As soon as you tell your employer you are pregnant, they will want to know your plans for after the baby is born. You may not be sure what you are going to do and wonder how you should handle the situation.
Often, women aren’t sure if they will be able to make it on just one salary. A poor economy and rising fuel and food prices are making this decision more difficult for many families. Even if you have done all the calculations, things don’t always work out in life like they do on paper.
Maternity leave gives you the perfect opportunity to see if you can make it. If you are getting paid for your leave or using saved vacation time, put that money in your savings account. Live through the months of your leave on only your spouse’s salary. This will give you a good opportunity to see if you really can live without the money you bring in.
Chances are, if you are on leave, you are still covered under your company’s health care plan. How will you handle insurance coverage if you don’t return to work? Is coverage available through your spouse’s employer? If he is in a field such as contracting or is self employed, he may not have coverage. Shop around for health plans you can afford while you are on leave to see if you can afford the payments with one salary.
For some women, staying home isn’t what they ever imagined doing. Some women get great satisfaction from their careers. Despite what nosey neighbors and your grandmother may tell you, this is not a horrible thing. You may be feeling guilty about your desire to return to work, but just can’t imagine being home all day long.
If you aren’t sure if you are cut out to be a stay at home mom, maternity leave allows you to try it without quitting your job. You may find that you absolutely love it and happily notify your company that you won’t be coming back. On the other hand, you may miss working and decide to return part time or full time. In either case, the choice is yours and you have to do what is right for you and your family.
In the meantime, there is nothing wrong with saying that you don’t know or even saying you will be back. After all, you may come back either for financial or personal reasons. Once you have made a firm decision to not return, it is nice to let them know so they can replace you quickly.
Related Articles:
Investigating Maternity Leave Options
Will You Work or Stay Home with Baby?
Changes in Maternity Benefits for Federal Employees