Coming back to work after 2 month after giving birth? Normal?

nadin278

I am expecting at the moment, and am planning to get back to work shortly after giving birth( first child).

Any advice?

metrovelvet

I dont know what is normal or not. I know in the US the moms get back to work a lot quicker. A friend of mine had to go back after 3 weeks because that is all they could afford. [But she only works 2 days a week]

I don't know if you are planning to breastfeed or not, but it might get in the way, and you may not have recovered fully from childbirth. Also facing day of work with no sleep behind you may seem daunting.

Grawns

My friend went out and got a job within 6 weeks of giving birth to her 2nd. She wasn't happy as a stay at home mum and had post natal on her 1st. Worked very well for her as it was her choice and she didn't breastfeed.

Moonbeam

It isn't normal in Ireland but only you can decide what is right for you,and not everyones financial situation allows them to take the 6 months maternity leave.

crazy cat lady

I suppose if you're planning on going back to work so early my only advice would be to try and have a routine in place as early as possible which is best going to allow you to comfortably go back to work.

I guess it would be no harm to have a back up plan either in case you decide after the baby is born that you do want to take more time off. I've cared for plenty of women who had planned on going back to work early but who changed their minds after giving birth.

Redpunto

Who will be minding the baby? Are you planning to bottle or breast feed? Is it absolutely neccesary for you to go back to work, do you want to go back to work that soon? Will it be full time? Most moms would go back when the child is bout 4/5 months.

Oryx

Self employed. Was back working from home 2 weeks after the first. Was back checking into work within two weeks on the second. Unfortunately maternity leave was only a dream for me. Madness I know, but necessary. Baby was with me, but still, I dont recommend it.

Take as long as you can with your baby. Its time you can never get back.

Lillyella

Yep, I'm in the same position. I'm self employed and so can only take about 6 weeks off. I really just can't afford to take any more.

Work partially from home, so it won't be so bad. I'd find it very hard to go back to a 9-5 job so soon after having the baby.

Oryx - any tips on how you coped?

marti101

Moonbeam wrote: »

It isn't normal in Ireland but only you can decide what is right for you,and not everyones financial situation allows them to take the 6 months maternity leave.

We get paid maternity leave for 6 months.And believe you me you need it.I wouldnt rush back to work give your self tome to get over it and then decide after you have the baby.Because a reality check is looming.

deisemum

I think a lot depends on the hours you'll be working, if you're lucky enough to have a baby that will sleep for more than a couple of hours, how much support you'll have at home.

My second lad never slept more than an hour at a time until he was 15 months.

I didn't stop bleeding until both of mine were about 10 weeks old.

As it's your first baby it's hard to envisage what the reality of having a baby will have on you from both the physical and emotional side of things. Then there's baby brain to contend with

Moonbeam

marti101 wrote: »

We get paid maternity leave for 6 months.And believe you me you need it.I wouldnt rush back to work give your self tome to get over it and then decide after you have the baby.Because a reality check is looming.

Not everyone can afford to live on the €280 euro a week that constitutes "Paid" maternity leave.
Also,those working for themselves need to keep their businesses going as they stand to loose a lot more then those of us working for other people and bigger companies.

Personally, I am taking my 26 weeks and at the end deciding about extending it as I am in the really lucky position that I can.

TargetWidow

I'm self employed so I hired two part-timers to replace myself and keep the business going in my absence. Having said that I was over ambitious. Had DD on Tuesday, came home on Friday and was in work on Saturday doing staff wages and checking in on the staff to see if there was anything that needed my attention. (There wasn't! and walking to the office was unbelievably wobbley after only the few days in hospital). I was shocked and stunned by how difficult I found it to walk the 5 minutes to work as I was as weak as water! I definitely wouldn't do that again!! Next time I'll do wages in advance and schedule staff meetings once a week in my house!
Went back full time when DD was 5 mths. I cannot overstress how happy I was to have that time with my little puddin! I never thought I could do the SAH thing but I loved it. Actually being on top of my housework and having all those hours everyday with my little girl. I could never have those precious days back if I had gone to work. She's 8 mths now and pretty soon she'll turn 1 and her babyhood will be all over. I work a 44 hr week and time with her is so valuable.
Give yourself the option to change your mind if you decide not to go back but whatever you do be bound more by what works for you than what anyone else considers normal. Good luck and enjoy your own little puddin when he/she arrives!:D

justmum

nadin278 wrote: »

I am expecting at the moment, and am planning to get back to work shortly after giving birth( first child).

Any advice?

Don't do it. I done that with my second child and ended up regreting it. I was very nice at the start to get out to work. I was delighted, but after a while a started to realise how much I've missed out on. Of course it is up to you. But have a think about it before you make your final desision. Babies at that age sleep a lot, but is it really worth missing out on those moments when they are awake.

marti101

Moonbeam wrote: »

Not everyone can afford to live on the €280 euro a week that constitutes "Paid" maternity leave.
Also,those working for themselves need to keep their businesses going as they stand to loose a lot more then those of us working for other people and bigger companies.

