So as the post title states, I'm planning a very short maternity leave.
Somewhere around 6 weeks, and I'm starting to get nervous about my decision.
It's actually more of a "no choice" scenario, rather than a choice really.

I got worried yesterday when a friend of mine (also a new mum) pretty much told me I was crazy and won't be able to pull this off...

Here's my situation...

I work as an office manager/bookkeeper/payroll officer/benefits admin/personal assistant to the president of a small company. As you can see from the job title, I'm pretty much responsible for everything office related.

I am the only person in the office aside from my boss. Therefore there is no one to replace me when I'm gone. Even during my maternity leave I have to be here every Friday to do payroll plus show up on the 15th and 30th to make sure the bill payments are being made and invoices are going out to customers.

I also have to come in whenever a quote needs to be done etc...

The other reason I've decided to keep it short is due to money. I just cannot afford to only make 55% of my wage.

My husband is entitled to take maternity leave but he is the one who makes most of the money. Not to mention he was off for over 4 months last year due to surgeries. He has kidney failure and is on dialysis and we never really know what is going to happen with that so we don't particularly want to mess with his available leave in case he falls ill again.

Luckily I only work until noon everyday and my mother is retired and has offered to take care of the baby during the day when I'm working, in my home, as she lives only a few blocks away. Gosh I don't know what I would do without my dear mum.


I guess my question is, does this seem possible or am I nuts??
Is anyone else planning a shorter leave?
I would give anything to be at home with my LO but I need to pay the bills too....

Hun, I dont think your nuts.

Just remember dont push your self too much after birth. Depending on what happens with birth i think it is do-able. My brothers OH was in nursing school and had 2 weeks left then was set to do practicum at a hospital she went back to school one week after the birth then went to do the practicum, (my brother stayed home with baby) I think my brothers OH was a little nuts lol. Although she had the dream birth (*twice*)! Contractions for 2 hours baby came with 2 pushes.
Just remember to take it slow hun And if you need an extra week take it!

Mmmm... I don't know the legal situation where you are so can't really advise.

I would assume though that the company you work for would still have to provide maternity cover for you so you don't feel you have to go in whilst on leave?!? That sounds shocking to me!

How does maternity pay and leave work?

I wouldn't say you're crazy, but I'd say you'll definitely have your work cut out. If you have a really good support network I wouldn't let people put you off.

It takes a good few weeks for your body to recover from pregnancy/labour, so hope you'll be o.k physically.

Good luck!

xx

6 weeks is very common in the US, here we get no paid mat leave, so taking time off is very expensive. Most daycares accept infants from 1 month onwards.

From what I've heard for most new moms it's difficult to leave your LO when you first go back to work, but your situation with only working until 12 and your mom helping out sounds ideal, if your husband is home in the mornings your (combined) time away from the baby will be minimized.

Hubby and I have our own business, and i do the accounts, billing, invoicing etc..... so will be going back to work part-time after 3 weeks, but i am fortunate to bring LO with me

As for maternity cover, I wouldn't feel comfortable with that (bookkeeping is better as a one person job, to eliminate mistake due to double entries and such, I work with a program that does not allow for tings to be undone) plus training for that kind of coverage in all my job aspects would be tremendous, and I'd be responsible for training anyone who came in to take my place.

There is no maternity leave program at my work, I am the only woman, and most likely will always be that way. Maternity leave in Canada works through the government unemployment insurance, which provides 55% of your wage for up to 50 weeks.
55% isn't alot, and with my mortgage payment I just can't afford to take more.

My support system is fantastic. I'm more concerned with my recovery and just getting used to having a LO around as I've never been through this before, so I don't know how long it takes to feel yourself again...

Oh right, I see.

I should imagine that if I were in your shoes I would probably do the same. I think you just need to bear in mind that whilst we all obviously hope that we will have "easy" births, there may (God forbid) be complications and as such you may not be able to return quite so quickly, or even go in when you are actually on leave.

I feel for you that you need (in many ways) to go back so quickly but if you've got a good support network, which it sounds like you have then I don't see why you can't. Particularly since you only work until 12.

I don't think you are crazy, I just think you should see how you feel at the time. I ould def not want to back to work that early, I'm planning to be off for about 14 months between holidays and mat leave etc. You never know, I might be desperate to get back to work early!!!

When my daughter was born I worked for a very small business as well. My boss let me bring her. They sleep so much in the beginning it really was not an issue. Is that an option for you?