How long maternity to have?

[northeasrer]

I think a year would be tuff financially but also quite isolating.

Is it required to have a year of? I feel like people had less time of before?

I’ve had all different lengths of maternity leave.
Baby no.1- 12 months
Babies no.2 &3- 14 months (had lots of annual leave and parental leave to use up).
Baby no.4- 9 months off (changed job during mat leave and this was when my induction/training period had to start).

Currently off with baby no.5 and will likely only take 10 months off as I can’t afford the full year this time round. Honestly, I feel like even 14 months never felt long enough but I know that finances often dictate what it’s possible for families to accommodate.

Thanks.

Do you know the max amount of time of legally I can have before being forced back to work?

Was it really good being at home all the time?

I took 9 months with my first as the final 3 would have been unpaid. However I found it really tough and wasn't really ready to go back. I still feel a bit guilty even though little one has flourished at nursery. I'm hoping to take as long as I can this time (at least the full year) which I think will also make most financial sense with childcare costs factored in.

Everyone is different though! I have some friends who were climbing the walls after a few months and desperate to return to a bit of adult 'normality'. I would say if possible give yourself the space to decide once little one is here and you know how you feel and what works for you.

'Do you know the max amount of time of legally I can have before being forced back to work?'

Following as I've taken a year off which ends in June but I'd like to take another six months off unpaid. Not sure if my work has to allow me or they can reject my request.

@elodiesmith who paid you for a year?

With my first I went back after 5 months, full time, as a was only on maternity allowance. That was 8 years ago. With my second I was meant to go back at 8 months but ended up very poorly and needed back surgery so moved onto sick pay for an extra 2 months. This was into part time work, three days a week. I was definitely more ready at 8 months than 5 months but didn't feel I needed a full year.

It's not required to take a year off, but if you can manage it, I would recommend it. Besides, it's much easier to cut short your maternity leave than it is to extend it once baby is here if you change your mind.

I've taken 13 months off both times. The full year, then using accumulated annual leave for the additional month. No regrets. Yes it is isolating, but it's what baby groups were made for. Gives you a reason to get up, get dressed, and get out of the house, if only to chat to other mums . Go to as few or as many as you need.

I expect they would need to get someone to fill my role for that time and I couldn't come back early?

You can change the date you want to come back, it should say in your maternity policy. For example, mine asks for 8 weeks notice to come back earlier, but only 4 weeks notice if I want to come back later.
I am taking 6 months because I can't afford to live on SMP sadly.

Work paid 3 months only. The rest 9 months I took unpaid. But I want to request another 6 months unpaid

Yo can have up to 52 weeks for maternity leave, with annual leave added on top. How much you are paid is defined by your employer’s policy although there is a minimum requirement. 2 weeks is the minimum time you must have off, and you need to give 8 weeks notice to change the date you come back. You can find more here

I had 13 months with my first (used annual leave at he beginning and end). With my second I had 6 months and then my DH took 6 months shared parental leave.

I expect they would need to get someone to fill my role for that time and I couldn't come back early?

No, legally they can't not let you. As long as you give 8 weeks notice you can go back (so if you're coming back early, tell them 8 weeks before your new, earlier, return date).

If you want to go back later, you need to tell them 8 weeks before your existing planned returned date.

Some companies may have different policies, like a PP who only has to give 4 weeks. But the law is that if you give 8 weeks, they can't refuse to have you back.

www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/leave

You're entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave and companies have to grant this. You'll also earn annual leave so people add that on to the end to take longer off.

You can ask your company if you want longer off, but they don't have to give it to you.

Say to your employer that you may want the full year but you don't know how you will feel until the baby is here.

Personally I took one year mat and four years career break as per the policy.

I think it’s 2 weeks legally, 4 for certain jobs like factory work. I genuinely have always enjoyed maternity leave. It’s not like being off sick where you are sitting around miserable all day. My days are busy and even when I only had one baby, I enjoyed being able to sleep when the baby slept (breastfed him and he was a poor sleeper so the daytime sleeps were a lifesaver). We did lots of wee groups and went on holiday etc when I was on mat leave too. With subsequent pregnancies we used maternity leave as a time to go on trips to places like Disney too as it was easier to get our annual leave to match up.

I took 9 months, it would have been unpaid after that and I choose to reduce my hours (to 30 hours a week) rather that take the extra few months unpaid. It was actually fine going back at that stage.

They can't force you to go back. You can hand in your notice and never go back. You're entitled to 52 weeks, you could ask for further unpaid afterwards but they don't need to grant it. The longer you're off, your rights change in what the employer has to do when you return.

You’re entitled to return to the same job after maternity leave if you’ve been away 26 weeks or less. Your pay and conditions must be the same as or better than if you hadn’t gone on maternity leave. If you're away for more than 26 weeks they need to give you a similar role (pay, benefits, seniority and location) but if there has been any changes in the organisation/team structure etc it may not necessarily be the same.

Often, length of mat leave is determined by what you can afford. SMP and maternity allowance are shit so unless you have a lot of savings or amazing occupational benefits many can't afford a full year. Lots stop their maternity leave when the unpaid portion starts (around 9 months) and use annual leave to extend for another month.

With my first i was meant to take 9 months but went back after 6 months as i was 4 months pregnant with my 2nd😳, i went back to work for 4 months and then took just over a year off for maternity the 2nd time as i had a lot annual leave to use.

I have in the back of my mind that if you don't come back within 52 weeks of starting your mat leave the requirement to return to the same/similar position isn't true. I don't work in HR so I could be wrong but worth checking if yo

I’m taking 6 months off. I would have liked a little longer, but I don’t want to go back either I’m December or January, which would be the limit of our affordability.

I’m fed up of people telling me I should take a year - I earn more than twice what my partner does but get barely any pay from work, so we’ve had to save a lot just for me to be able to have the 6 months.

I agree with what others say though - it’s easier to go back earlier than to ask for longer. However, that may depend on your childcare situation. Under 2 childcare in my area is like gold dust, I had to book when I was about 12 weeks.

I took 6 months off, DD was 2 weeks late so I went back full time when she was 5.5 months. I was paid full salary for 6 months and the higher earner at the time so that's what we could afford.
I would have liked it to be longer as I was still breastfeeding exclusively and DD had a dairy allergy that was only recently diagnosed when I went back to work and didn't really sleep because of it (she was always in pain).

That said in my home country (western Europe) 12 weeks is the norm so it felt quite long, although most of my British colleagues thought it was very short and mostly took at least 9 months.

Basically, there's no right or wrong do what works for you. You can always tell work 6 months (or whatever) and then change it later depending on how you feel. You are allowed to change your mind.

I took 10.5months: 6 months full pay, 3 months statutory and then all my annual leave added on the end. I was soooo ready to go back to work. I found being a SAHP really tough and i have a lot of respect for those who do it.