To think it’s harder and harder to take 12 months maternity leave?

[quaversimpson]

On the back of the other threads about supermarket costs and other price hikes, council tax rising etc. AIBU to think it’s so much harder to take a longer maternity leave? A few years ago it seemed to be most common to take the full year but now on my due date group I think there is only a couple of ladies in a position to do this.

Completely! This is why I don’t get. People say ‘use savings’ as if savings aren’t important to keep…

Have debated this myself, though I think I’d rather drop my hours and be earning just earning less

I’m taking a full year I will happily get myself into a bit of debt to do so. My partner can just about cover the bills but it will be tight- my view is this is my last maternity leave and I will never get this time back

I've found it hard this time (2nd mat leave) but I want to have as long off as possible and I don't have any other debt (aside from mortgage) so thought why not, 0% for 18 months and I'll aim to pay it off ASAP when I'm back at work

I think it's very much dependant on your maternity package. My kids are now 15 and 11 and I didn't take more than 9 months with either because that was essentially when my pay stopped. We both have professional jobs and I work in the public sector, and it was just too much of a cut.

I think it depends on your company and sector! I was off for 15 months - 3 months full pay, 3 months half pay then 6 months no pay. I then had accrued that many holidays, I was then able to take another 3 months off fully paid as annual leave. I know I'm incredibly lucky to be able to do this and a year minimum is the norm where I work. I'm a civil servant/in public sector within local government.

I started my maternity leave last month and was planning on going back to work after 9-10 months, depending on how long I could make my savings last (I would have had to use everything I’ve got to cover my share of household expenses). However, I have received some inheritance this month which means I can take the full year off and won’t have to use any of my savings. It’s mad that I’m only able to afford the whole year because a relative has died 😕

That was exactly my thinking too!

Childcare costs = my entire salary, but I suppose I’m fortunate in a way as this means it makes sense for me to take as long off as possible! I’m also lucky to be able to pick up extra work, so I have worked a LOT and saved like mad in each pregnancy.

I found it awful both times. Just managed to get through each day. As pp said, 18 months would be a different story.

I am going back when my son is 11mo (took 10 months maternity & a month’s holiday.) I only got SMP & although we have managed it’s been a struggle & I’ve £200 left of the money I saved for my leave. I really wish I could take longer (ideally would have taken a year + then my holidays) but it hasn’t been manageable.

DH is taking holiday for the first month I am back so we will have 2 incomes. Baby starts nursery at 12 months. 3 days nursery will be just over 1/3 of my income with the tax free 20%. No funded hours here till 3.

Depends where you work to be fair. More businesses are giving 12 months full maternity pay.

Really?

I'm shortly due to return to work after my third maternity leave

#1 I went back after 10 months, we could have afforded me taking longer as we'd saved with the intention of me having a year off but I got made redundant so I had to take a job when it was offered

#2 went back after 9 months

#3 baby starts nursery next week after just turning 8 months

I'd have loved to have taken longer each time but it's just not affordable for us

I went back at the beginning ot January. I would have given my right arm to get the 12 months but there was no way. DD was 9 months and ages thriving in nursery and I’m enjoying being back at work. But I still wish I could have taken 12 months.

Our DS was born last June and some of my Mum friends with similar age babies went back after New Year. I'm not back until April but it seems like I'm one of the longest. I didn't have any enhanced MAT pay at all but we were fortunate to have a good savings buffer to cover the gap, and this is our first (and last) DC so we've been able to trim our expenses outside of essential bills right back.

I took 13m off with mine. Last month was annual leave accrued so was essentially paid. I got 6m full pay, 3m stat and 3m unpaid. At the time my husband could just about cover all our bills so only had to save for social spending for last few months. We are now in a different position, mainly as our toddler is now costing 600pm in childcare, cost of living has increased a lot and husband has taken a 10k paycut to retrain. So this time around to take more than 6m off we would need to save several thousand.

Kit days only work if you have childcare in place. I didn't, so wasn't an option.

With both of mine, I went / am going back around 10.5months. Basically once mat pay ends plus a bit of holiday pay. I used to KIT days to top up my SMP, which fell over Christmas. With DD1, I was really ready to get back to work at 10months. DD2 is probably my last baby and I would have liked to stay off a bit longer but I'm switching from FT to PT and that plus dipping into savings to cover three more months of unpaid mat leave was just going to be too big a drain on family finances.

Yes, my workplace does and I know several others do too. Not all private sector either

I think it depends on age. When just starting out now as young people I can imagine it's harder financially. Those who choose to wait til a bit later, with a good few years work, Savings and finances more sorted may have tje freedom of a few more months. Xx

Do any new mums take 6 /7 months then use parental leave later to spend time with baby/child? Just to get some money back in for a while.

You appear to be taking the full financial load of having a child op.