Whats the plan after baby is here?

[ame704]

Hi, I am just curious how many working moms are on this site and if you think you will go back to work or not? I currently work at a local university and my husband and I make the same amount of money. I need to work to be honest and I dread leaving my baby after 3 months maternity leave at a daycare. If I could find a decent job working from home, I would be so happy.

I am only 12 weeks along but I know time will fly.

What is everyone's plans for after the baby? I wish I lived in France or Germany and had a year or two of maternity leave.

 

[mtnprotracy]

I teach and baby is due mid-April. I'll be allowed go use 8 weeks of earned sick leave since I'm have a c-section (previous classical c-section) and will have summer break....but I'll be heading back with the students come August. My husband also teaches, and there's no way we could make it on just his salary. I'm very thankful delivery is close to summer break .

 

[Storm1jet2]

I'll be going back to work, I'm hoping to take the full year off, depending on how the finances go - but that is the plan so hopefully not back to work until the very end of the year.

 

[Nat0619]

I'm planning on going back to my job but hoping to have the full year off if finances allow. I only work part-time anyway though so will be easier going back than if was full-time. I've committed to going back for at least 3 months as, if I commit to that, I get the most maternity pay I can get

Even though I am planning to go back I have a proofreading course to do from home and would love to get that off the ground and work from home eventually.

I feel for you ladies in the US, we ladies here in the UK are lucky to get up to a year off x

 

[Junebug_CJ]

In Canada, most women are entitled to 1 year off. That year off can be split between partners, so that for example each parent take 6 months off and receives a nominal sum from the government for parental leave. Unfortunately, I am considered self-employed, which means that I do not qualify for that small sum of money nor the 1 year off... My hospital allows me 3 months leave as a physician. Anything beyond that is without pay. We have been saving as much as possible to allow me to take more than that, and so far it appears that I will be able to take 9 months off, assuming no financial emergency arises. In addition to my full-time hospital job, I also have a part-time job supervising a clinic up north: I will resume the part-time position when baby is 4 months old, thus providing us with a bit of money for the remaining 5 months of my mat leave. My hubby is currently a student, and will have the summer off, so we will both be home until September, when we are hoping he will land a job as a teacher. At that point I will be home with the toddler and baby until February 2013. That's the plan: now hopefully life doesn't throw us a major curve-ball (like him not being able to find employment for September)!!!

 

[Ellie Bellie]

My plan is to take a full 3 months off work and then slowly transition myself back to the office. I make my own hours, but I only get paid for the hours I work (no vacation or sick leave). I don't know if I'll go back to working my pre-baby schedule, just because of scheduling with childcare and all. I currently work until 8pm or later 4 nights a week and I don't see that flying at all. Financially, it would be nice if I could get those hours in while being able to keep more of a 9-5 schedule.

 

[CeeDee]

Unfortunately, there aren’t many decent jobs working from home. If you do work from home, most jobs require you to have daycare arrangements for your children. It’s such a bummer we can’t usually do both.

I plan on taking 6 weeks leave after baby is born, with limited access to email. After 6 weeks I plan to work from home part time (or in the office) for an additional 10 weeks. This hasn’t been approved by management yet, but this gives me a little bit more time with baby. The daycare I really like that’s close to work cost $387 a week, so I’m trying to stay at home as long as possible.

 

[urchin]

I think I'll get 3 months on full pay and 3 months on half pay - I could have another 6 months off, but that would be unpaid (and so not really an option)

after 6 months I will have to go back as we won't afford to live on one wage (especially with an extra mouth to feed!)

 

[suzimc]

I get 8 weeks full pay then 18 weeks half pay plus SMP so it'll be back to work for me in October, as I'm the only one in our family with a wage I'll be going back full time but my husband is going to take a year out of college and look after our wee one till he's at least a year old x

 

[Samah007]

What is everyone's plans for after the baby? I wish I lived in France or Germany and had a year or two of maternity leave.

Right now it seems that our only option is for me to stay home. 1) I don't want to leave my 10-12 week old baby in a daycare, 2) we have don't have any family members to help out and 3) the daycare costs where I live are astronomical! I would essentially be working full time for $300-$400 dollars while being away from my little lady for at least 8 hours. Ideally, I'd like to work part time; maybe 20 hours a week.

Wouldn't that be great if we could have maternity leave for a year or two? *dreamy eyes*

 

[zennie]

I'll be staying home with this little one as I did with my other 2 kids. The cost of childcare to have 3 kids minded would be huge!!! My OH is self employed so I help out there with paperwork etc. I am so glad I can stay home as I plan on breastfeeding for 6 months.

 

[SabrinaKat]

I have the similar problem that others do, e.g. my salary would be eaten up by childcare costs, so I will stay at home, I think. In Ireland, we get maternity pay for 26 wks (but it is only half of what I normally make) and the option to take an additional unpaid 16wks. I enjoy my job (lecturer in a further education college), but not the commute (1 hour each way). I may approach my employer to let me work two full days and then off the rest of the week, but my immediate boss is not at all sympathetic to me (or anybody else for that matter!), so rather than stress about him (growl), my OH isn't too bothered if I become a SAHM, but I might (e.g. hate to ask for money, sense of independence, etc.), however, am so happy not working at the moment with baby that probably won't go back -- I am a qualified teacher, so could do grinds, exam prep, etc., so could earn some extra money that way, but for now, baby is no. 1!

best wishes