Only freedom will do

ajmoney

I was quite sensible with money given to me by my gran when I was 18...my first credit card at 19 is another story. A lot of hard work and I had paid it off by the time I left uni at 21, no credit card debt, no overdraft and £500 in the bank (I was the last year to get a grant and not need a loan). It was the miniscule debt of £1k (compared to today's amounts) that taught me how to budget so I could afford to eat and pay off the minimum each month that taught me the value of money.

I am excited waiting for your news, whenever that might be x

in_need_of_direction

Go back to work for now but think about reducing total time off by a few days that could then be used individually to give mrs ed a break. No matter how much you love the rug rats (I admit it wasn't instantaneous for me), you do like the chance to feel like a person rather than a parent iykwim

greent

Another vote for being at work until you need to be off (ie: Mrs Ed's actually in Labour) If you can work from home for a few days beforehand, then that's a reasonable compromise.


An alternative to taking 5 weeks off is taking a couple of solid weeks and then 4 days a week off , 1 day back in the office for the remainder. Gives Mrs E a chance to see what it's like with you not around and means you're not wildly out of touch with what's going on at work.


When I was in labour with our eldest (an undiagnosed breech, just to add a complication) my husband actually told me to hurry up at about 3am because then he could get to his meeting that day in Poole (about a 3 hour drive):eek: He never got there - I ended up with a C-section that lunchtime. :DHe did, however, go into the office the following day - and then out on a works Xmas do that night!!!:eek::eek:

SuperSecretSquirrel

Absolutely agree on working until Mrs E is pretty much in labour Make the most of your time as a family of three after baby has arrived A few days off before the baby arrives would end up feeling wasteful, I'm sure you'd regret it when returning to work a month later!

choccielover

I agree with working till due date, I thought of it as a real waste of my potential time with the baby to have time off beforehand.

I often wonder about women who have a month or so off beige the baby arrives, when it comes time to return to work do they regret that month that they "lost"

Horses for courses obviously, each to their own.

Chocs

gallygirl

With DD my ex finished work on the day after my due date, came home and I was in labour :T. With DS I was a week early, he drove into the yard at work and had a horde of people running out saying 'get to the hospital quick' - he made it with 2 hours to spare . Before mobile phones of course so he didn't get to know about the false alarms till later .

edinburgher

Choccielover, I agree that women might have 'buyer's remorse' if they lost precious time with their baby during a short maternity leave.

Luckily Mrs E can take just over a full calendar year off, so I think she'll be ok.

At a cost of £10,000+ in lost earnings, it's an option that I am sincerely grateful that we are able to afford.

Future pregnancies would probably see her taking a shorter break, as my employer's T&Cs are significantly more generous, even as a Dad!

choccielover

Oh gosh yes, maternity pay...... My companies package was statutory so being off with my child cost an absolute fortune.
Would do it all again tomorrow though, it was just fantastic.

Chocs

Watty1

I check your thread to see if little Toots is early - and - you are wondering about when to start your leave ??? Back in the office with you till the little one shows up

Alchemilla

Maternity leave was never long enough in my experience.