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I took 17 weeks. Six of them were paid by my work's short term disability plan at 60% of my salary. Then I received one month of full pay from work and the next seven were paid at 50%.

FMLA eligible so that is what we get, 12 weeks of unpaid time. We have to use our PTO, which lucky for me I had 7.5 weeks saved up. I also have the max amount of STD, which is "6" weeks, though the first week is unpaid. So in the end, I will be getting 12.5 weeks of pay for 12 weeks of leave. But, that is bc I almost never took any PTO for the past 6 years and it rolled over; and I paid for the highest level of STD. Future leaves will only have the 6 (really 5) weeks of STD.

I have to go back all at once, since I'm a teacher.

California. FMLA eligible.

Under my disability policy I get 4 weeks before actual delivery and 6-8 weeks post partum depending on method of delivery. This is paid out at 50% salary with full benefits and FMLA does not come into play yet. I can supplement that with accrued leave time if I want more money but I chose not to.

After that I can use my accrued leave at 25, 50, 75, or 100%, meaning I can stretch out my leave longer for less pay. I chose to take 50% pay to remain at half-time status to maintain my health benefits.

With my job I have a statutory right of return for up to a year leave of absence where you can return to your current position, although the department you end up at is not guaranteed. I was assured I would be able to return to my team so I took the full year.

I left work at 38 weeks in case I went past my due date but had the baby at 39 weeks. Then I had 8 weeks for a C-section, then I stretched out my accrued leave another 7 weeks, for a total of 4 months at 50% pay and full benefits. At the point I went unpaid, I invoked my FMLA rights and got my 12 weeks that way, during which my pension contributions and retirement and promotion credits were preserved. So I really only lost out 5 months worth of seniority at work (which pushed my next raise) but it was great in the grand scheme since my job itself was protected.

@Mrs. Jacks: adoption is still covered under FMLA. were you not able to use that?