
Home visitor.
FTM or STM (+)?: FTM.
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?:
I will go back to work after 3 months. I want to stay home for 4 but that depends on how much money we can save and if my work will be ok with it.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?:
We’ve got nothing. Women usually take short term disability which pays a portion of our paycheck for a certain amount of time. I don’t really know the specifics yet lol. Once I’m past the first trimester i’ll nail everything down.
We have a week of vacation during the week that July 4th falls on, so i’ll use that. I’ll also take my two personal days and all of my sick time. I’m hoping to have two weeks of sick time by the time the baby comes. My SO doesn’t know what his company offers. They have crappy benefits so I don’t think they’ll offer much. I hope he schedule to take his vacation time when the baby is born so we can have a week together.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?:
I’m concerned about my SOs job. He’s considering a career switch and it’s freaking me out.
What is your dream job?:
Stay at home mom raising bio kids and foster kids.
FTM or STM (+)?: this will be #3
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies): right now the plan is to stay home, since I’ll be moving 2 1/2 hours away from family, but if I can find a part time dental assisting job on the days my Fiancé is off then I’ll be doing that.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: just the normal 3 months off
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: just concerned that my family will be so far away, but time to make an adult decision
What is your dream job?: my job-Dental assistant
I will share something I’ve shared before. I was selected to be part of this national project my organization is participating in. We are traveling to Washington DC to be trained and staying for another conference. I’m nervous that after I tell them they will take this opportunity away from me becuase im going to be gone for several months right in the middle of the project. I don’t feel guilty anymore, you guys talked me out of that
Thirding this perspective -- my son adores going to daycare; he started at around 7 months and loves it. It gives him great socialization, it's stimulating and he comes home exhausted and happy. I'm not built to be a SAHM (major props to those who are -- I have such respect!), but I still felt guilty putting him in daycare. Once I realized how great it was for him, I felt better.
FTM or STM (+)?: STM. Daughter was 2 in July
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby: I will be working full time again just like last time.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: I have no clue. Haven’t gotten around to asking as I haven’t told my boss yet. I’m very close friends with a few colleagues from our last company (my boss recruited me to my current role) so I think he needs to know soon as I want to announce on FB. Don’t want to tell the general public before him. I know it’s not as good as my last which was 12 weeks 100% pay. The fact that I have to take disability to give birth really tells you how the US feels about women.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: I was a complete basket case last time I went back and honestly felt like I was a liability. I had no business working or traveling with a 12 week old at home. My mother and father had my daughter however which made the transition easier. The baby was upstairs and I dropped in hourly which helped. Travel was brutal. I had to do a 3 night trip 2 weeks in and it almost ended me.
What is your dream job?: I want to owny own Bar Method studio. However, as it stands, my current job is actually great. My boss has worked with me for 7 years. I work out of my home office when not traveling which is a perfect fit.
FTM or STM (+)?: stm (dd1-12 dd2-4)
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: my wish is to stay home and go to school but my plan is to go back for a couple of years.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?:
we get 8 weeks of 100% and then 8 weeks of STD at 65% and I plan in taking it all
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: my concerns are more about pumping this time around. Last time I worked a week and was off a week so the pumping and keeping up with the supplies was not as much of a problem, now though I work M-F and will have to pump almost everyday. I have read some great tips though about pumping like I would have never thought to pump in the car on my way to and from work.
What is your dream job?: I liked someone's idea of contributing to the economy after winning the lottery. Honestly though I want something that gives me the flexibility to stay home as long as I want to and if I ever wanted to enter the workforce I could do it with no problem. I knew someone who was an accountant and only worked from home Jan till April I actually like that because if I ever wanted to or needed to I know I'd have no problem finding somewhere to work afterwards.
ETA: That meme is so accurate sometimes I feel like even DH thinks like that. It's a little frustrating because honestly more often than not I feel like I fail at both.
FTM or STM (+)?: FTM
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: I work from home, so my plan is to take off at least 2-5 weeks, depending on how I feel, then return to work doing just the essential part of my job which takes 10-15 hours a week. I’ll likely do this until I’m able to ease back into full time. DH is a teacher, so he’ll be done for the year at the end of May. Normally he would have off until mid-August, but he’s planning a career switch after this year. So, I’m not entirely sure when he’ll go back to work, but he gets paid through August, so I’m sure he’ll take at least 2 weeks to a month to stay home with us, then once he starts working, we’ll likely have 3 incomes.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: I work for a company my family owns, so it’s a little different than others. There is currently a woman who works in the office who is in her third trimester, so I’ll see what they do for her as far as maternity leave. The company has fewer than 50 full time employees, so I don’t think FMLA would count for me, but at the same time, I’m sure I’ll be taken care of. Once I get out of the first trimester, I’ll start really looking into it.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?:
What is your dream job?: To be a freelance book editor (my degree is in English).
hairstylist
FTM or STM (+)?:
STM (DD 13yo and DD 10yo)
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies):
Its tough in my industry because you don’t want to lose your clients by taking too much time off I also really love why I do, so I’m only planning on taking 6 weeks and return part-time at first.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?:
We both work for ourselves, so unfortunately that means we get nothing. The lady that manages our shop told me I don’t have to pay rent for my booth for 6 months which is awesome and pretty much unheard of for independent stylists. I also just thought about it this morning, but I do pay for disability insurance for myself, so I need to check and see if I can get anything from that. My SO works from home taking care of special needs adults full time. They all go to day programs so he will be able to stay home with the baby while I work. This is his first, so I think it will be such a great experience for him.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?:
I was able to stay home for the first 6 months with my oldest 2, so I’m nervous with how breastfeeding is going to go with me returning so early this time.
What is your dream job?:
I have it! Maybe fewer hours or having a little salon at my house would be really ideal though.
FTM or STM (+)?: STM (2yr old, still odd referring to myself as a STM haha)
What is, or was, your plan for working after baby(ies)?: Last time I did the 12 weeks given and went back to work. I was suffering very badly from undiagnosed/untreated PPA and going back actually was amazing for my mental health. I was interested in part time but I couldn't find any daycare place that wasn't the same cost as the full time in-home. This time my boss said I can do some part time work from home with children present BUT this was before three other analysts left and he opened a new center in another state. We hired one more here and will hire more in the new center but my boss already wants to talk about finding a contractor for my maternity leave so unsure if it is even on the table still. Even if it is, I realize that would be a terrible idea for me though. I am considering keeping DS in preschool/daycare and then doing the work from home for a few months with just baby. I'd love to avoid full time till January. Financially I cannot do that for too long or be a SAH.
What is your maternity/paternity leave policy? Any plans or goals during that time (if applicable)?: They pay 2/3 salary for 6 weeks or 8 for c-section.
Any questions, concerns, or advice?: Just work related thoughts: It's ok if wanted to stay home and then realize nope you want to work and vice versa. It will be pretty hard to know how you will feel until your little one is here.
What is your dream job?: Dream job for a mom, no idea something flexible and part time. No kids, wine shop owner that needs me to fly to visit the wineries.