https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 27 Apr 2026 21:19:40 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639741 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 13:27:45 +0000 snowjewelz 2639741@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll probably take the same 12 weeks. If it's possible, I'd return earlier and maybe just take 8-10 weeks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639672 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 12:04:22 +0000 autumnleaves 2639672@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took 8 weeks for my first and 10 weeks for my second. I had the time at work to take the full 12 weeks but I would not be paid for all of that. I was happy with taking 10 weeks. 2 of those 10 weeks were not paid. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639650 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 11:44:17 +0000 MrsBrewer 2639650@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kiddosc: agreed.....I still haven't told my employer yet.....so who knows maybe he will surprise me and say I have some sort of maternity leave? highly doubtful though.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639644 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 11:37:57 +0000 nana87 2639644@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Officially, my "suspension of responsibilities" was 8 weeks for lo1 and will be 12 weeks for this baby. one of the main perks for being a grad school parent is flexibility around this, and for both lo1 and this pregnancy, I'm very lucky to have summer right after my leave officially ends so that I'm able to take extra leave without it interfering with teaching responsibilities. The daycare center we use only takes babies 6 months or older and only with a September start date--so with lo1, I was off 6 months (April-October), and with this baby I'll be off 7 most likely (Feb-Sept, assuming we get lo2 into the same daycare). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639560 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 09:00:51 +0000 kiddosc 2639560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>#1 - 8 weeks, using all of my vacation and sick time<br /> #2 - 12 weeks, different company. 6 weeks of STD, Another 1.5 weeks of PTO, and the rest unpaid. </p> <p>I had such a hard time with my milk supply after only taking 8 weeks for the first that I insisted I would take more time off for the second. Seriously, how is paid leave in the US still not a thing?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639534 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 08:28:48 +0000 cascademom 2639534@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS #1: 12 weeks<br /> DS #2: 16 weeks</p> <p>First baby, my last 4 weeks were paid by my PTO. Second baby, it was fully covered by my company. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639517 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 08:08:00 +0000 Anagram 2639517@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took about the same amount of time both times. With my first, I gave birth in July and went back right at Thanksgiving, so....4 month-ish?</p> <p>LO2, I gave birth in August and went back right before Christimas, so also about 4 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639486 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 06:31:24 +0000 dc yoga bee 2639486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took 8 weeks with my first, paid accrued leave and advance leave. It left me in the whole for a few months which sucked. I was still relatively new to the federal government, and only accruing 4hrs a pay period. Another reason for me delaying full blown ttc is that I'm still building my leave back up. Now I'm getting 6hrs a pay period, so as long as I deliver after October of next year I'll have my 8 weeks. I'd like to be able to take 8 weeks again. After 8 weeks I was ready to go back to work. I couldn't imagine being away from my field for 6months-1 year but that's just me. My job is flexible in that I can telework a lot, leave early without penalty if I need to etc.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639481 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 05:52:59 +0000 ValentineMommy 2639481@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>1st : 12 weeks<br /> 2nd: 16 weeks. I had pretty bad PPA going back to work with DS1, and thought the extra month would help. It definitely did.<br /> Hoping to take 16 weeks again, but we'll see! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639450 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 23:47:19 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 2639450@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>2nd baby-- 5 weeks<br /> 3rd baby-- By this point I was self employed, so I worked from home and slowly got back into it at week 8, but wasn't at my full 25 hours until week 12. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639438 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 22:13:23 +0000 yellowbird 2639438@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>10 weeks with my first and 13 with my second. It was all unpaid </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639411 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 21:17:49 +0000 Mrs. Toad 2639411@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was 6 weeks with my first, but the policy has changed and now it is 12 weeks with my second due in Jan. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639387 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 20:49:06 +0000 Periwinkle 2639387@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Last time, I took around 13 weeks but that included Christmas week. I was paid only for a few weeks of that since I was relatively new in my job and did not have a ton of paid time off. I went on STD for the remainder. </p> <p>This time (I'm about a month in to my leave), I plan to take about 15 weeks total (including the week of Christmas). I started my leave a week before LO2 was born and will go back in the new year. I'm very lucky that I am using paid time off to cover the majority of my leave. I may need to go back part time for a few weeks in January but have yet to work that out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639379 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 20:40:02 +0000 RonjaL7 2639379@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took 12 weeks and 12 Fridays after that with both kids. I was only paid for 8 weeks both of those times though.