Planning for the not too distant future?

[Celesse]

This is all just terrible i feel really sorry for u all now! In the uk we get 9 months paid leave (not sure exactly how much think 90% pay) and can take another 3 months unpaid if we want! So a yar in total. It still doeasnt feel like enuf! Last time i left at 32 weeks which was great but i might try to go to 35 this time to get paid a little longer.

90% for the first 6 weeks and then £136.78 a week, then nothing for the last 3 months.

 

[gidge]

I´ve been thinking about this alot. I live in Spain and we get 16 weeks at 100%. The thing is I´m a Teacher and get a new contract every School year. My Summer holidays are 20th June - 27th September. My due date is 24th July. Work could not take me back on again if I can´t start at the beginning of the course.

 

[viccat]

Well, I'm planning to knit a baby blanket over the winter, but in cotton so that it is lighter weight as baby should arrive at the end of May

As for maternity leave, I think I'll save my holiday so that I have a week or two before due date on full pay. I'm in the UK, and my employer offers the minimum, so 6 weeks on 90% pay and 33 weeks on what works out as 15-20% of my normal salary I appreciate that I am very lucky that my employment is secure though - thank you UK government

So....... the planning actually started long ago. My OH made it quite clear that he liked our lifestyle and thinks I should work if he has to. I started saving, and refused to buy an expensive house. Net result is a mortgage and bills we can afford on one salary, and enough savings for me to take the full year if I wish

I have to admit I really enjoy my job though, so will see how I feel when I reach 6-9 months. If I am climbing the walls I will return sooner, if not I will take the full year, possibly longer.

 

[Bexivillian]

Me and my partner work from home so i will be working on and off unil just before and straight after. No maternity pay, if i don't sew we can't pay bills. Luckily we can work around eachother

 

[pregoinnorge]

We live in Norway and the maternity benefits here are crazy. I'm American (DH is Norwegian) and I always feel so bad for my American friends who have to go back to work so quickly. I felt as 6 weeks after my DD I was still only barely surviving!

In Norway you have to start maternity leave 3 weeks before your due date and then you can either take 9 months or so of 100% pay or 1 year at 80% pay. The father has to be on paternity leave for 14 weeks of it though.

If all goes well, this baby will arrive in mid July so if I work up to three weeks before I can use my holidays in 2014 and 2015 to make it to one full year, I hope!

 

[viccat]

I'm moving to Norway!

 

[ItsAWonder]

Someone asked about daycare in the US. I live in a small town so there is no wait list for daycare. Many parents do an exchange as well where either one mom takes care of a small group of kids all work days, for a fee less than day care, or the moms rotate each taking one day per week w/out money exchange. Daycare here is the same cost as a city but we make about 35% the wages that we would in a city.

Luckily DH and I should be able to avoid daycare. He owns his business and can stay home while I am at work, then he will work nights and weekend days when I am home. I am going to try to work a 4 day schedule instead of 5 as well.

 

[sarah34]

I will be taking annual leave from 1 April and my mat leave will start after that. Due date is 21 May and I hope to have a year off xx