3rd maternity leave

[Postitnoteme]

In a nutshell, I’ve been at the same employer for 11 years. During this time I’ve had 2 children and 2 maternity leaves. One of those about 9 years ago and one about 5 years ago. We are considering a third child but the one thing I can’t shift out of my head is how I will be perceived at work.

am I being naive if I think this is ok to do? What is your honest thoughts on this? Am I being unreasonable to think I can continue a career with this company after returning from a third leave period. Note that I don’t plan a 4rd maternity leave.

not sure if it matters or not but I am well thought of at work and I pride myself on delivering quality work.

I’ve known women have 3 maternity leaves back to back. Don’t worry about it.

Don’t give it a second thought. If you want three kids, you’ll need three maternity leaves! It’s not an unusually high number of children.

Someone I work with had 3 kids under 5 so maternity must have been close .Our employer didn't have issue and it's not impacted her career.

Thanks for the replies. I was half expecting most comments to say yes, you are taking the mick. 2 children seems the “acceptable norm” and any more seems like I am pushing it / taking advantage of the company.

Of course it's ok to do. A workplace that would treat it as "not ok" isn't worth staying in anyway.

Well it woukd bd illegal to sack you because you are pregnant so yeah have another if you want.

If you've worked there for 11 years that's no different to someone working at one place for 3 years and having a mat leave - which happens ALL the time.

I’ve been with my company 15 years and had 3 maternity leaves (with 6 months full pay). Planning a fourth, if this one sticks!

Yes agree illegal to sack but maybe some potential underhand behaviour ie not put me forward for future promotions etc. I’ve read a lot about not being considered a “team player” when having multiple leave periods.

My employer does 6 months full pay too. Wish I could just be less worried about what they think! Good luck with your 4th 😌

I'm currently on my 3rd maternity leave in 6 years so I think you're good to go. I'll be hopefully going back to a more senior position than when I left👍🏼

Perfectly fine.

Youll always get the odd individual who isn't ok and sees it as an inconvenience. You can't control what others do underhand or otherwise... but that's not worth your energy worrying about.

YABU to worry about this. There is no issue with you not working to have a baby. Employers shouldn’t be able to have an issue with this. It’s not like men can have our babies instead for us

Interestingly, half think I’m being unreasonable and the other half reasonable to worry. Good to know people’s honest opinion.

I had maternity leave 4 times in 7 years, my youngest is 7 now and I'm still with the same company. The maternity leave didn't harm my career, the part time working definitely has....

I think the voting is ambiguous as both could be effectively ‘it’s fine - stop worrying’.

It’s zero issue and, if you only get SMP your employer reclaims 92% of the payment anyway.

Op if you let what people think hold you back, think about the future day you’re nursing regrets and they don’t even know who you are anymore because you’re in different jobs/ retired/ whatever. People say things then promptly forget about it!

There's nothing wrong at all with you taking maternity leave for a third child.

This!
And even then yanbu - It's your legal right (and you are creating future tax payers which we need!)

The poll results on this thread are somewhat depressing though... hoping its because theres ambiguity for some people rather than the grim alternative...

I think your poll is confusing! I clicked YABU to worry but I think people are also clicking Yanbu to have a third baby/ mat leave

This.. I clicked yanbu but I meant in the way not to worry, go ahead and have a 3rd without a second thought to work!

I had 3 in 4 years and it wouldn't have crossed my mind that my work was a reason not to.

Saying that I work in the public sector, I may have given it a second thought if it was a small business I worked for but even then I don't think that ultimately would have played into my decision.

I worked somewhere for four years and one of my colleagues was only there for about a total of a year because she had three back to back mat leaves. Not a word was said, and she was promoted just before I left and then again a few years later to a head of department role.

No need to worry, go and have a baby if that’s what you want!

Really appreciate every comment on here. I would like to not care what others think but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. Having your thoughts is so helpful.

My manager had 3 mat leaves back to back, there’s 18 months between the kids. No one did anything other than wish her well! Shes been ‘back’ for years now as they’re all at school, and she’s very good at her job, has been promoted. Don’t worry about it!