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Pregnancy

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Original poster

How much paternity leave after c section?

17 replies

trrk · 25/05/2022 09:42

I'm due to have my first baby by c section in July and was just wondering how much paternity leave my husband should aim for? He has the standard 2 weeks and also 2-3 weeks of annual leave to be taken before December. He could add the annual leave to the paternity leave but we were also thinking it could be better to take this a bit later as we have family coming to stay from abroad. Will I be sufficiently recovered after 2 weeks to manage on my own? I basically have no other family support at all as our whole family live on the other side of the world and no close friends nearby either.

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Dogsandbabies · 25/05/2022 09:46

Is it your first baby? I had my first as a single mum via c-section and although it wasn't the best time of my life I coped fine. So two weeks would be ok. My second and third were a lot harder because I needed to take my eldest to school and middle to nursery and look after them too.

Hugasauras · 25/05/2022 09:48

Two weeks would be fine I think. My DH took two weeks paternity, two weeks annual leave and it was great but he gets a ton of holiday.

GreenRainbowSun · 25/05/2022 09:51

If your partner can get more than 2 weeks I would get him to take a bit more time off.
I think having my partner around made a big difference to how I coped in those first few weeks and I didn't even have a c-section. I just found adjusting to a baby difficult and didn't really sleep.
But everyone is different...

CurryandSnuggle · 25/05/2022 09:52

I was physically fine after 2 weeks however personally struggled with lack of support network. My DH is doing shared parental leave with me, so he’s actually having 2 weeks paternity leave plus 16 weeks shared parental leave. However the 16 weeks is deducted from the 52 weeks total that I am allowed for maternity leave after birth.

ShirleyPhallus · 25/05/2022 09:52

You might or you might not. I found my CS recovery fine and was pretty much normal after a few days (with the aid of painkillers!) but I have friends whose pain lasted for many weeks because of infection to incision etc

Has he looked in to unpaid parental leave? I think everyone is entitled to 18 weeks until the child is 18 (I think)

breatheintheamazing · 25/05/2022 10:02

Yes my recovery was fine and Managed with first child fine on own after 2 weeks - that being said my second c section with twins babies were in NICU for 3 weeks and it was very stressful planning what would happen at the end of 2 weeks paternity when he had to go back to work and they still weren't home and we had an older child home due to lockdown and an hours round trip in car to the hospital twice a day to see the twins

Decafflatteplease · 25/05/2022 10:07

Would part time be an option? My DH got 2 weeks off for paternity then due to complications took another week "off" but was part time so only did half days but now I can't remember if he did mornings or afternoons but I remember he either came home at lunch or went at lunch so I only had half the day on my own. Obviously only got paid half for that week though!

Thissucksmonkeynuts · 25/05/2022 10:11

You should be absolutely fine after 2 weeks. I was rough after my first class section, but after 2 weeks it was just what I needed to have the house and the baby to myself.
He should save the leave for when family come so he's on hand to cook, clean and entertain.

JenniferBarkley · 25/05/2022 10:13

Two weeks was fine both times for me - I wasn't running around the place but was perfectly able to manage at home with the baby and go for gentle walks.

DH gets 3 weeks, and so he took a two week block and then a day a week for 5 weeks which was nice as it broke up the week for me.

rolotops · 25/05/2022 10:16

I'm having my 3rd CS in a few weeks time. My DH is taking 2 weeks paternity leave followed by 2 weeks AL, however this is mostly to wrangle older kids in the summer holidays. Thereafter he will be working from home 3/4 days a week so able to step in and help if needed. We also don't have a lot of family support.

deliwoman1 · 25/05/2022 13:15

Really helpful to read others' experiences. Just discovered my partner isn't entitled to pat leave in his new job, but he only works for them 2 days per week. So he's going to take annual leave, I think. But then he's back in after two weeks for those two days. He's freelance for the rest of the week, so he'll be home then at least. I was hoping he'd be able to take a month with no interruptions, but now it's a matter of spending a chunk of annual leave (his job isn't generous with it), probably not. 1st baby and no family nearby either. Good to know how others have coped.

BobbleWobble1 · 25/05/2022 14:03

No experience of c section but I had a rough assisted delivery with my first. Felt physically recovered by the end of the 2 weeks paternity DH but feeding was still tricky so I think I'd have benefited from him having a bit longer.

Second time he took 2 weeks annual leave after his paternity. Although his role was mostly focused on looking after our toddler, it was much better having him home for longer.

We also have no local family support but personally we prefer for him not to have annual leave when family visit as he works a 4 day week normally so he can still spend time with them but we can use his leave to spend just the 4 of us at other times of the year.

Apollonia1 · 25/05/2022 14:12

I had twins by c-section. I stayed in hospital for 5 nights, and was absolutely fine/back to normal by the time I came home.
I'm a sole parent, and had no issue going up-and-down the stairs holding a baby.
I went out for walks/supermarket etc, with the pram.

So physically, you should be fine. Emotionally, it probably would be nice to have your husband's company though, during the day. I felt very isolated (babies being born at start of lockdown didn't help). Also, if he is on parental leave, he can do half the nights (of if you're breast-feeding, he can change and settle baby).
Even when he is back at work, I'd recommend he does 3 nights a week.

StillUp · 25/05/2022 14:16

2 weeks was fine for us after the first. He took an extra week of annual leave with the second and while it was nice to have the extra pair of hands for the older DC I was ready for him to go back so we could get into our own routine.

TulipsGarden · 25/05/2022 14:19

I was fine physically after three weeks (not rushing around or going out much, but I could lift things and get up and down stairs fine). I think I'd have struggled after two, but we were back in hospital for a couple of days on day 10/11 so that just made everything more stressful.

passport123 · 25/05/2022 14:22

I was off analgesia within 48 hours of an elective C section and felt ready to drive at a week. Much slower to recover from my first delivery (instrumental).

Twizbe · 25/05/2022 14:29

I'd say 2 weeks paternity leave. Perhaps have 1 week of leave on top if you want.

Then take his annual leave a bit later when baby is more interactive and you are even more recovered. Then you can have some more family fun.

My DH took 2 weeks when I had the babies (end of Jan) and then 2 more weeks over Easter.

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