Maternity Leave Around the World

[lvhorses]

I know this has been discussed before, but I still find these stats to be interesting. Usually, I only read about Canada or Contintinental Europe. It's nice to read about other countries as well.

www.todaysparent.com/pregnancy/maternity-leave/maternity-leave-around-the-world

[cookiemdough]

The maternity benefits might not be excelente — four months of paid leave — but employees get free childcare until their kids turn six.

I could get on board with this!

[noodleoo]

This is depressing. Being at a small company (<50) employees sucks as I'm pretty sure they'll accomodate little if any leave. Sigh.

[Deleted]

Considering our heath insurance + Daycare = 2/3 of my take home salary, I'd be all over free child care.

That actually is my mom's suggestion. She is big on getting rid of the EITC and instead providing quality child care to low/middle income families.

But anwho, I digress.

[Deleted]

Ah yes, but any country that does this is automatically communist, so doesn't count. I got bored even writing that lol.

[ttt]

I will never understand how a society that claims to value family can be so utterly awful in this regard.

[Deleted]

Aug 9, 2012 19:12:37 GMT -5 ttt said:

I will never understand how a society that claims to value family can be so utterly awful in this regard.

because family values = SAHM...so no Mat leave required

[JLN]

We're even worse off than Tanzania and UAE? Yikes.

F yeah, Americuh!

[Deleted]

Does this just compare federal policy to other countries or what actually happens? (since some states have policies mandating paid leave and many companies provide paid leave).

Just curious (says someone who has zero paid leave so I get its common)

[eddy]

I am going back in two weeks when he is twelve weeks. Everything about this feels very very unnatural. My baby still needs me and instead I am fretting about how to "toughen him up" so he doesn't rely on nursing for comfort, goes down for his nap with out me, takes a bottle etc etc etc. i am resentful as hell that I have to do this already. Bleg


I have done this once and it is not any easier the second time around.

[ttt]

Aug 9, 2012 19:28:59 GMT -5 JLN said:

We're even worse off than Tanzania and UAE? Yikes.

F yeah, Americuh!

Actually we're worse off than Iran, China and Saudi Arabia too.

Repeat that: we have less family and woman-friendly policies than Iran, China and Saudi Arabia.

[emisi]

Yeah, this is one of the things I'm fretting about. Work will (begrudgingly) help me out for the first six weeks, although I have to jump through hoops for it. The last six weeks of my mat leave will be unpaid, and as the primary wage earner, that's scary. Hopefully our savings account will be able to absorb the blow.

[Deleted]

Posts like these make me feel like a horrible mom, because I would hate to be home for 12 weeks. I was a sahm and I sucked at it. My plan is to go back after 4 weeks this time. I'm already scared to be home with both of them for the summer (when dd is 3.5 and the new one is 3 months). Trying to juggle the new ones BFing schedule while still leaving the house enough to entertain DD is going to be stressful.

[summer]

That is why I moved. And I ain't goin' lie, that part of it has been pretty fucking sweet, son!

All we need is enough preschools and BOOM, we're Sweden! (Not really. Jokes!)

[Deleted]

Aug 9, 2012 19:54:24 GMT -5 eddy said:

I am going back in two weeks when he is twelve weeks. Everything about this feels very very unnatural. My baby still needs me and instead I am fretting about how to "toughen him up" so he doesn't rely on nursing for comfort, goes down for his nap with out me, takes a bottle etc etc etc. i am resentful as hell that I have to do this already. Bleg


I have done this once and it is not any easier the second time around.

I agree with this. While I wasn't sad about going to back to work in general (one, because I have to work so there is no use moping about it, and two, b/c I dont think I would be a good SAHM), something about going back at 12 weeks does feel unnatural to me. Like you said, I was worrying about him napping at daycare, worrying about his needs in terms of comforting and nurturing, and so on and so forth. I know he is doing great at daycare and he's a pretty easy baby relatively, but I kind of felt like just as I was getting my feet under me as a parent with him I had to go back and I kind of feel like I'm back at square one. I can see how longer leaves are beneficial in that regard.

I also wonder what the rates of PPD are with women who either live in countries with longer leave or work for companies that offer extended, paid leave (longer than the FMLA 12 weeks even), and especially women who have husbands who can take advantage of paternal leave. I don't think extended leave alone would make a big difference with PPD but maybe it would. My whole maternity leave had a big target at the end of it for "this is when it ends!!" and I didn't like being home all that much. But I think I might have liked it more as time went on and he got more interesting. As it is, we're home with the babies when they are probably the most time consuming so I think that can be very emotionally draining.

And that link is incredibly depressing. Go USA?

[Deleted]

Aug 9, 2012 19:54:24 GMT -5 eddy said:

I am going back in two weeks when he is twelve weeks. Everything about this feels very very unnatural. My baby still needs me and instead I am fretting about how to "toughen him up" so he doesn't rely on nursing for comfort, goes down for his nap with out me, takes a bottle etc etc etc. i am resentful as hell that I have to do this already. Bleg


I have done this once and it is not any easier the second time around.

I'm sorry
I'm one of the few Canadians without mat leave so I've been working part time since ds was born and it's hard.

[alleinesein]

I love how the say Croatia gives moms up to one year at full pay.....load of crap!! My "sister" had twins and could not afford to take a full year of maternity leave b/c it is not full pay--they use a graduated system for leave and the longer you stay out the less money you get...it drops down to 20% of your pay once you get past a few months. And dont even get me started on their "free" healthcare....grrrr!!!

[ttt]

Aug 10, 2012 11:30:12 GMT -5 alleinesein said:

I love how the say Croatia gives moms up to one year at full pay.....load of crap!! My "sister" had twins and could not afford to take a full year of maternity leave b/c it is not full pay--they use a graduated system for leave and the longer you stay out the less money you get...it drops down to 20% of your pay once you get past a few months. And dont even get me started on their "free" healthcare....grrrr!!!

I'd still switch places though. Part of a year with pay is certainly better than 6 weeks with no pay.

[Deleted]

of course its better, but if that poster is right, it shows the article is leaving out facts to make a point, which isn't cool.

[ttt]

Aug 10, 2012 11:33:37 GMT -5 @irishbride said:

of course its better, but if that poster is right, it shows the article is leaving out facts to make a point, which isn't cool.

It says "up to one year" at full pay, so I wonder if it varies by person.

[Deleted]

Aug 10, 2012 11:41:20 GMT -5 ttt said:

Aug 10, 2012 11:33:37 GMT -5 @irishbride said:

of course its better, but if that poster is right, it shows the article is leaving out facts to make a point, which isn't cool.

It says "up to one year" at full pay, so I wonder if it varies by person.

But then why not also say that in the US one? They don't even mention that many in the US get paid leave. There are companies that give paid leave for 12 weeks or more. I know a few who give 16 weeks. So you would think it would say "up to ____" for the US, too, if they are going to include it for other countries.

Or is it only if the government pays it?

[ttt]

Aug 10, 2012 11:45:47 GMT -5 @irishbride said:

Aug 10, 2012 11:41:20 GMT -5 ttt said:

It says "up to one year" at full pay, so I wonder if it varies by person.

But then why not also say that in the US one? They don't even mention that many in the US get paid leave. There are companies that give paid leave for 12 weeks or more. I know a few who give 16 weeks. So you would think it would say "up to ____" for the US, too, if they are going to include it for other countries.

Or is it only if the government pays it?

I think it's referring to laws and what companies must provide.