Hi everyone

Me and OH have been talking about what we are going to do once the baby is here, and one of our options is that he gives up work (he hates it, and he wants to retrain and go back to Uni) and does the childcare and I go back to work full time (I am the main wage earner). we also have some inheritance money coming our way so we hope to reduce our mortgage to around £70,000(its currently £150,000) so the amount of money we earn as a joint package is less important come next Sept/Oct.

Anyway...I get pretty good mat pay - 13 weeks full pay and 13 weeks half pay and then 13 weeks stat, before unpaid leave.

Everyone at work keeps saying that I should have at least 9 months off but I am thinking of going back after 6 months when my 1/2 pay runs out.

I am intrigued to find out how long everyone else is having off and whether you think it is ok to go back after 6 month? People at work are really funny about it - saying some quiteharsh things about not giving the baby enough time by going back after 6.

My work is also very cut throat so part of the reasoning for going back is that it is less likely that they will be mean to me if I go back sooner!

x

im only taking 6 months off.
Purely because the mortgage needs paying and il only get maternity allowence and not MA as i havent been in my job long enough.

6 months is fine! and its not like u have to leave baby with a stranger like il have too! (in a nursery!) he/she will be with daddy!

i am only planning on going back with less hours tho as nursery fees are ridiculas!!!!

xxxxxx

Hiya,

I'll be going back to work after 6 months, I only get 90% pay for 6 weeks then it will drop to £117 a week, I would love to take more time off but we are really going struggle with me on SMP so its not an option.

xx

I'm in a v similar position CharlieP although I only get 13 weeks full pay and then 13 weeks stat. DH and I could afford for me to have more time if we wanted but I'm in a real quandry about what to do. One option I'm thinking about is going back after six months but reducing my hours so that I'm only working four days a week.

Know exactly what you mean about people being harsh/judgemental about going back but I feel I'll be a better mum for having an outside focus. My work is also pretty dog eat dog and I'd be lying if I didn't say that going back worries me and how I might feel different about it all and have lost my edge. Guess it's a case of suck it and see but I'm determined that nobody is going to make me feel bad whatever we decide is right for us and baby.

See how you feel once baby is here and go with that.

I am in a profession where a year of mat leave can really hurt the career, so I am thinking of going back when bubs is 9months. I am in the same boat too - without my salary we will be tight for $, even though we are in the same profession.
Here a year of mat leave (at 55% pay) is standard (can split with hubby), so I am hopefully going to work up until labour then go on mat leave to get the maximum amount of time with bubs. Due date - december 10, work until december 9 LOL!! I don't see any reason at all why hubby can't stay home!!!! We are considering OH doing that for 3months too - I think it would be great bonding for bubs and OH. Maybe all the non-traditionalists will be up in arms, but oh well.
Something else we are considering is for me to do consulting from home part time after 3-6 months or so.
I wouldn't pay attention to people at work and what they have to say about your choices. I can't believe the amount of unsolicited "advice" I have been given, and not everyone knows yet!!! I can't imagine when strangers can tell and I start getting advice from them - ug! Everyone has a different plan which works for them and not necessarily for everyone else. I have seen women in my profession go back as early as 1 month, and be gone as long as a year - it depends on their individual situation and what works for them.
Good luck! You will find what works!!!

Thanks everyone...our nursery fees would be about £1,000 per month and OH spends about £300 on fuel to get to work, so we would prob be about £300 down on what we would be if he was still working (as opposed to him being a stay at home dad) but like I say with the reduction in mortgage the £300 down would disappear and actually I think it would be nice for him to be with the baby... If I go back after 6 months we can save even more to reduce the mortgage and not eat into our savings that we already have for the stat period (we remortgage in oct and I will go back in June if I have 6 months so an extra 4 months savings), it will be better in terms of work and I am desperate for OH to be happy with his job. I keep saying to him to take a leap of faith and imagine what it will be like in 5-10 years when he is actually doing something he is passionate about!

I used to think having lots of money was the key, but with the baby coming I know that we can tighten our belts and be more happy than we have ever been!

I think I may write to work to say I will be off for 9 months but then change this with 8 weeks notice to 6 months, of course depending on how I feel when the baby gets here.

Thanks for all your opinions and advice! x

I'm in Canada too, so I will be taking my full year. My DH was thinking of taking some time off too, but he had an accident in May and is on medical leave until September so we won't be able to afford for him to take some leave as well.

I may do some work from home while on leave so that will help with the income as well. While on mat leave you are allowed to make a certain amount of $ each week without losing your benefits.

I am going back to work after 6 months also. Cant afford to take any longer off and if I take too long out from my job it will be difficult to go back as things change rapidly and I would have so much to catch up on. I am planning on going back to work for 3 months full time after baby is born so that I wont have to pay back any of my maternity pay, and then rethinking things. I dont really want to leave the baby to go back to work but there is no way we can afford to have me not working.

Thats good - we can't do that in the UK!! x

i am planning on probably about 9/10 months, but a few colleagues have gone off recently and are taking 6 months, because they are further along in their training than I am and want to get it finished sooner!
I think you can change the date for when you want to come back as long as you give them 28 days notice? (might be different for different companies so check their maternity policy)