To think that women without children should be able to take time off work too?

[Playfair]

Firstly I will say that I am 100% supportive of good maternity leave (and paternity / shared), and understand the importance of supporting women to maintain a career, care for children or whatever else they wish.

I also acknowledge that maintaining birth rates is critical for society. And that maternity leave is spent doing work in raising a child.

Reflecting on my company's good maternity policy (about 6 months paid) and also some other institutions that have announced paid time off for those undergoing fertility treatment, it leaves me wondering about those of us without children (by choice or otherwise).

I'm in my thirties and will never have children. I'd love to have a small amount of paid time off (in addition to usual annual leave) to do some lengthy travel for example. I can't see why we can't have access to something similar if you haven't used any maternity benefit by a certain point.

There would obviously be benefits for society & business from developing new skills, morale etc. As well as women in work contributing to economy and through taxation.

So,

YABU - Women who choose not to have children shouldn't be entitled to anything else

YANBU - Women should be able to claim a small amount of extra paid time off if they stay in a career and contribute to business and societies success

Ok so anyone who is having a lovely amazing time 100% of their maternity leave and doesn't need the time to recover can pay back their leave then?

I know OP, why don’t you just quit and claim benefits for a year?

Enhanced maternity is a benefit

The OP was clear when mentioning this in her posts too

To be honest I don't know any new parent who isn't sleep-deprived.

I think the majority of parents are.

Those who aren't are probably the lucky minority who either have an absolute dream baby (rare) or have family support during the night or have a night nanny.

Nope, am merely agreeing with the OP is all.

and disagreeing with those saying it’s needed to recover or to cope with a small human.

if this was the case you’d not be able to take your full maternity entitlement if having lost your child at 24 weeks.

You got to eat, shower and sleep?

I didn't make that comment.

I have had maternity leave twice. I do not consider it as time off. I'd love to take 6 months to chill, read, go on holiday etc... as you say. If you think maternity leave is in anyway comparable, you r mad! Maternity leave is not a break or a holiday. It's not a time to chill and have time for yourself. It's relentless, sleepless nights, recovery from labour/surgery, exhausting... it is necessary for the wellbeing of a small human baby that needs milk etc.. it's not a luxury.

You want some paid time off on top of your annual leave?

Why would your company pay you to have some time off?

Maternity leave is to look after a newborn

You want some paid time off for no reason

Talk about ungrateful

Where I live maternity/paternity leave, is primarily for the child, although of course it is for the most part used at least partially by the mother to overcome childbirth throughout the first months of the child's life.
The fact that it "belongs" to the child and can be used by either parent until the child turns 12 years old, is the reason my kids's dad used the 9 months, spread out over many years, to spend time with the children when they were older as I hadn't used them when they were little, because I wasn't in paid employment.

Apologies, no realise it was @Peoniesandcream

The planet doesn't need any more population; at least of humans. Spare us the grand favour.

One might argue that childfree women are doing a lot more for society and the environment, and thus deserve to be rewarded.

Omg

Just because you had a shit time doesn’t mean it’s common.

Just because you had a lovely time doesn’t mean it’s common.

You don’t understand why parents who lose their baby would need that time off to recover? The women would still need to go through labour, would still have carried the child for 24 weeks and would then have the trauma of losing their child.

If you don’t get it then there is no point even responding further to you.

have you ever considered a government job? they also hate women and believe that if it"s not hard for them it's not hard for nobody.

IM pretty sure those parents are having a lovely time and enjoying their time off work. Exactly the same happy memories as the ones the op is describing.

YANBU - in that this is similar to how I used to feel..

YABU - I now understand that maternity leave is absolutely NOT a holiday!

Why are you on mumsnet if you don’t want kids

Why are so many mother's against this? Nobody is suggesting less maternity leave and very few are against the concept of it or doubting the necessity of it.

People are just suggesting that there is some form of a paid break for those who have not or cannot avail of it.

It doesn't even have to be as long as maternity leave to be more equitable.

you can still have your full allowance if you lost a child after 24 weeks.

And you're taking issue with this, really?

Christ on a bike.

I won’t be having children and am fine with maternity leave-it’s not a holiday. I do have a problem with workplaces not filling the role short term and sharing out the work to the rest of the team.

When my mother was dying age 68 of bowel cancer, I ended up having to take unpaid leave (and lucky to get it) while at the EXACT same time a co-worker was enjoying paid maternity leave, with no question of whether she'd get her job back at the end. Her THIRD maternity leave with the same employer. We were the same age, the same rank, the same salary, both good performers.

But she was being feted while I was taking care of a sad, scared dying mum and at risk of losing my livelihood at the same time.

People suffering involuntary misfortune should be taken care of before we offer more perks and privileges to those making voluntary, optional lifestyle choices to become parents.

And BINGO.