To ask who signed the extension of mat leave and why?

[Tjsmumma]

Self explanatory really..

If you signed it why? Why do you feel you and entitled to more time paid? Do you think being in lockdown is more of a right to more time of PAID than people who have babies who are delivered early or need NICU stays?

I am myself on maternity with a 19 week old and i still do not think its fair to say 'i need more time off paid because i wasnt able to go to a mother and baby group' theres plenty of time to go after.

I can sort of understand if you are due to go back and cant find child care but surely you can be furloughed or claim SSP/Benefits during this time like the rest of the country?

So if you had booked four weeks holiday this month for an exotic trip to celebrate a big family anniversary but the trip was postponed because of the restrictions would you be contentedly stay at home on paid holiday or would you attempt to move your paid holiday to the new dates?

I'm not saying I agree with it but I guess the difference between annual leave and maternity leave is that you'll get more annual leave every year. Maternity leave is a one time thing. Then it's done.

I think the framing of needing an extension to maternity leave for baby groups is a bit silly. However, as a mum who will be returning to work a bit later in the year, I do have some pretty bug concerns about how my baby is going to cope going from being in the house with me, his father and his sibling only for such a long time to being left with nursery. And before people start saying I had the time before lockdown, I was serious Ill during labour and it took a long time to recover. I hardly left the house and was basically just trying to survive the week.

The comparisons with America aren't useful, this should in no way be the bar.

The pitting of those who have signed the petition vs NICU mums is unnecessary. I don't think anyone would say those mums don't deserve additional time off with their babies and this petition in no way says that. You can not agree with the petition and make it a them vs xxx situation. So much for Be Kind.

So if you had booked four weeks holiday this month for an exotic trip to celebrate a big family anniversary but the trip was postponed because of the restrictions would you be contentedly stay at home on paid holiday or would you attempt to move your paid holiday to the new dates?

Eh? Most companies, mine included are not allowing cancellation of holidays. So if you are furloughed, and you have next week booked off, its still holidays and you get paid full rate for that week.

I am not furloughed. Companiea can't afford to get everyone back and then fit in their annual leave in the last few months of the year. It will damage companies recovery.

I'm not saying I agree with it but I guess the difference between annual leave and maternity leave is that you'll get more annual leave every year. Maternity leave is a one time thing. Then it's done.

But the purpose of mat leave is to recover and look after the child. Even in lockdown thats, still happening.

Obviously if you have pnd or injuries, that should be dealt with like it would have been a year ago. Sick or unpaid, to support the employee.

My point about comparing annual leave was because the pp said their was a statutory right to cukrure, socialising etc during mat leave.

Everyone has those rights. However, those rights have been reduced because of the pandemic. That goes for everyone. People on mat leave have no further right to it, than to people on their day off their rights are the same.

We are all missing out. Its not fair, but its how it is.

emmskie03 but they are issues that all parents will deal with.

Childcare, kids used to being at home etc will impact all parents. Its not unique to people with new babies.

And people with new babies, may get the extra 3 months and still find they are returning to in very similar conditions.

Oh and if I had a holiday booked I would move it.

Women on maternity leave can move their socialising with family and friends, to a time when its possible.

Like everyone is having to do. I may want to see my oarebts, but I have wait until its over.

The 2 aren't comparable. A eoman on mat leave could also postpone and rebook their holiday abroad.

It's when people who are still on maternity leave want the extension because they worry they won't have childcare for when they are due back to work in June/July/August as though they don't realise how lucky they are to have not had to have dealt with that since March like the thousands of other parents have! They have had that advantage, but still feel they are entitled to more.

Most companies, mine included are not allowing cancellation of holidays.

Same here. My firm have actually mandated that everyone has to book sufficient leave to ensure thegsy use a certain % of it up by the summer, even if it wasnt previously booked. Because they cannot afford for everyone to save it until the autumn and all try to go off at once.

This idea that a mythical 'everyone else' has it easier than you is nonsense. Everyone is impacted by this.

Also the equivalent of attempting to move your paid holiday to the new dates wouldnt be extending mat leave, it would be to actually move your mat leave entirely.

So going back to work from now until the pandemic is over, and then taking your unused mat leave afterwards. But that isn't what's being requested, is it?

