https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 30 May 2026 16:19:04 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-116107 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 21:22:29 +0000 regberadaisy 116107@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I will only be taking 6 weeks. :( We're under 50 so we don't qualify for FMLA.<br /> I urge all of you using short term disability to confirm if the first week is paid in your state. In NY state that first week is a waiting period that is NOT paid. I will be using PTO that first week to have income coming in. The remaining 5 will be at 50% pay.</p> <p>The week I go back I will take off Monday and Friday making it a 3 day week. It blows but I would not feel comfortable taking more time off unpaid. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-116016 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:21:24 +0000 singingbee 116016@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was due around the August, which is right when school started (I'm a teacher). I'm waiting to find out if I can move to a classroom position, instead of a specialty class that I teach now. If everything had gone correctly, my time off would have been determined by what job I was in. If it was the classroom position, it would have been 6 weeks because I wouldn't have wanted to miss the entire first 9 weeks of school. If I stay in my specialty class, then I would have taken at least 12 weeks off. </p> <p>With our next pregnancy, if we are lucky to conceive early then our timing might work out for me to take off the last month or so of school and then have all summer off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-115981 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:02:54 +0000 tequiero21 115981@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Quit my job... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-115827 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:20:44 +0000 banana 115827@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With my son, I took 5 months off. We were given 3 months full pay at our company, plus I had 2 months of vacation + sick time acrrued. However this time around, I'll only be taking 3 months off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-115824 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:20:06 +0000 LuLu Mom 115824@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I plan on 12 weeks, 1 paid by work, 3 PTO, and the rest unpaid. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-115817 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:17:12 +0000 lavender 115817@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>whoa 2 weeks? I'm 2 weeks postpartum and couldn't imagine going back yet, I'm still recovering! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-114867 Sun, 08 Apr 2012 19:21:10 +0000 MsMamaBear 114867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>After 10wks. Makes me angry thinking about them asking when I was coming back b/c the sub was lazy. Not my fault!</p> <p>Not to be nasty, but after 2wks I bet that woman was still bleeding. Did they need the money? I BET she didn't tell her doctor! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-114865 Sun, 08 Apr 2012 19:18:30 +0000 lemondrop 114865@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took the full 12 weeks that FMLA allowed and just returned part-time. I still feel completely scattered and disorganized, but am happy to be back at work too. I feel very torn over loving my work and wanting to be at home with the boy, so I am glad to take the reduced hours. </p> <p>I don't know how anyone could be back in a week or two after giving birth! It was bad enough that I worked until right when my water broke, I think 2 weeks before and 12 weeks after is ideal, since we can't have a year like Canada - so jealous!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-114845 Sun, 08 Apr 2012 18:54:07 +0000 mamabolt 114845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm taking twelve weeks, and one of my coworkers, when he found out, said "wow, that's a long time." Needless to say, he doesn't have kids... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-114826 Sun, 08 Apr 2012 18:21:27 +0000 mrsjyw 114826@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I will be going back after four months. Luckily I have saved two weeks PTO, my company offers 6 weeks 100% paid maternity leave, and then an additional short term disability program I've paid into that will provide 6 weeks at 100% paid. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-66399 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:26:39 +0000 Mrsbells 66399@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: It is very sad that women are expected to be able to rush back to work earlier than 3 months. Ideally I would love to stay home 3months at a minimum and 6 months maximum. But my job is only protected by law for 12 weeks and my company is kinda hoping/expecting that I'll be back in less than a month. Its an awful position to be in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-66344 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:46:50 +0000 looch 66344@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Before I had a baby, I thought 3 months was an excessive amount of time for a maternity leave (I had no experience and most of my peers had no children either). I can see why there is so much pressure to return to work because most people don't really understand what's happened to the woman's body and the adjustments required within the new family. It's sad really. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-66105 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:02:25 +0000 Bao 66105@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am hopefully going to be staying home with my LO for good, but we will see how that goes! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-66062 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:56:46 +0000 MegWag 66062@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Here in the UK they have such a better attitude about maternity leave. Most women stop working by the time they are 36 weeks (and look at you like you're weird if you haven't stopped by then). They are eligible to take a year off without fear of losing their jobs.<br /> My husband and I have our own business, so the normal rules don't really apply to me. It makes me sad for all my friends in the US to know how quickly they are pressured to get back in the office. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-66056 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:52:15 +0000 Clementine 66056@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm planning to take 12 weeks (6 weeks paid by work then the rest vacation and unpaid leave). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-66055 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:51:09 +0000 cupcakemama 66055@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Didn't vote as not US resident but wow! 2 weeks??! At 2 weeks I still felt like I was a physical mess, def not recovered! I took 9 lovely months off but we have some government maternity leave here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-66012 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:53:23 +0000 jennylynn 66012@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm planning on taking 6-8 weeks. I can take 6 weeks totally paid because I have enough PTO time to supplement, but if I take the extra 2 weeks, it'll only be at 50% pay, plus I have to pay for my benefits once my pto runs out. Boo. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-66005 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:46:15 +0000 chopsuey 66005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow. 2 weeks? My friend actually started working from home right away. She was in and out of the office literally 3 days after her C-section. Crazy!<br /> I'm a SAHM. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-65972 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:03:49 +0000 Mrsbells 65972@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah I dont know why she came back to work so early. Damn her! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-65968 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:57:23 +0000 DpeachLu 65968@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Im planning on taking off one week before my due date and then 12 weeks after my due date. Here is to hoping she comes right on due date or before, so I could get a full 12 weeks with her! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-65967 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:56:20 +0000 winniebee 65967@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: LOL I don't think so! I think it can take up to 6 weeks.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-65964 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:55:22 +0000 mediagirl 65964@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I will be taking 12 weeks. I will use up all of my PTO and short term disability (4 weeks) and then cover our expenses I normally would pay out of my paycheck with my savings I've been putting away for maternity leave. My company just expected I would stay out 12 weeks.</p> <p>I'm amazed that someone could go back to work after two weeks. Is she even HEALED yet? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-65955 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:46:07 +0000 BabyLove 65955@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took 12 weeks. I was originally planning to take 10, as you're thinking of doing. But my director encouraged me to take the additional 2 weeks and I'm so glad she did. My suggestion is to take as much time as your financial situation will allow. Returning to work (for most moms) is so hard to do, you'll appreciate the extra time with your LO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-65954 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:45:26 +0000 yoursilverlining 65954@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The only other women in my immediate department only took 6 weeks with each of her children, so I am sort of guessing that’s what I’ll be expected to take too. I only get 6 weeks paid, but will also have 3 weeks of paid vacation time and would like to use that to extend my leave to 8-9 weeks. We’ll see. </p> <p>Legally I am eligible for 12 weeks of FMLA leave, but taking that much time would be politically very tricky to do, and also going without pay for a month would suck big time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-65953 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:44:47 +0000 winniebee 65953@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll probably take 4 months. I get 8 weeks paid leave and can take another 16 weeks off unpaid (but can use accrued vacation) for a total of 6 months off. I have requested the entire leave, but am planning on taking 4 months off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-65950 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:40:48 +0000 Andrea 65950@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was laid off while pregnant so I didn't have anywhere to go back to. I found another job when my LO was 6 months old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-go-back-to-work-after-6-weeks#post-65948 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:39:07 +0000 Mrsbells 65948@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just wondering for those who live in america, did you return to work after 6 weeks or did you take much longer to come back? a lady in my company (different department) came back to work withing 2 weeks of having her baby so she kinda ruined it for everyone lol<br /> I'm thinking I want to take 2.5 months or maybe 3 months off before coming back. How much time off did you have? </p>