Since no two families are alike, there isn’t a hard and fast rule when it comes to determining when to start maternity leave. But there are a number of things to consider when figuring out the best way to time your leave, based on your situation at home and work.
“Determining when to take maternity leave is a case-by-case situation that depends on income level, levels of support, work situation, physical and mental health history, whether it’s your first child or your fifth, whether you have one baby or multiples and more,” says Joyce Marter, a licensed psychotherapist and author of “The Financial Mindset Fix: A Mental Fitness Program for an Abundant Life.” “That said, in general, a period of four weeks is about the minimum recommended to heal from childbirth, bond with the baby and settle into your new life.”
Trying to figure out when to go on maternity leave? Here’s what to consider before determining your date.
When to go on maternity leave
Figuring out the ideal time to go on parental leave “depends on the pregnancy and birth,” says Tiffani Martinez, human resources director at Otter PR in Orlando, Florida. “Every experience is unique and a company should be willing to adapt to this. Personally, I think taking time right before delivery, and then the minimum six to eight weeks after birth so mom and baby can have the time is ideal.”
But again, each situation is unique. For Jaclyn Santos, a mom of three in Hazlet, New Jersey, starting her maternity leave early made sense, as her job as a visual stylist in a home furnishing store was physically demanding and she was pregnant with twins.
“I wanted to wait as close to giving birth as possible so I’d have time off on the backend,” she says. “But my body just couldn’t do it anymore, so I wound up taking my leave earlier than I anticipated.”
“If you’re experiencing stress or burnout, I would say it absolutely makes sense to take your leave early. You need to be ready to take care of a new life.”
— TIFFANI MARTINEZ, A HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR
Something else to consider: Your company’s policy and where you live. Sadly, there’s no federal parental leave laws in the U.S., so how much time you can take overall — and when you can start your leave — isn’t always completely in your own hands (more on this shortly).
How long is maternity leave?
Most people immediately think “12 weeks” when they hear maternity leave, as the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected time away from work after welcoming a new child (via birth or adoption). But some companies offer more time and some less (and some pay during this time period and some don’t).
Also, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), in order to be eligible for FMLA you technically need to meet the following criteria:
- You’ve worked for your employer for at least 12 months.
- You’ve worked at least 1,250 hours over the past 12 months.
- Your company employs 50 or more employees within 75 miles.
Again, though, this is nuanced, and ultimately, a lot of parental leave details are left up to the company. “While, technically, FMLA only applies if you have more than 50 full time W2 employees, most companies will follow it anyway so they are already in this method of practice as their company grows,” Martinez says. “Some states may need to offer additional items but for the most part it comes to the company and its culture.”
Wading through the ins and outs of parental leave is no small task, so take a look at “Parental leave: The basics you need to know” for simple, up-to-date information.
Reasons to take early maternity leave
“If you’re experiencing stress or burnout, I would say it absolutely makes sense to take your leave early,” Martinez says. “You need to be ready to take care of a new life and that may mean leaving the week before you’re due in order to have time for yourself.”
Marter adds that this is ultimately a personal decision. “For some, it is helpful to take time off before the baby to rest, prepare and nest,” she notes. “For others, the distraction of keeping busy at work is welcomed. There is no right or wrong way — only what is best for you.”
That being said, if you do decide that an early maternity leave is the best decision, speak with your company’s HR department. And for reference, know that, according to the DOL, “FMLA leave may be taken in periods of whole weeks, single days, hours and, in some cases, even less than an hour.” So, potentially, you could take a day off here or there as part of your leave before welcoming a baby.
“Talking with your doctor, therapist and employer can all help when trying to make the best decision about leave.”
— JOYCE MARTER, A LICENSED PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Figuring out when to take parental leave
Here, Marter, Martinez and others offer tips for figuring out when to go on parental leave.
1. Talk to people in your circle.
While much of parental leave feels personal, there are a number of people to speak with making the decision to take early leave, says Marter. “Talking with your doctor, therapist and employer can all help when trying to make the best decision about leave,” she says, encouraging partnered birthing parents to talk to their partner “about whether or not they will also be taking a leave and how to make the most of the time as a family system.”
2. See if extended leave is an option.
While 12 weeks has, more or less, become a parental leave benchmark, some companies offer the option for parents to extend their leave (whether their policy is 12 weeks or less or more). The only way to find out? Ask.
“If there is value in a staff member and they need extra time, then everything that can be done within reason to accommodate them, without sacrificing the company’s overall needs, should be considered,” Martinez says. “However, every case will be different. When companies get very large, it can be a challenge to do this, so falling back on the FMLA standards and giving a set amount of time to protect positions is the most logical, although perhaps not the more personable, approach.”
Something else to consider: Chunking up your time. While parental leave must be used within a year of baby’s birth or placement, it doesn’t need to be taken all at once; it can be used episodically. If you’re partnered, consider staggering your parental time with your partner’s, which will allow for more baby-parent time.
3. Consider finances.
If your company does offer the option to extend your parental leave, you should also consider your finances, as this is all but guaranteed to be unpaid time. “Talk with a financial planner and look closely at your budget, factoring in new expenses like diapers, formula, healthcare and childcare, and any decrease in income you may experience,” says Marter. Put another way: Can you afford it?
4. Consider your commute.
When Kari Perez of Glen Cove, New York neared the end of her pregnancy, she started getting nervous about making the hour-plus commute into New York City. “Luckily, my boss was understanding and let me work from home my last few weeks,” she says. “But if she didn’t, I absolutely would have taken an early leave since I was worried about being so far from my hospital so late in my pregnancy.”
5. Ask about a flexible re-entry to work.
If you’re worried about taking an early parental leave because it will eat into your time after baby arrives, another option is to inquire about a flexible schedule when you return, even if it’s only temporary.
“Negotiate with your employer if there are any accommodations that would help make your eventual return to work easier,” says Marter. “This could be working from home, working a hybrid model, not having to go on business travel for the first six months or changing your schedule to better fit with the demands of your new responsibilities at home.”
Ultimately, when deciding the best time to take your leave, try not to compare yourself to others and what they’re doing, says Marter. She concludes, “Free yourself from judgment coming from yourself or anyone else. Only you can decide what is best for you.”