Why isn't that being requested, I wonder? Obviously because going back to work now would impact on recovery/time with the new baby etc. Which are exactly the things that maternity leave is actually for, and proves that the pandemic is not impacting on the really crucial aspects on mat leave.

Having PND is crap regardless of circumstance. Having no access to family support also. But those can happen regardless of the pandemic. Everyone's mental health is suffering right now. If rather campaign for decent treatment and support for all those people who are suffering tbh.

So if the govt offer it, you will refuse it?

I'd refuse it. I need to be back at work on full pay. I can't afford not to be.

I don’t understand why families should lose out on the statutory opportunity for cultural, social, familial, health (or whatever their individual maternity leave plans are) because of the restrictions.

Maternity leave isn’t a statutory social and cultural opportunity.

It’s for postnatal recovery and to provide necessary care for an infant. You can do this perfectly adequately in lockdown.

There is no more a case for extension to maternity leave on social and cultural grounds than there is a case for me saying I want extra days off as compensation for all the weekends I’ve not been able to take the kids to swimming lessons or the park.

would you attempt to move your paid holiday to the new dates?

@Twofingers this is not allowed for the same reason maternity leave cannot be extended. When restrictions are lifted we need to workforce back at work.

@M2B19 'And what about all the families that can’t afford baby groups? Have their children suffered? Course not.' Definitely i made this point and someone said 'if they couldn't afford it then they wouldn't be missing out'! Like?! Surely then we should start petition for that also?

@bumptobean surely weaning is something you need to work on yourself? Im in the same situation. Im a nursery worker and we have had word that nurseries will be in the first phase of reopening. Also, we are entitled to for weeks paid parental leave or an extra extension of our maternity leave (3 months paid) everything you have mentioned is completely normal for ANY baby not just a baby in lockdown.

@Chasing claim your 4 weeks parental leave then, not more money from the government for time you are already entitled to

@India999 yes! I would, i personally think mothers with children who are key workers who are working in this deadful time and missing out on their babies/children deserve it way more than myself who has sat at home loving my baby this whole time safe!

we have had word that nurseries will be in the first phase of reopening.

No one's had word of anything so this is bollocks.

Just one thing ive had or heard... Not going to actively lie 🙄

I’ve heard it all now. If my hypothetical holiday were cancelled, I’d move it to another time. That’s fine - I’ve paid for it and it impacts nobody else.

If my annual leave is required to be taken, I’ll take it - I won’t ask for another bout of annual leave - paid for by my employer and covered for by my colleagues - because I wasn’t able to use this lot for fun stuff.

PND needs to be dealt with separately. None of us are getting our “statutory” freedom of free time here, but that’s the situation.

Who likes baby groups not me

Weaning off the breast involves not being around baby, the more I am around him the more he wants boob and won’t take a bottle. I’m guessing you’ve never weaned a baby from boob to a bottle.

Also, if you can compare being indoors with a baby 24/7, the baby not going outside or seeing any other human being ‘normal’ for any baby, not just a baby in lockdown, then you’re head is screwed on backwards

We all have our opinions. People who disagree obviously don’t need that time and those who agree have their reasons. What a world we live in where if you don’t agree with something you feel like nobody should be allowed it!

@bumptobean so everyone that has no extended family or friends is technically giving their child less? No, you can wean other ways i.e express and give a bottle instead of usual feed, weaning on to foods etc, theres plenty of ways other than just taking yourself away from babu entirely as that is probably more damaging. No one is saying we dont want or need that time, that makes me feel less of a mother saying that. I'd rather thaf money went to people who need it more and didng totally screw up the economy even more for my DD. please explain how you think it would work? Everyone entitled? When? How long does it back date? Where is the money gojng to come from? Do we all just continue our mag leavs for the foreseeable some places are stating it could be 12months? Then what, you want another 3 paid so up to nearly 2 years off?

Selfish and entitled ‘mamas’ who truly believe that their babies will suffer developmentally if they can’t attend baby groups. I cannot comprehend this bullshit when the country is in a state of emergency and people are dying.

@gatofofo makes me feel shit because maybe i should be wanting free money to sit with DD more! But id rather her have a better economy