DH and I just started TTC #1 about a month and a half ago. I am a teacher so if I get KU this cycle, I'll have an end of June due date. My only concern with this is that my maternity leave will be over the summer. I definitely want to be back to school by the end of August. Having a sub in for you to start the year seems like it gets your year going on the wrong foot to me. We may take a few months off if this cycle is unsuccessful too so I won't have to take off during that important time of the year. A late June baby would give me approximately 8 weeks at home. I always planned to take 12 weeks because that's what FMLA allows, but like I said before, I don't want to miss the beginning of the year. Is 8 weeks too short? How long was your maternity leave? I am particularly interested in hearing from WOHMs, but WAHMs feel free to respond as well! Multiple options enabled for multiple maternity leaves.
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7 weeks: 6 weeks STD + 1week vacation time. I wished I could've taken 12 or even more but it wasn't an option. I begged my mom to stay till 8 weeks before sending lo to daycare. I felt like 8 weeks they're crossing out of the newborn stage, they have better head control, etc. they just seem sturdier.
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I feel I was very lucky. I gave birth late August and didn't return until January. I had a ton of sick leave banked. If we have a second, our LO won't be so lucky. I was thinking I'd return earlier, but I definitely changed my mind after having her and in truth, really loved every day and having all that time with her. I understand wanting to start the new year with srudents. That is harder to transition. Can you decide in early August your final plans?
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I had 12 weeks last time, 14 weeks this time.
Wouldn't your leave start in August as a teacher? Most of my teacher friends loved a June/July due date because it maximized their leave through the end of the year!
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@derevival: I could! If I decided to extend my leave I could call them up over the summer and let my district know, but I'm sure the more warning I gave the better. It's nice knowing I could if I wanted to, but it's not my preference. It's our "busy season" as DH calls it.
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I live in Canada, so 1 year paid leave. I don't know how you mamas with short leaves do it
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@mrsjyw: I asked and your leave starts when you have your baby, not when work starts again. Apparently that's how FMLA is written according to my district. Otherwise I would take the first 12 weeks of school off!
ETA: Many districts allow you to take more time off. My old district allowed for up to a year (unpaid after 6 weeks). My new district does bare bones minimum.
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I am (was) a teacher, too. I took 8 weeks with LO1. I had him mid-November and went back a week after school started back in January after the holiday break. It was okay because my mom watched him. I think it would have been harder emotionally on me if he would have been in daycare.
LO2 was born 6 weeks ago in early August, but I'm staying home now. When I was still considering going back, my plan was to take off 10 weeks and go back in mid-October. I totally understand not wanting to miss the beginning of the school year, but that obviously wouldn't have been an option for me, especially since I had a c-section. I was thinking about going to meet the kids and get them used to me before I officially returned (like a few hours a week). I taught pre-k, so I think that would have been important in the long run.
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@QBbride: I wish! Then a June date would be PERFECT!
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I took 13 weeks
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I work in a middle school (librarian and teacher) and for both kids, I have had summer babies then taken 12 weeks off from the first day of school. I didnt feel like I started off on the wrong foot at all...actually last time my whole school was so glad to have me back because the sub was apparently a little odd. My students were SO good behaviorally that year and I honestly think its because they liked me so much more in comparison, haha.
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I am a teacher, too, and am taking the first semester off. DS was born in July, so he will be 6 months old when I go back. It was initially difficult to hand over the reigns tof my classroom, but now I don't care...so long as my classroom isnt trashed.
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Mine was a mandated six weeks. Not allowed to come back before then because my job doesn't have separate maternity leave and I was considered short term disabled.
My OB was willing to consider me eligible short term eligible two weeks before my due date but I felt well enough to work so I did. Pretty sure it helped me go into labor soon enough to deliver on my due date since I was always on my feet.
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Like @QBBride: I live in Canada, and am taking the full year off. LO is 5 1/2 months old, and I'd have trouble going back to work even this early. 8 weeks would be so hard. That was when I decided how much I loved being at home with him; he was smiling by then, and sleeping and (breast)feeding better. Not to mention, he was really starting to show bits of personality at that point, and able to interact better.
