https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 03 Apr 2026 23:57:47 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/3#post-1804845 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 21:08:50 +0000 Sapphiresun 1804845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Maternity leave specifically was 17 weeks partially paid (55% of our salary up to 500/week).</p> <p>Then 35 weeks at the same rate, but it's called parental leave and can be split between parents as we see fit. I took it all :)</p> <p>We're then allowed to take an additional year unpaid, but they must hold our position, but I didn't do that, so my total leave was 1 year and two days. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/3#post-1804740 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 20:15:10 +0000 bunnylovesbear 1804740@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As a school teacher, the max I'm allowed to take one school year off and be guaranteed my exact position back or two full school years and I'm guaranteed a job in my district. However, we are granted six weeks paid (using accrued sick time only) with a vaginal birth and eight weeks paid with a c-section. </p> <p>With my last pregnancy, I took off Sept-Dec but was only paid for 40 days. This time I plan to take off a little more...Oct-Feb with 40 days paid. In order for the school year to count towardsy retirement/yearly raise/etc., I need to be present for 90+ school days....so I'm basically taking off the max I can without losing the year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/3#post-1804073 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 16:29:51 +0000 msmug 1804073@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't taken my leave yet, but it will be 14-15 weeks paid at 100%.</p> <p>8 weeks STD<br /> 2 weeks of Parental Leave offered by my firm<br /> 4-5 weeks of PTO</p> <p>I have the option to take more weeks, unpaid.. But we need the income. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/3#post-1803977 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 15:54:31 +0000 fussygal 1803977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>16 weeks (8 on disability at 60%, 4 weeks fully paid, and 4 paid at 50%) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/3#post-1803853 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 15:04:06 +0000 Somebunny 1803853@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>6 weeks paid. My mom and I run a business together and I felt it would put too much stress to leave her longer than that, but I get to take DD to work with me so that kind of makes up for it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/3#post-1803797 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 14:44:15 +0000 beckysue 1803797@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>6 weeks pd<br /> 3 weeks vacation<br /> 3 weeks unpaid </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803780 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 14:39:03 +0000 Grace 1803780@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@alohaorchid: Just FYI, the numbers make it seem low, but unless you are making a boatload of money normally, the amount you get from EI isn't bad. Remember that you aren't paying as much taxes, no EI or CPP, you don't commute and you don't have as much time to buy stuff for yourself or go out (at least in the beginning). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803747 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 14:29:46 +0000 mfa_lady 1803747@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LovelyPlum: Come to think of it, I should probably focus on growing/having the baby for now...I will have plenty to worry about once that is over, right? Haha. Hope you guys are doing great! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803733 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 14:25:17 +0000 LovelyPlum 1803733@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mfa_lady: before I started, it didn't feel like I was ready. But I will say, bring back is easier than I thought it would be. You will get there :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803712 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 14:16:43 +0000 MamaMoose 1803712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>12 weeks maternity leave paid at 100% plus 3 weeks saved vacation time paid at 100% </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803699 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 14:11:29 +0000 wahine08 1803699@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took all the paid and unpaid leave possible which took me through almost 6 months! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803682 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 14:04:46 +0000 mfa_lady 1803682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LovelyPlum: Oh, my friend, bless you for saying this. I hope I'm ready by the 10/12 week mark! :) (I have a long time to prepare myself, so there's that... :) ) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803679 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 14:03:22 +0000 KT326 1803679@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was able to take 15 weeks off. I had 6 weeks short term disability paid at 55% but my company topped it up so I got 100%. Then I got 6 weeks California Paid Family Leave paid at 55%. I took an additional 3 weeks unpaid. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803676 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 14:02:23 +0000 LovelyPlum 1803676@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Prepare for confusion:</p> <p>I'm a student, graduate assistant, and now working another job in the summer. I had LO during the spring semester, while I was working and still in classes.</p> <p>Officially, we had no leave. actually, we got 5 days. Yes, days. Useless. So,unofficially, I worked out a plan with my department where I was able to bank hours by working overtime and over the holiday break in order to get more time off after baby. I came back slowly after 3 weeks and worked for another month, at which point the school.year was over. I then had 2 weeks off before I started WOH 40 hours a week for the summer. LO was 13 weeks old when I started here. I got paid for the first bit off, but obviously.not between jobs. It ended up being a good stretch of time, but I was nervous! If the department had wanted to, they could have made things difficult for me.</p> <p>The fact that you get to ease into working again is great! Honestly, at12 weeks, I was ready to get out of the house! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803659 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 13:51:05 +0000 Mrsjets 1803659@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In Canada - 12 months paid by employment insurance - I also got just less than 50%. I also got 'topped up' to 75% for the first 20 weeks paid by the company I work for. