Do you think your maternity leave was too long, just right or too short?
Just curious! 
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For D1, I started feeling the itch to go back to work when she was about 7 months old but only because I think I felt so isolated and tired of being around a baby all day long. By the time I went back to work, she was 13 months old.
This time around, I feel like it will be too short and I feel sad about it. D2 will be 10.5 months old when I go back.
I'm verrrrrrry grateful for my mat leave, though. When I hear American HB moms talking about going back at 6 weeks, I want to cry. It must be so tough.
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Oh man, it was way too short, but then again, I am a SAHM now. I just wish I could still be getting my EI payments.. they were ever so helpful. I don't know how American Mamas do it! I couldn't imagine not having the full year. You ladies are so strong!
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Too short! I would love to be home with her right now — she's at such a curious and fun age (15 months). I went back at 13 months. I'm so grateful for the system we have here.
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To be honest I felt ready to go back at six months and feel that a full year was excessive. It was definitely a luxury to be home for a year.
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DD is 9.5 months and I'm set to go back when she's 11.5 months as I took off two weeks early.
I never, ever wanted to be a SAHM. EVER. Now I'm honestly DEVASTATED that I have to leave her and go back to work full time. I think it doesn't help that there will be days (up to four in a row) when I don't even get to see her as I work 12 hour shifts.
So, short answer to your question: too short.
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It felt just right. It was a nice time to get EI for and I really enjoyed having so much time to be with her, to breastfeed on demand, to enjoy summer playdates in the park.... I was so, so grateful not to have the pressure of working after a few weeks/months.
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Juuuust right! I liked being home for a full year to be able to nurse without having to pump. This time I'll have a toddler at home so who knows how I will feel.
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I get a little bit of cabin fever now at 7 months, and am considering going back in April rather than August due to an promotional opportunity that would be too good to pass up. But I think the option be off for a year is great.
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I have not had lo yet, am due in November. I am a teacher, and am excited to take the time off. I am not a sit still person so I can imagine that I will get massive cabin fever. DH has already threatened that I will not have access to CC and DC!! I will be cash only! The plan is that I will be going back at the beginning of Sept, as I want to go back at a natural time in school. It would be so hard to come back at the end of Oct. and then write report cards 3 weeks later! No thank you! So I will be going back at 10 ish months. (thats the plan anyways!)
It is VERY common for teachers here to take a shortened or extended leave so that they have a natural point to come back. If baby is late I might come back in January... we shall see! -
It felt just right last time, because we wanted to start TTC again, and I knew I had to be back at work for a certain amount of time before going on mat leave again. At 12 months, I felt that I couldn't entertain DD as well anymore (I'm not very creative when it comes to entertaining kids!) and it was the perfect time for her to swith into a daycare, where there would be more stimulation than just being at home with me. When on go on mat leave this time, I think that I will feel that the 12 months is pretty short, knowing that this is my last mat leave and that once I go back to work, it's for good
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I thought before I went on mat leave that a year was a long time. But the reality of it was that it went by way too fast. I loved being with my LO all day and wished it could of stayed that way.
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@prettylizy: Oooh, no daycare for E? You are going to be supermom!
@MrsScottish: I wondered about teachers!
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@autumnlove: 1 day a week at daycare, every other Friday with MIL. Hardly super mom, there will be a lot of Elmo on Netflix
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I feel like you have so long to get into this routine and enjoy spending the days with LO that it makes it somewhat harder to go back to work. But at the same time, once you get to work, it is a nice change. If that makes sense.
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If I could do it again for #1, I would have planned to go back at 6 months, and then hoped for similar'ish timing for how long I was back (7 months) then go off again for #2.
I stayed off the year, but was off 15 months total, 3 months ahead of her due date with vacation, and then sick leave, for the workaholic I am/was, it was a long time to be out.
I have days where I still feel like I am getting back, but am excited to be off again and feel like being off for 15 months with two (this time three additional months on the other end!) will be very different!
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At 6 months I am really starting to enjoy it! I think these last 6months will be my favorite. I'll definitely take the full year for future LOs too
@Autumnlove @MrsScottish : I'm also a teacher, dd was born in Sept so it worked out perfect. I had the summer off before her birth and will go back next September at the natural starting point
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I think it's just right. Although, I'm technically taking a 12 month leave, as my leave started one week before my due date, but then someone insisted on being 15 days late!
Honestly, the first few months were HARD and it made me sad for people who had to go back after 12 weeks (or even less). DD is 10 months now and it's starting to be more and more fun, but I think she will thrive in a daycare setting and will get more out of it than she would if she continued to stay at home with me (not saying that's the case for all kids, but mine is really social, and I'm not overly exciting!).
It has also been a huge blessing for our BFing relationship. I will start to wean her at 11 months and she should be done by the time I go back to work one week after her first birthday.
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I think it's a perfect amount of time. I feel really bad for other countries that don't have a system like ours.
I actually went on an early medical leave at the end of May. DD was born at the end of July. I should have coverage to last until just about the end of this July with the medical leave tacked onto my mat leave. However, I will probably go back to work sometime in April/May. I want to go and get the hours for another mat leave over the summer while my MIL is here to watch DD. When MIL goes back to her other home, I will probably go casual to be home with DD and that way will still have the 600 hours for my next mat leave.
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