Maternity leave

[RaeRaeMama]

How much did you take and why?

What was it like going back to work?

What did you do for childcare?

Or did you decide not to go back to work?

Interested to hear everyone's experiences

Took about ten months both times and then DH took four weeks shared parental leave (well, he's on SPL with DD2 now). Highly recommend the dad taking SPL for the reasons outlined by PP above, it makes it so much easier to go back and puts the parenting balance on a more even keel.

Went back full-time both times, using nursery.

No regrets, we could afford for one of us to go part-time or stay home, but neither of us want to.

How much did you take and why?

20 weeks - I'm the main earner by x3 DH - don't get any 100% maternity pay. Had to go back once 50% pay ended

I had twins in January and go back in a few weeks

What was it like going back to work?

It was fine. I think the build up to it was worse than actually doing it.
It was good to have some time by myself even if it was just the commute.
I'm strict about getting home for bedtimes though. And thanks to covid I'll be working from home a lot more now so will pick the children up early

What did you do for childcare?

Older daughter and twins have a childminder - much much cheaper than a nursery (childminder is £35 per day compared to £60 for a nursery)

This time around with the twins it will be term time only so I buy additional annual leave from work and DH and I will have all school holidays off between us

Or did you decide not to go back to work?

It's a luxury few can afford these days

I'm currently 5 months into maternity leave. I only get SMP, so I was going to go back at 9 months. However, I truly hate my job and would rather spend the time with my son. He's also not the best sleeper.

We'll be using savings to get through until December. However, we saved that money in case I didn't want to go back sooner, so I don't feel too bad about it.

Also, I don't intend on having another child, so I may as well do the whole year.

We're currently looking into nurseries. I'll go back 4 days a week and he'll be in nursery 8-6. Sadly, my work aren't very flexible, but they will allow a day off a week.

I intend on looking for another job, but I'm not sure how prospective employers are if you interview for a job and can only work part time. Kinda makes me anxious, but I know I can't stay where I am on the wage I'm on.

I start a new job in September. I’m hoping to ask for part time after a year.

6 months maternity leave plus the holidays accrued. Couldn't afford when my pay dropped to smp.
Loved going back to work, I had being very low mood being on my own with the baby.
Went back full time (I was the main breadwinner)
LO went to nursery full time 5 days a week.

Took 9 months, would have taken 12 but couldn't afford the unpaid leave part. My DH was a student whose only income at the time was a few grand of a bursary so we relied on my wage both for th wage itself and to access top-up benefits. There's no way I would have chosen not to have gone back at all though I'm not cut out to be a SAHM. I went back 4 days a week. DD went into nursery for 3 days and my DM looks after her the other day.

I only got SMP as well, I should have said.

I took a year the first time and 9 months the second time. With my second child my husband took three months shared parental leave too.

Used nurseries and went back part time. This has been good except that my eldest was an unusually ill child and I was forever getting called to pick him up early. My husband worked away so this all fell on me.

Was happy to go back, I find babies/toddlers quite challenging! And especially during a pandemic which made everything extra lonely.

I took 8 weeks with my first as it was all we could afford. Going back was horrid, I cried for a week straight! DH is the sahp so childcare not an issue but there was no work maternity package just smp so couldn’t afford to stay off. Moved company to a new with good mat pay and now looking forward to a whole 6 months.

16 weeks paid, 4 extra weeks unpaid.

Went back ft in office.

Dd went to Creche near office so commuted with us daily (via car initially, later combination of bicycle and public transport mostly). That was useful as if traffic issues, she was with us rather than us stressing to get to her by closing. And if workdelays, she was close by and I could leave it to last minute (and very occasionally grab some food and bring her back to the office with me if I really needed to finish something urgently).

She also learned her cycle signals well, how to order a babycino in local coffee shop (to thaw after icy morning cycles), and how public transport worked. All were useful as she grew and is now quite independent.

I went back when DC was 11 months - he went to nursery and it was hard settling him in and then leaving him but I needed the sanity of using my brain and having adult conversation again. Also a coffee that was hot!

Unfortunately DC was (and still is) an awful sleeper so I have done many days on almost zero sleep which is really hard. You do get used to it though.

The hardest thing of all for me was the mum guilt at leaving DC at nursery but it really did save my sanity and I figure that has to be beneficial for baby too!