Maternity leave over,still BFing,can I ask for more time?pressure to quit.

[HelenW30]

I have taken my full entitlement of maternity leave. I thought I had three more weeks but my boss has just called to say I am due back in two days.My 10 month old daughter is still breastfeeding and I would like some more time before I return.
Can I ask for more time or do I have to quit?
My boss has mentioned that there is not enough hours to go round and another member of staff is leaving tomorrow because of this, I feel like my boss wants me to quit so she can then pass on my hours...she has given me a day to make my decision. what are my rights?

My company assumed that I would return after 6 months so had to explain to my boss that I would be taking my full year (I received attitude about this, 'is that baby not on a bottle yet' from colleagues and by the boss (obviously not to my face), I suffered with postnatal anxiety and explained this to my boss who then told the rest of my work colleagues. I feel embarrassed and pressured. This is a min wage supermarket job.

[BigDomsWife]

So you have taken your full legal entitlement for maternity leave. You are legally due back to work. Do you think you ought to be entitled to more time off because you are Bfing? What are your rights to what exactly? I dont understand. . .

[RandomMess]

You can still feed morning and evening bf isn't over yet!

[FlatsInDagenham]

Would you be able to tag some annual leave onto the end of your mat leave to buy you a bit of extra time?

How do you feel about going back? Is quitting something you would be interested in / able to do?

[llamallama]

You can tag on a month of parental leave but it would be unpaid

[WeAllHaveWings]

I went back to work full time when ds was 7 months, continued to bf morning and evenings until he was 1yr+

Alternatively you could look into your rights to express during work day (I never managed to express so ds had a formula top up during day from 7 months)

[FlatsInDagenham]

Oh and as above poster says, bf is not over. I breastfed DD1 for over 2 years whilst working full time. Did the same with DD2 then quit my job when she was 15 months old to be a SAHM. Our bfing is still going strong.

[beginnings]

When did your maternity leave start? You say your daughter is 10 months which means you must have gone on leave at 32/34 weeks or so? That's quit early. I don't mean to pry but just want to check for your sake you have your dates right!

What does your maternity leave letter say. There seems to be fault on both sides as you shod have agreed a return to work date at least a month ago. Have you taken the holiday you accrued while on leave yet? You are entitled to it although obviously with agreement from your manager.if you do, that is a way you could go back but delay actually going to work.

Also, work have to provide facilities for you to express. At ten months presumably your daughter is only having two or three feeds a day. Could you not express to cover the ones you're not there for? I fed mine before work and at bedtime. Then there was only one other bottle by that age.

[beginnings]

Excuse typos. Typing on phone one handed as DD2 bfing

[beginnings]

Mine was too long - massive cross posting

[Zombieminx]

If your year is up (plus any accrued holiday) then you will need to return to work.

this link is quite handy on Breastfeeding at work.

[gruber]

I had to go back when DS was 7 months. Allergies meant he was still exclusively bf on 4/5 feeds a day (still on 4/day now). I had to express and get used to pumping at work very quickly (ended up working 30 hours in 3 days my first week back unexpectedly).

Remember work HAS to provide somewhere safe, private for you to express and a suitable fridge for milk. If they kick up a fuss you can gently remind then this is LAW and they could face a hefty fine.

It is hard, but it's not the end of bf! Just get used to pumping ;)

[flowery]

In terms of your rights, you are entitled to time and a place to express milk if you return to work and are still breast feeding, and you are entitled to leave your job without returning to work as long as you give your normal notice period. You won't be able to do that but it sounds like your employer will forego the notice and not force you to come back if you don't want to.

What on earth happened with your dates that you thought you had another 3 weeks? Your employer should have notified you of your dates before you went on leave-did they do that? Are you certain they are correct?

If you only wanted an additional 3 weeks I'm not sure why you think the options are asking for more time or quitting? Why is going back 3 weeks earlier than you thought not an option, assuming the date is correct?

[ThePitOfStupid]

Have you got childcare ready to go?

[janey68]

I returned when dd was 12 weeks and continued bf until she was a year old, so bf is not a reason in itself to feel you can't return to work. Check out your rights about time and space to express.

I'm also confused about how you could not realise when you're due back... But if your entitlement is up then yes, you will need to return. I assume you have childcare sorted?