maternity leave question - crazy question

so i was talking to my boss about my plans for maternity leave this week and i asked up front for additional unpaid time. i have seen many co-workers call up at the end of like week 10 and say i need more time at home and ask for additional unpaid time. knowing what will be going on at work when i am out i thought it was better to just ask now.

i feel now that 12 weeks home is not going to be nearly enough which is why i wanted extra time.

so here is the crazy question - did anyone feel that 12 weeks was enough time and you were ready to go back to work or am i totally right in thinking if i can get and afford the extra time at home i should take it?

Re: maternity leave question - crazy question

As a teacher I get 60 days which equals about 12 weeks. This is what almost every mom in my district takes and they all are doing ok. Of course every last one of them would love to stay home longer but in my district if you take any longer than 60 days then you cannot come back until the beginning of the next semester and sometimes that is just too much time to go unpaid.

So to answer your question I think 12 weeks is fine but who wouldn't want more if they could get it LOL

Re: maternity leave question - crazy question

i'm only newly pregnant, but i plan on doing the same thing. I will save as much as I have to in order to take more time unpaid. we only get 8 weeks, so I'll take all my vacation and then some unpaid time.

my friend took an 8 month leave. she had 5 months paid by her law firm, and she took three unpaid. she went back, worked for 4 months and just totally quit to be a SAHM. pretty extreme but in her case, 8 months wasn't enough! But I think everyone feels differently depending on the situation.

Re: maternity leave question - crazy question

I went back after 12 weeks because if not I would lose my benefits. If I could avoiding losing my benefits, I would stay home longer.

Re: maternity leave question - crazy question

I only get 6-8 weeks paid! I would be over the moon about 12 weeks :(

Re: maternity leave question - crazy question

If you can afford to take the unpaid time and they are willing to give it to you. Go for it. No question.

As a BTDT mom, you will never feel completely ready to return to work, but any extra time home is a benefit and should be used to its fullest.

However, I would not necessarily take additional unpaid time if they decided to deduct it from either sick, personal, or vacation time.