How much time did everyone take off

[paprickapaull]

To all

I am pregnant and like to know how much time to take off?
I am currently a school teacher I teach at a secondary school.
How much time should I take off?
How much did u take off?

I'm planing up to 12 months which will include 1 month of accrued holiday, so only 11 mat leave.
I'm the main earner though and need to find at least £10k to cover the gap in for that long.

I get 6 weeks full pay, 12 weeks half + SMP, then just SMP so it doesn't go far!

Ive been off just over 2 years and I'm not planning on returning until my son starts and is settled in school, but everyone is different ( I'm not a teacher).
Everyone is different, I think take off what feels right for you ( and you can afford )
How long did you take off with your 1st? Were you in teaching then ? Did that feel like too little time it too much time ?

Sorry I miss read a post and thought it was you that posted you had another child... Apologies ignore my last post if it's not relevant ...

Nearly 6 years 😂

5 weeks with DS!

Expecting another baby now and planning to take 14 months possibly 15 depending when I finish.

Planning on around 9 months and then for my DH to take 3 months shared parental leave.

With my first, we did 6 months each but I was exclusively expressing (baby with cleft palate) which made going back then easier. Hoping to breastfeed "properly" this time and I think 9 months will make that easier.

I’m self employed so can only afford to take 3 months, then will work from home while OH takes 3 months shared parental leave, then will still work from home but will likely need a day or two of nursery. Sucks but at least I’ll still be spending most of each day with the baby!

Teacher here too! Both my kids were born in August, so I finished the school year, went back in June for the last (easy) few weeks of the year, then summer off before going back again in September. So 10 months but felt more like 13.

With DC1 and DC2 I took 9 months as that was what we could afford. Weirdly I was actually on a much lower income, but it meant the step down in mat pay wasn’t actually much of a hit!

I now earn a lot more and pg with DC3, I get 6 months full pay but would really like to take at least 9 months again, ideally a year if I can. No idea if we can realistically afford it though! We’re still saving so I’ll wait and see how far we get.

Also I liked the job I returned to the first two times and like where I work now, so that did (and will) make returning easier.

Officially, about 18 months. Had to take leave early for medical reasons, then decided not to return to job (also a teacher) so last part was unpaid. Unofficially it was more like 21/22 months as I was signed off from 15 weeks due to severe SPD.