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@Mrs. Peanut: That's not at all how FMLA is written and you need to talk to your school district again, with the text of the law and hopefully your union / educational association. FMLA guarantees 12 unpaid leave weeks anytime within a year after the baby is born. If you qualify for FMLA, you 100% can take off 12 weeks starting at the beginning of the school year, essentially making your maternity leave 5-6 months (summer break plus FMLA). If you're talking about other leave (short term disability, medical leave) the timeframe guidelines might be different, but FMLA is very clear.
I totally understand not wanting to take off the first quarter, since I've been a teacher for 6 years. However, once you're pregnant for awhile and have that baby, you perspective will change and your baby will matter much more than "your kids"... and that's okay. Personally, I believe it would be worse to have to leave in the middle of the school year and then come back during the school year, which is what I face. But oh well!! Can't wait for baby to get here
!And after miscarrying once and trying for 10 months and being diagnosed with infertility on both sides.... the idea of "timing" a pregnancy fell right to the bottom of my concerns list.
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@DesertDreams88: you are right! My old district in Texas misinterpreted FILA wrong and now I wonder how they get away with it. They also said it was 12 weeks from when you gave birth.
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@Mrs. Peanut: What Time Off Counts as Leave?
Schools, like other employers, can only count leave time as FMLA leave when the employee would be otherwise working. For example, teachers typically are not required to work during the spring, summer, and winter breaks. Thus, if the employee took FMLA leave before one of these breaks, the period of the break does not count as FMLA leave weeks for that employee. Example: Teacher takes FMLA commencing December 1. Winter break runs from December 19 to January 3. This period of December 19 through January 3 does not count as FMLA leave for the teacher.
Since clerical, maintenance, security, and some administrative employees are required to work some or all of the periods of summer, winter, and spring breaks, these weeks would be counted as FMLA leave for those employees. Weeks in which the school is open for a portion of the week, such as Thanksgiving week and President's Day week, would be counted toward FMLA leave for all employees.
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I'm in Canada too so I got a year as well. My dream for my next LO is to take 18 months Iif can financially swing the extra 6 months unpaid. Needless to say I think 8 weeks is ridiculously short and I'd take as much you can. I get the importance and timing your job but this is the only time in your life that you get to be with your baby while they are still a baby. I know it sounds cliche but for my first LO I almost took only 4 months for my leave because I'd just started a new job. I'm thankful a few friends convinced me I should take the whole year.
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Lo1: a year.
Lo2: 14 months. (6 weeks of sick leave & then a year maternity).
Lo3: just started at 24 weeks. There's no way i could go back to work right now (I haven't been back since going off for lo2) with this pregnancy being high risk and since we're looking at NICU time (or a stillborn) can extend it each week he's in there. And if he's stillborn I still get my maternity leave.
- but length: It'll be a year, more or less. Stillborn will be just 18 weeks. -
I didn't go back but I have a friend who teaches elementary school and just had an August baby and is missing the start of the school year without problem.
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13 weeks after baby was born. 3 weeks before. I only voted for the post partum period.
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12 weeks. I'm a teacher too, and the baby arrived March 20. So my 12 weeks took me to the end of the school year except for the last three days! I asked my superintendent if I could have those last three days because I don't have other childcare options, and he gave it to me. I'll tell ya, late March is the best time to have a baby!
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I'm a teacher too. I had my son in late Aug and went back to work in Jan. Starting the year in Jan wasn't ideal, but it is out of your control. You will make it work!
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@lilteacherbee: I am planning to take 8 weeks with my first as well. My time line is similar since DD is due mid-November. Third Quarter starts January 13th, so I'll be back for that or shortly after. However, I was just informed of the option to come back for half-days for a little bit to transition and that sounds tempting, so I'm considering it! I teach high school on a block schedule, so it would just be for two classes a day. Hmm...
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I am a teacher too and had a June baby. I took off until December and then went back. Before I went back, I was really worried, and I had a hard time in September thinking someone was setting up *my* classroom, but it was fine! In fact, they wound up being one of my favorite classes ever. So even though not ideal, you can definitely make it work! And like others have said, my fmla did not count during the summer. It did not start until September since it can only be used for working days.