Personally, I am taking my 26 weeks and at the end deciding about extending it as I am in the really lucky position that I can.

Not everybody gets the 280 its means tested.So if your partner is living with you you mightnt get the full wack.

Quackles

marti101 wrote: »

Not everybody gets the 280 its means tested.So if your partner is living with you you mightnt get the full wack.

The 280 isn't means tested, but it is based on YOUR earnings. The more you earn, the more maternity benefit you get. If you're on a very low wage, you won't get the full 280.

Grawns

Quackles wrote: »

The 280 isn't means tested, but it is based on YOUR earnings. The more you earn, the more maternity benefit you get. If you're on a very low wage, you won't get the full 280.

The mimimum payment is €230.30 from the 1st Jan 2009 ( currently €221.80). No change to max €280.

littlebug

it's also based on your earnings in the relevant tax year which is

"The relevant tax year is the second last complete tax year before the benefit year in which your maternity leave starts"
taken from here
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW11/Pages/3WhatPRSIcontributionsdoIneedforMaternityBenefit.aspx

So if your maternity leave starts in 2008 then it's calculated on your earnings in 2006. If you earned bugger all in 2006 but had a good salary in 2007 it won't make a difference as it will be calculated on your earnings from 2006.

It pays to plan the gaps between your babies well if you intend taking any unpaid time out.

Grawns

As long as you paid enough PRSI in 2006 or 2007, it doesn't matter what you earned, you still get the minmum payment and no less. If you were a high earner you will prob get the max.

January

I'm only getting the minimum payment, but thank god my employers top it up!

Pif

Hi
I just found out that I will only get 6 weeks pay from my employer. I am the main breadwinner in our family so we will be very hard up. I also foudn out that the receptionist a few years ago got full pay. They say its not the same because she is part time? is that fair? Just because I am executive and earn a good salary I have a different policy?
Also, I am just back to Ireland from UK so will not have any PRSI stamps since 2001. Am I completely screwed then for social welfare?
Sounds as if like it or not, I will have to go back to work after 6 weeks which breaks my heart.

Pif

Further to my message above. They have suggested if I can reference some other small to medium size companies who pay maternity, they'll consider it. They say the policy is in fact very generous. It just seems that anyone I know who worked in full time job, was given between 22-26 weeks full pay so i was surprised.

Quackles

Pif wrote: »

Further to my message above. They have suggested if I can reference some other small to medium size companies who pay maternity, they'll consider it. They say the policy is in fact very generous. It just seems that anyone I know who worked in full time job, was given between 22-26 weeks full pay so i was surprised.

That sucks If it helps, my company employs around 50 and give us 18 weeks of full pay. That's small-medium The case of the receptionist would make me think you have grounds, she shouldn't receive better benefits because she's part time, I'd definitely look into this a little deeper if I were you.

Assuming you'll be in the job 39 weeks before you go on maternity leave, citizensinformation.ie list the following requirements for receiving benefit:

If you are employed you must have:

* At least 39 weeks PRSI paid in the 12-month period before the first day of your maternity leave

Or

* At least 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and at least 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the relevant tax year or in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on maternity leave in 2008, the relevant tax year is 2006.

Or

* At least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the relevant tax year and at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on maternity leave in 2008, the relevant tax year is 2006 and the year before that is 2005.

Insurance from employment in another country

If you were previously insurably employed in a country covered by EU Regulations or in a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement and you have paid at least one full rate PRSI contribution in Ireland, you may combine your insurance record in that country with your Irish PRSI contributions to help you qualify for Maternity Benefit. In this case, you should send your application for Maternity Benefit 12 weeks before your baby is due.


Might not be as bad as you thought?

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/social-welfare-payments-to-families-and-children/maternity_benefit/?searchterm=maternity%20benefit

deisemum

Pif it might be worth phoning social welfare and find out what you're entitled to. I think if you worked in the UK, depending on how long ago there may be a chance that you can claim something.

I know from a recent phone call with someone in social welfare that I can use my stamp paid in the UK and it counts as my 10 years paid stamp for my contributory pension.

I also claimed unemployment benefit for 15 months when I returned from the UK over 10 years ago. I just needed 1 stamp paid here.

Moonbeam

This might be useful for some is going on Contributions for 2006 at the moment.

You are probably covered from working in the UK if you have the relevent payments made.

Pif

Thanks ladies.
That is reassuring at least as I will have been paying PRSI here since July 07, and I will look into transferring my NI payments from the UK.

I'd hate to have to play the card of what the receptionist got. I just hope if I can get them to benchmark against similiar sized companies they would come back with a more reasonable pay. But at the same time I cannot afford to live on what they are offering so I may well have to bring it up. Its a shame as I really like my job, and I don't want to be seen to be stirring things up.