How much maternity leave did you take?

[user8636283901]

Just that really. How long did you take off?

20 weeks, I just missed the increase to six months. It was nowhere near long enough.

6 months for both babies and yes for me it was enough. It was hard going back when they weren’t sleeping through the night but you learn to cope. I prioritised finances and career over more time off with them and for our family it was the right decision. Everyone will feel differently though.

I took 6 months, it was ‘enough’ in the sense that I could cope and my children thrived at the childminder, in an ideal world I’d have longer but needed the money! Also I’m a teacher like a PP, so knew I would still get significant chunks of time off with my little ones.

10 months with dc1 and 14 months with accrued leave for dc2. It's such a personal decision each parent/family needs to make. So much will determine what works for the individual.

With dc2, we were in a much better financial place so taking a minimum of a year was easily doable.

I also returned to work full time after dc1 and went part time with dc2 and am still part time and will probably remain that way

Two months and I was lucky - standard was six weeks (overseas) but I was able to top it up with annual leave.

A year from my full time employment but I set up my own part time business after 12 weeks as we couldn’t survive on just mat pay

I took my 39 weeks on SMP, then used 3 weeks holiday. DC went to nursery at 9mo. I was so ready to go back, I would not have wanted the full year.

6 weeks with each. US standard and was sole earner. I did work only 9-5 afterwards.

Yes six months was more than enough for me as I really missed the mental stimulation of work (media job, still love it)

8 years 😆

A year with each - just stat maternity pay, no additional, and it was a struggle financially but it felt important.

I returned part time with each DC and then back to F/T when they were 3.

6 months. It was enough as in dd was sleeping through the night and settled easily at nursery. I was a bit sad to though - but I was the main wage earner and dh on a temporary contract at that time, so didn't really have much option.

Six months both times. For me it was enough, but also it was the max statutory mat leave entitlement at the time so I never questioned it. It’s what everyone did.

10.5 months with my first including 6 weeks annual leave, 14.5 months with my second including annual leave

I took the first 6 months, DH took the next 5 months (shared parental leave).

It worked for us.

Why is your DH putting the pressure on, is it because he has legitimate financial concerns? If not, it doesn't sound like a healthy dynamic in your relationship.

11 months for both. 20 weeks full pay, 3 months stat mat, then the rest accrued holidays from before and while on leave.

I got my bonus payment while on stat mat both times so that bumped up those months, and as nursery fees for #1 were via salary sacrifice, work paid for that, so I wasn’t too short with #2 either.

6 months for each of mine - standard mat leave back then.

Annoyingly, I wasn't able to work past 38 weeks (work policy) and both babies were 2 weeks late so I only got 5 months at home with each of them.

i got 9 months paid mat leave so come September i will be going back. So appreciative of it, my baby is now 6 months. Currently trying to wean him off the breast ,i have a big store of frozen milk. So been introducing bottled breastmilk for every other feed but he prefers it fresh to frozen .Its been a pain i am so glad i got a few months to sort this

It worked out really well. I did shared PL with DH who is a teacher and the end of his time coincided with the summer holidays so he effectively got 5 months with DS. We were slightly older having him and this was such a special time for him.

Definitely take the full year off if you can

If your husband pressuring you to put baby in childcare of split your parental leave with him?

6 months for both because that was all we were paid for 20 years ago. DC1 I was desperate to go back as I was so bored; DC2 I could have stayed off forever as I had learned to appreciate a quieter life by then. (Got my wish 2 years later when I was made redundant and stayed a SAHM for 9 years!)

I was entitled to a year, so I took the full amount for two maternity leaves, going back after the first one already five months pregnant with the second. I was only paid for the first six months of each, but me being at home was more important to us as a family. After DC2 I was offered voluntary redundancy so I grabbed it and ran. I had DC3 a couple of years later and was a SAHM until he started school, and I've built my career back since then.

6 months with DC1. I'm a teacher and I compromised on coming back at the start of the new academic year so that I could negotiate going part time. I only did 2 days pw. DC2 I took 9 months.

3 months each time.

not long enough but limited chive as self employed and if I had longer I wouldn’t have a business to return to.