How long are you thinking of taking maternity leave for?

[Simsimsi]

Hello ladies, this is my first pregnancy, so hard to imagine what to expect, but after review of our finances, I think I won’t be able to stay longer than 3 months on Maternity Leave. My fiancé wfh with one week of travel abroad roughly once a month, I currently wfh as well. But can’t drop to £600/month income after those 6 weeks of 90% plus my workplace pays 4 weeks 90%

[XOXO13]

Hey,

Congratulations on your pregnancy 💖

For me personally, I am taking 13 months. My pay does drop after six weeks and for the last three months of maternity, I receive nothing however we’ve budgeted for this. I have keeping in touch days, so if I want to ease myself back in then I’ll use those to start work a little earlier.

We will have to reduce spend and take it easy financially with me being off and my husband the sole provider during this time, it won’t be easy, but after everything we’ve been through to get this far, I just want to be at home with my babies for as long as I possibly can.

How much time you take off is totally personal and depends on your own circumstances. Is it possible to reduce your working days if you don’t want to be back full time or work flexi hours for example?

All the luck xx

[Simsimsi in reply to XOXO13]

Thanks for Your reply and congratulations as well! 🥰

I could definitely reduce hours and I hope my bosses would be flexible with me, if it was entirely my choice I would definitely stay longer but I don’t want to put the full financial burden on my fiancé either so trying to find the balance. I suppose you can plan as much as you want but sometimes things turn out completely different Xx

[Twiglet2]

I took 6 months as I couldn’t afford the drop in pay either after that but then extended to 9 months and now I’ve just extended to 12 months zero pay! I honestly thought 6 months is a long time but it went so fast and I would rather eat beans and toast than leave this little one in the hands of a nursery just yet 🥰 think it might be different if it was a family member looking after them. I wfh too but there is ZERO chance of working with a baby in the house they take up 100000% of your attention xxx

[Danijay]

Me and my husband split the parental leave so we would both feel the burden, I took the first 6 ish months and then he took 3 months. Was a nice way for them to bond too.

[Joxxjo]

I think leave depends on whether you are physically able to go back no matter your financial situation. I had to take 12 months (3 unpaid 😭) because my partners work hours and mine clash and we have no parents or help either side When you are pregnant or the first couple of months you think you will easily get back to work (this is my second and I clearly forgot how hard it is lol) depending on how good your earning is it all depends. I only earn £10ph so childcare would leave me working for £1.50ph or £60 per week. The thought of doing 40 hours per week for £60 was too much so I didn't go back at 9 months. I don't know if you or your partner work different hours but I know most work from home jobs require you to be able to work undisturbed so I wasn't able to get one when I disclosed I would be caring for my daughter. Instead I got a work from home self employed job answering tickets for a media company that I can log on when I can. I have the potential to earn a lot but it's just impossible when my daughter (now 11 months) is awake so I get an hour in the day when she naps and an hour at night when she's in bed and earn around £50pw. I'm too exhausted for anything more. I'm now going back to my old job two days a week next month as we have been able to shuffle round our jobs luckily but until the free childcare starts at 3 we are going to struggle financially. I've got a few money saving strategies in place now and I'm very frugal and it's worth it for the time with my daughter xx

[Suzukisv650]

I'm planning on doing similar to Danijay, I'm taking 5-6 months off and hubby is going to take the other 3-4 months off. I'm the higher earner in our house so although we have budgeted it doesn't make sense for me to take the full 9 month drop in salary, also my hubby really wants the chance to bond with little one when she arrives. We've both banked maximum holidays from last year too that our company's allow to increase the time off with maximum pay. We've also started looking at childcare options when we're both back at work to help budget for that as we won't have family to help.

[Smithy1981]

Congratulations much like the other ladies I only planned to have 6 months off but my daughter was premature and arrived one day after me finishing work so my maternity leave started 5 weeks early. She was also in NICU for a few weeks which I never ever predicted so the first few months were tough and if I am honest I think it’s left with me PTSD

I am a first time mum at 40 ( had baby at 39) and she is my miracle baby and I didn’t account for how hard I would find the lack of sleep, breastfeeding and also the teething stage I’ve now extended to 12 months I am taking 3 months unpaid which kicks in next month and I am petrified about it as I earn alot more than my partner but at the same time I know she will be only opportunity of being a mum so I think screw it i will eat pasta and beans and toast and will suck it up. I’ve actually started selling her old cloths and small stuff on eBay and I’ve a little of cash which will help with the food shopping. It’s so unfair us parents have to scarify our motherhood journey and choose between parenthood and our jobs. P.S- I was only paid 90% for 6 weeks and then went straight to statutory pay. You will make the right decision xx

[Gladys_Friday]

Me and my husband are splitting the parental leave. His employer gives him 4 months off on full pay which is great. We'll have the first month off together and then he'll go back to work. Later in the year, he'll take care of the baby for 3 months whilst I go back to work.