Could use your insight into my maternity leave situation. Please help.

i took 11 weeks with my twins. 14 weeks would have been nice. but not necesssary. I was at peace with 11 weeks. Actually, I just went back last week. Being back was easy and although I miss my little bubbs, I need my income and staying home without pay was not an option. IN addition i think i would have gone crazy. I am not a SAHM type. All i can tell you is that you just do it. And like anything else, you will get used to it. If you like your job, all the better. I love who i work with and missed them while i was out on leave so returning was an easy transition. Good luck!

eta- working made me feel back to "me" as in Melissa - and not only "mom of twins" - and getting dressed for work, interacting with my coworkers, joking with them and feeling needed here has been great

Message edited 7/19/2012 9:26:28 AM.

Re: Could use your insight into my maternity leave situation. Please help.

I only had 12 weeks with my DS and for me that was NOT enough time at all.

I would take the full 6 months if you have it. You won't regret it - it will go by so fast.

12 weeks is such little time, being able to spend the first 6 months of your DC life with them is priceless - I would have loved it!!!

Re: Could use your insight into my maternity leave situation. Please help.

Thanks everyone for all your replies. I'm going to talk to my editor in a few weeks and see if I can work out a situation where I work from home for several weeks after the 14-week period ends. That way I can still help out on the project, but also be home. It seems like it would be a good way to transition back to work. I'll plan to go back in full force for the second project. If that's not agreeable, I might just decide to stay out on leave through the first project, which would give me about five months at home.

Posted by eroxgirl

I don't even know what to tell you...

On the one hand, I know how I felt, and based on that, I can guess how you're going to feel. When you're at that 12-14 week point, you'll probably want that 6 months. I definitely did, especially with my first. That wasn't an option for me - my 12 weeks were mostly unpaid as it was.

But wants and needs must be balanced and reality must be faced. Being a SAHM isn't for you long term, and you don't have a job like I do, you have a career. I say suck it up and cry like the rest of us do, but you should probably go back at 14 weeks.

I'll be happy to meet you for lunch so you can cry on my shoulder..

Re: Could use your insight into my maternity leave situation. Please help.

I took 16 weeks. 6 were paid.

You don't know if you are ready to go back until AFTER you go back (about 1 month after). I never felt ready & dreaded it. I went back thinking that I would QUIT if it were that terrible. I've cried many times... but haven't quit yet...

I would have been very happy to take 5 years off... but there would be no way I'd get a position like I'm in now. (There are lots of younger, hungry people out there).

I LOVE my job too & am lucky to be in such a great position.