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Original poster

How much mat leave did you take

139 replies

Babydust00 · 09/08/2023 14:58

Not yet TTC but planning ahead thinking of finances and the likes

We aren’t huge earners, household combined income is just under 4k a month

I was wondering how much maternity leave people usually take? I’ve seen to take the maximum time possible. I know I have some time to decide yet but obviously it’s most people’s ideal to take the whole year. I can’t see how we could afford the 3 months unpaid- on paper we could, but it would feel like a huge drop. On the other hand maybe keeping in touch days and universal credit might balance it all out.

OP posts:

CrazyFrogDingDing · 10/08/2023 15:54

Three years with each, which is the allowance in my home country.

SouthLondonMum22 · 10/08/2023 15:58

3 months. That was enough for me.

dullandgrey · 10/08/2023 16:06

13 months due to having a prem nicu baby. Likely to take another year again this time though, even if all fine.

Interested in this thread?

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Antenatal & postnatal Employment advice Families Maternity leave

mondaytosunday · 10/08/2023 16:14

I took five months but I was freelance so not on a maternity contract as such. My husband earned way more than me so it wasn't a financial necessity but it felt time to go back.

WheresTheRemoteControl · 10/08/2023 16:18

6m full paid then 6m half then quit as hated the job

NatalieH2220 · 10/08/2023 16:25

I took a year for each child.

Had to save to cover the final few months when SMP ran out but it was worth it!

MamaBear2210T · 10/08/2023 16:33

14 months

SareBear87 · 10/08/2023 16:47

14 months, we had trouble having DC so I'm making the most of it.
We also saved for the months I had unpaid.
You can always apply for the maximum amount of leave and give 8 weeks notice should you want to return sooner (*most companies allow this if you're UK based)

ToughFuss · 10/08/2023 16:52

I planned to take a full year with my employed (part time) job.. then didn’t go back at all. I only got SMP.
I was in the office by two weeks PP for my self employed job (husband and I run a business, I do the paperwork/billing etc)

FlamingYam · 10/08/2023 16:52

6 months and a bit. Looking back, I wish I took longer and had gone back to nights so we didn't have to pay childcare meaning we could only afford one.

We are good ish earners. Back then 20k each but now 95 ish but I'm about a third of that. Ever since we have event enough, DD has been too old to have a sibling really, as have we.

My point here is not to just plan for the first but if you want more, make sure you have a solid plan to afford it.

xogossipgirlxo · 10/08/2023 16:53

14 months, I am on smp, was saving hard before my mat leave to cover the loss of income

xogossipgirlxo · 10/08/2023 16:55

CrazyFrogDingDing · 10/08/2023 15:54

Three years with each, which is the allowance in my home country.

Wow. What country is it? I though mat pay is generous in my home country (Poland) comparing to the UK

Andanotherone01 · 10/08/2023 16:58

I took 14 months with both of mine. 12 months as Mat leave entitlement and 2 months AL that I had accrued (I work in the public sector, so generous AL).
I don’t think Universal credit can be used as a top up for the three months you aren’t paid - it’s very much a decision based on your financial circumstances - not for others to pick up your expenses because you can’t afford it!

pompomdaisy · 10/08/2023 17:00

I took a year each time

icebearforpresident · 10/08/2023 17:39

For my first it was about 6 months and my husband took the remaining 3 months statutory. This was when the laws had just changed making it easier for Mat leave to be split between parents, my husband worked for a national company with thousands of employees and he was the first man to take advantage. It worked well for us, I was ready to go back and he appreciated the chance to be home with the baby.

For my second it was 6 months again, I had planned to take 9 but ended up changing jobs during my mat leave so went back earlier than planned. Husband had also changed jobs a few months earlier so didn’t have the opportunity to take some time himself beyond 2 weeks paternity leave.

Yerroblemom1923 · 10/08/2023 17:44

Took one year off from dd's birth. Worked until I went into labour so could enjoy full year with her. You just cut your cloth accordingly and enjoy the maximum amount of time with your baby. Your outgoings will be reduced as no fuel/,transport costs commuting etc. You don't tend to go out much etc etc.

DixonD · 10/08/2023 17:45

I was off 15 months in total - 10 weeks before due date and went back when she was just over a year old. I used accrued holiday both before and after maternity leave, of which I took the whole 12 months.

AnneElliott · 11/08/2023 07:24

Took the 6 months Mat leave which was full pay and then a month annual leave. Was desperate to go back though - DS came to the office at 2 weeks old as I wanted to know what we were doing with our secondary legislation! (I was on a bill team).

donkra · 11/08/2023 07:30

Eight months with each. I wouldn't have wanted more. Besides, in each case DH and I shared the leave - with our first when I went back he was home for 2 months, with our second he was off for the first 4 months with me.

Girasoli · 11/08/2023 07:34

I took a year each time - with DS1 I used to have an expensive commute plus a good maternity policy, DS2 was a Covid baby so we saved loads of money as we couldn't go anywhere to spend it.

EvenlyDetermined · 11/08/2023 07:51

9 months for each, I can't remember the pay (it was a long time ago) but I stopped at Christmas for each and went back in October. I used accrued A/L to work part time for a couple of months after DC1 but wanted to be on full time pay to maximise maternity pay for DC2. There was no shared parental leave back then, no KIT days either, you weren't allowed to participate in work AT ALL (so no email or similar not that it could be accessed remotely anyway) so apart from one meeting for lunch with colleagues and a bit of chat by text there was no contact. By 9 months I felt that if I stayed off any longer I'd never catch up with my job and all the changes that were happening in my industry. Might be different nowadays with technology and KIT days. Also the winter coming made being at home less appealing.

abcdefghijklmnopandthatsit · 11/08/2023 07:55

I took 15 months with DC1 as I took a year's leave, then a month's holiday and then ended up changing jobs. With DC2, we could only afford for me to take 9 mths.
Over a decade later, I can safely say it's made no difference to them whatsoever! DC2 was a terrible sleeper until he was about 4 so, whilst I felt more of a zombie when I went back after he was born, that wouldn't have changed had I had another 6 months off
K

LT2 · 11/08/2023 08:09

I used up annual leave at the end so my maternity leave started on the day he was born. Did the same with the annual leave I accrued the next year, so I returned part time when baby was over 13 months old.

teenysaladandsniffofarose · 11/08/2023 08:13

I took a year, then got told I couldn't come back for another 3 months due to covid, shame

KylieKangaroo · 11/08/2023 08:14

9 months and then 2 months, I worked from home though with the second so it was not as bad as it sounds!

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