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@DesertDreams88: Amen! This is my first year teaching (I got a late start, haha). Our timing isn't ideal, due mid-November. But after years of infertility and a round of IVF, that "perfect timing" went right out the window.
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@DesertDreams88: and @anagram: I had no idea that they were wrong about FMLA. I will definitely be talking to my district again and bring that up! I didn't want to miss just the first month or so, but I think I could part with the first 3. I know that may sound weird, but that's how I feel. The students are just more grounded at that point.
I also considered the fact that if we were having IF, I wouldn't care at all. Luckily, we are still young and only went through one unsuccessful cycle of TTC, so I'm hoping all will go well in the future. I think you guys are right too, once my LO is here, my classroom kids may not be as high of a priority. I think I'll talk to my district Monday and maybe even reconsider my TTC plan. Thank you!!
ETA: If this matters, my district actually has no "maternity leave". They say your maternity leave is short term disability and you have to use all of your sick days then you get unpaid time. For someone who gave birth, you get FMLA at the same time. At least, that's how they explained it to me.
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LO1: I was WOH at the time and had 16 weeks paid with the option of up to one year unpaid. I took the 16 weeks (paid), extended by 4 more months (unpaid) and then decided not to go back but started WAH. I was NOT ready to go back after 16 weeks with LO1. I was still too emotionally fraught, not to mentioned sleep deprived and stressed.
LO2: I was WAH (self-employed) and took 5 months unpaid then started WAH again part time.
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@ineebee: It's funny you say that about late March. I actually wanted that the most as well, but DH wasn't ready until more recently! That really does seem like the perfect time.
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I'm a teacher too and was only "allowed" to take 6 weeks. I had just switched districts when I got pregnant and didn't qualify for FMLA. I was forced to use all of my leave as part of that 6 weeks and any time that wasn't covered by leave was unpaid. I had to go back to work the last 3 weeks of school. Thankfully I had the whole summer off with LO and went back this year when he was 4 months, which was a good age to send him to daycare.
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@Mrs. Peanut: same here - no "maternity leave," just short term disability concurrent with fmla. I could use STD if I were to be placed on bedrest or something, before baby. Also, forcing you to use up sick time or vacation time is really common, too. I have 6 weeks saved up (took only 2-3 sick days a year) and I'll be using it all during fmla.
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@Miss Sarah: Yep, that was me. He was born Nov 14th and I went back Jan 14th. Would the half-days be before the 13th of after?
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@lilteacherbee: after! For a couple of weeks probably.
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@lilteacherbee: I didn't realize you quit working. Are you planning on being a SAHM for awhile?
For LO1: I was WOHM and took about 6 months off. For LO2: I was SAHM so N/A. For LO3: I'm a WAHM but I'm a contractor and set my own hours so I will probably work 10 or so hours in the beginning and then up it. I love work and I love money, lol.
LO1 and LO2 will both be in daycare/school when LO3 arrives, so I will have lots of downtime with just me and a new baby. Both my kids were great sleepers and I'm guessing that LO3 will be the same. -
My sister had a June baby and didn't take any time off at the beginning of the year and she regretted it. Take whatever you can...
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I took 8 weeks, then went back to work. For about 10 weeks, and then took an additional 5 weeks off before starting a new job. It was not ideal - I wasn't really happy to leave LO at 8 weeks but it was the reality of the situation. 12-16 weeks would have been ideal to me. With that said, it was ok and I got through it but if I had a choice I wouldn't have gone back so soon.
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@Miss Sarah: Oh I would definitely do that!!
@BandDmommy: Yes! Well I'm not teaching anymore. I'm starting to do a little photography
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I'm in TX, but work for a global company. I get 8 weeks paid + if I use vacation. We can take up to two years and I plan to take 6 months.
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It was 11 weeks the first time (taken off a week before delivery, 12 weeks total FMLA). This time will probably be 10 weeks after delivery but I'm part time now so I expect it should be easier to go back.
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Technically we get 12 weeks but it's unpaid unless you have short term disability. I asked for an additional month, unpaid, and went back when DD was 4 months. I stayed home with DS for 9 months.
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