dp/dh time off after birth of new baby?

[skerriesmum]

I am trying to persuade my dh to take parental leave (at half pay) for a few weeks when our second is born in January. We live in Canada, just moved last fall from Ireland.
He is worried about it because he works more or less by himself on a big project (software). He'll have been in the company for a year in November. I think if we figure it out now, then he can organize a contractor if he has to, and offer this option to his employer. It's not so much for the baby as help with ds who's 3, taking him to preschool in the mornings and playing with him etc. I haven't forgotten what those first weeks are like...!
Just wondering about other experiences... did your partner take holidays or what? We're lucky that the government provides this for parents; if no one takes it then what's the point? Why do men still feel guilty for taking leave?
Sorry this is quite long, thanks for reading!

Would your partner be able to work frm home at all? We were in a similar situation when I had ds, in that dh is the only one in his company doing his job and if he has time off not only does he not get paiod as much, but he has a mountain of work when he gets back.
So we decided that he'd have a few days off when ds was born and then work from home on limited duties (ie,m only really urgent stuff) It worked out pretty well for us as he got to keep his full pay and was still around to help me

Thanks for replying. That might be an option. It's a really long project that will take years to complete, so milestones could easily be set up around him, ikywim. It's rare that there's anything urgent.

My dh took a month off when dd was born (our 2nd) He didn't feel in the slightest bit guilty and he is extremely ambitious and hardworking - regularly works several hours at home after dinner. Even a week would be better than nothing. Going from one to two is almost as much of a shock as having your first.

Good to know. I think if you don't take the "official" parental leave then you're stuck taking almost all your holidays which is silly.

My husband took 2 wks off. Which was very helpful -- I also had my mother over from the States for 5 wks, which was the best. I found the hardest thing being the pickup / drop off for school as often DS wanted feeding / sleeping then. But soon got into a rhythm. Good luck

DH gets 2 weeks parental on full pay and is taking another 2 weeks on top of that as holiday. He's atken bugger all holiday this year so we've got another week at Crimbo and yet another week to squeeze into Dec - yahoo!!

We're also having a second (Oct) and DH fortunately realises that I need him at home as much as poss in those first awful 3 months (or should that be 3 years?! )

Just tell him he has to - half pay is pretty good and you need him more than his project, which as you say a temp could do.

A maternity nurse would be more...

Today was the first time I brought it up, I said a month would be good and he was pretty shocked... but when I went on to say, first you need to look at the project and see what has to be done, he seemed OK about it.
Yeah, a maternity nurse would be a lot more! Thanks for all the replies.