</p> <p>My husband took 12 weeks after mine ended with both kids. All of his was unpaid. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639369 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 20:32:34 +0000 avivoca 2639369@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm taking 12 weeks this time, with 5-6 weeks through STD and two weeks paid through my exhausted vacation/sick time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639364 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 20:29:56 +0000 delight 2639364@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just started my leave this week and I'm taking 10.5 months and DH is taking 6 weeks at the end. With our first I was off for 7 months and he took 3 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639338 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 19:39:29 +0000 oskarsmommy 2639338@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, it really breaks my heart how little time so many moms can take. I know we gotta do what we gotta do - I wish we all lived in Canada! </p> <p>I did 16 weeks with my first, 1 month paid, 12 weeks disability and CFL at 55% salary, then did 6 months/ 4 days a week at 80% of my salary when I went back, then eventually full time again. This time I plan to do the same, but need to awkwardly ask if my company will be paying me one month again (it was simply offered last time) and I have only approved 4 months of 4 day weeks when I return, but hoping to stretch it to 1 day a week working from home upon return. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639330 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 19:06:32 +0000 Beth24 2639330@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Took about 8 with my first. Planning on taking 12 with my next (due in March). Only a small portion is paid, but I'm setting money aside now to help get us by when I'm off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639317 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 18:08:09 +0000 MrsKoala 2639317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took 6 weeks with my first and now I'm in the midst of a 12 week leave with my second. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639310 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 17:53:50 +0000 Alba4 2639310@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took 4.5 months with #1. Took 12 weeks with #2. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639303 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 17:14:49 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2639303@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>About the same 12 weeks with them all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639302 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 17:10:54 +0000 Smurfette 2639302@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Taking 12 weeks like I did with LO. Company changed how they do vacation, so since I am due Jan, I won't have anything accrued. So 6 weeks paid and 6 unpaid. But I will then have vacation time for Mar-Dec, once I am back and accruing time. Which is better then having no vacation time Jun-Dec like with LO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639285 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 16:45:37 +0000 oliviaoblivia 2639285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A year with each.<br /> So grateful to be raising these babies in Canada. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639263 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 15:47:22 +0000 Miss Ariel 2639263@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Last time I took 10 weeks. I could have taken more but I'd have used up all my vacation time. Also it worked were I came back right after the Mardi Gras holiday and just in time for a big meeting to attend.</p> <p>This time once again I'm looking more at when I'll go back than the number of weeks. My plan is to be back after New Years and if I had gone out last week on my due date it would have been 11.5 weeks. But each day it's looking to be less and will likely be 10 weeks again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639260 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 15:39:31 +0000 hellobeeboston 2639260@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took 13 weeks for my first, and around 14/15 weeks for my second. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639257 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 15:31:37 +0000 catlady 2639257@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't taken mine yet but it should end up being the same as my first (same company).</p> <p>Formally, it is 12 weeks with 6 weeks at 60% salary through STD (which I paid for over the years though, so not actually making much there), as many PTO days added in as I can swing before the end of the year, and the rest unpaid. Last time, I actually needed to make it 13 or 14 weeks because daycare doesn't accept infants before 3 months old, which is a little longer than 12 weeks, so I worked from home a little bit towards the end. I assume I will probably do something similar this time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639255 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 15:24:18 +0000 josina 2639255@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With my first I got 6 weeks fully paid, and took 7 weeks.<br /> With this one I will have to use STD, so will only get 5 weeks at 75% pay, so even 6 weeks off will be tight. I'm hoping to take 7 again if we can swing it. Stupid money. :wink:<br /> My boss only allows 8 weeks max (we don't qualify for FMLA) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-was-your-maternity-leave-for-2nd-or-3rd-baby#post-2639251 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 15:18:39 +0000 MrsBrewer 2639251@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took 13 weeks with my first. I ended up getting a new job during my maternity leave and went back part time. </p> <p>But now I'm pregnant with #2, and being part-time I have zero benefits. My boss is super flexible, and would definitely give me the 12 weeks off (even though the company doesn't qualify for FMLA, only 8 employees) but I don't think we could afford that. I'm probably looking at only a 6 week maternity leave :-( Maybe I can try and stretch it to 8 weeks, but I'm not sure. I will also have a 2 year old at home.</p> <p>How long did you take off for your 2nd or 3rd or 4th, etc? </p>