For a first time mom, is 6 months maternity too long? Our firm offers 4 months paid and then was planning to use STD for the remainder. Due end of June, so was planning to return right at the new year.

What? Lmao no. I mean I have heard of women who want to return to work sooner, but that was not the case for me. I would have loved six months. Unfortunately, I had to go back at 12 weeks… for me, 12 weeks was when I finally started feeling like a human again. It would have been nice to get more time after that so I could actually enjoy my time with my baby.

Also, I will note, it probably makes a difference how big your support system is. I had a friend who also had a baby close to me so I would hang out with her during our mat leaves. I also had my mom and MIL coming and helping often, so I pretty much always had an adult to talk to.

I took a year and I probably started feeling ready to go back around 9 months or so.

Girl no take it ALL

Take it all! I had 18 weeks of leave…and then conveniently ended up being laid off ~3 weeks after being back. All that being said, I took additional time prior to starting my next role, which then put my son at 6 months. I found there was a HUGE difference in my readiness to work 18 weeks PP and 6 months PP. like everyone else said, a lot will depend on your support system and your personal circumstances, but if you can do 6 months, absolutely do that. I also highly recommend thinking through a ramp up period and adjusting hours/expectations in that time. Whatever you need to feel best supported as you make that transition!

Not at all. I took 6 mos last year. Zero negative impact at work (and massively positive impact for baby, me, and my family as a whole!). It’s been about 7 mos back and it’s like I never left / took the time. Take it all and don’t look back!

Short term disability generally runs concurrently with what the firm offers - so it's accounted for in the 4 months leave. Maybe that's why no one else has taken the 6 months.

Take every single day. It’ll fly by. And in my experience it will never feel like enough time, and work will always be there when you get back.

Take it all! I took all 24 weeks (parental leave plus STD)

I haven’t heard anyone else around me taking 6 months (but everyone saying they wish) so wasnt sure if I was milking it.
My firm is fully in office so don’t want to rush back there. That said I do have concerns about being home alone that long as our support system is largely in a different state.

Take everything you’re entitled to take.

I’m a first time mom and am 3 months into my 6 month leave. I also took the 4.5 months standard maternity leave + STD and highly recommend doing so if you can.

For what it’s worth, I am not a mother and have not taken maternity leave but I really appreciated the colleagues that said 6 months up front more than the ones who said 4 months and then extended it a few times when they needed to take more time. But you need to do what is best for your family! Take all the time you need. Do not short change yourself and your family.

I took 6 months - twice - almost 20 yrs ago. Definitely do it. I am so glad I did. Going without pay briefly was disorienting but ultimately fine. You will never get the chance again. While it feels like such a huge decision right now, this period of your life / career in incredibly brief. Handle things the way you want to handle them — you are a super smart person and will make the right choices by staying tuned into yourself. Everything else is just noise.

Not long enough! It might seem like a loooong time, but you barely get to rest and won’t be able to do anything for yourself apart from taking care of the baby!

Back when I was still practicing, I went back early part time. It was great for me. I needed structure and adult conversation. To each her own!!

I was ready to go back after 4 months, but wouldn’t have predicted that. Everyone/every baby is different. Can you wait and make the decision when you’re in your mat leave and have a better sense of how you are feeling ?

use it all

I’m sure if I REALLY want to go back early, they’ll let me but want to give myself the cushion of extra time.

Is it harder to be on maternity leave without family nearby?

Absolutely not. Take all the leave you can.

Update- I can apparently only take 4 months bc SDD does indeed run concurrently with the firm leave. Except—if I wanted to take a few weeks off before giving birth, then SDD would apply.