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803623 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 13:39:09 +0000 Ajsmommy 1803623@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mfa_lady: Looking back it was pretty good. I will say it felt long enough, however once it was over and I had to leave LO I still freaked out and was very, very sad and I tried to come up with ways to stay out longer.. but I think that is normal. Now that I've been back to work for months and I'm further removed from it, I'd still say it was a good length. I also had the added benefit of a phase back period where the first week back I worked 21 hrs, and then it increased gradually over 4 weeks until I was back to 40 hrs. </p> <p>AND another added help was that the first week back I had my mom watch LO and the second week back I had MIL watch LO so LO didn't have to go into daycare until she was 13 weeks old. That made me feel better too... I might suggest something like that if possible to ease the transition </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803563 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 13:13:49 +0000 mdf106 1803563@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>6 weeks, all unpaid. I could have taken more time unpaid, but it would not be reasonable with DH quitting his job to stay home. I don't get PTO at all. </p> <p>@mfa_lady: I was really worried about breastfeeding and sleep, and they were both okay. I did have one big advantage, my DH stays home with LO, and I do not have to leave him at daycare. However, he cannot breastfeed, or do night wakings because I EBF. </p> <p>Fortunately, my LO has always been a fantastic sleeper. Also, in the early days, I still had some happy hormones helping me out. When I went back to work, LO was sleeping either two four hour stretches, or a six hour stretch followed by a two hour stretch, so I was getting close to 8 hours of interrupted sleep. One week into working, LO started to sometimes STTN.</p> <p>When I went back to work, I had DH bring LO in for one feeding a day from 6-12 weeks. In the early days, I had a big surplus of pumped milk. I never supplemented, and LO never had problems. </p> <p>In some ways, it would be harder to go back to work after a later leave, because LO keeps getting more fun. I also found I was able to be more present with LO after I went back to work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803488 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 12:52:57 +0000 Ocean girl 1803488@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>12 months - for the first 6 months I was topped up to 80% of my salary and for the remainder I have been receiving EI only. I go back to work Sept 2nd and am sort of excited to take home my full pay, again! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803024 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 10:27:57 +0000 Littlebit 1803024@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I obviously haven't used mine yet, but it's set up as 6 weeks of disability at 80% (with a vaginal birth - an extra 2 weeks at 60% for c-section), with 6 weeks of fmla at 0%. So 12 total. I will be using PTO for 3 of the weeks of fmla, so that will help, but I'll probably have 3 weeks of completely unpaid. Or one week of completely unpaid if I have a c-section (strong possibility since he's still breech).</p> <p>Your company sounds awesome! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803011 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 10:22:47 +0000 mfa_lady 1803011@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsKoala: I have ten weeks, so hopefully I can handle it. Thank you for your response--I know it's too early to be worried, but I already am! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1803002 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 10:20:56 +0000 MrsKoala 1803002@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mfa_lady: I honestly felt like I needed at least 10 weeks (so 4 more weeks). My mind wasn't totally into work and I was pretty tired but it did kick my butt into forming a routine, which was generally helpful in terms of LO's sleep. I survived it and was actually functional. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1802982 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 10:14:15 +0000 cmomma17 1802982@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mfa_lady: ooh, I just saw that you get to go back part time at first, that's great! :) It will help to slowly ease back into it. Choose to have a great attitude about it, and give yourself breaks (it's okay to feel like you're a hot mess, it's okay to be stressed/emotional, it's okay to not be 100% on your game as an employee, etc.). Be kind to yourself and you will do great! :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1802981 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 10:14:11 +0000 mfa_lady 1802981@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rainbow Sprinkles: GAH! How did you do it?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1802946 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 10:04:37 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 1802946@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>5 weeks, no pay!</p> <p>Non profit for the win (not)! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1802935 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 10:00:31 +0000 mfa_lady 1802935@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cmomma17: Thanks for your response! General consensus seems to be that, to a certain extent, it's as hard as you make it! I'm like you, and could easily stress and not "let go" of the fact that I don't have longer. I'm going to try my hardest to make the best of the 10 weeks I do get! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1802924 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 09:57:57 +0000 cmomma17 1802924@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mfa_lady: I think I made it harder on myself that I needed to, just because I couldn't "let go" of the fact that we couldn't afford to take the full 12 weeks. It was hard going back when LO was so little, but I think it's equally hard no matter when you return to work! It did work out well overall, especially because I ended up coming back to work at my job's slowest time of the year, so the transition wasn't as difficult as it could have been.</p> <p>ETA: I started my maternity leave at exactly 40 weeks, and LO was 5 days late, so he was less than 10 weeks old when I returned to work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1802913 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 09:54:21 +0000 looch 1802913@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a total of 7 months, full salary. I was abroad at the time, but the country's policy was 12 weeks at full pay. It was the company that was especially generous.</p> <p>I also accrued vacation time, which I was paid for when I decided not to return. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1802890 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 09:47:37 +0000 NurseMommy 1802890@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In Canada.<br /> 12 months "paid" by employment insurance - which worked out to slightly less than 50% of what I normally make. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1802870 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 09:38:33 +0000 mfa_lady 1802870@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cmomma17: How was the 10 week time frame for you? That's how long I'll have, too. I know it's different for everyone, but would love to hear how it worked out! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave/page/2#post-1802867 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 09:37:33 +0000 cmomma17 1802867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>10 weeks total.<br /> 6 weeks paid by employer. 1 week "paid" by using up vacation and sick time. 3 weeks unpaid.<br /> Could have taken off 12 weeks total per FMLA but there was no way we could afford 2 more weeks of no pay! :( </p>