5 Things I’ve Learned About Maternity Leave

Planning maternity leave soon? Here are a few things I’ve learned about the process that can help you get the ball rolling.

1. When to start inquiring

I’ve learned that any time you need to inquire about benefits, it’s better to do it sooner than later. I reached out to HR, and later the benefits team, at the beginning of my third trimester. I’d recommend inquiring about maternity around this time just in case your company’s process is a bit more lengthy or you deliver early for any reason.

2. Who to reach out to internally

This may vary from company to company, but the Benefits team is who had all the information I needed. I did reach out to HR first, so you can always start there if you’re unsure. However, if you want to go directly to the source, your company’s benefits team will likely have the most knowledge about maternity leave.

3. Who to reach out to externally

For me, there are both internal and external components to maternity leave. I have to use my short-term disability, which goes through a third-party insurance company, then parental leave tha tthe company offersf. I reached out to file a claim for short-term disability when I hit 36 weeks and I was told to notify them on my last day of work so they could start processing my claim.

4. Knowing how my company handles maternity leave

Every company handles maternity leave differently. Do you have to use PTO before starting leave? Does your company offer paid leave or just FMLA? What percentage of your income is paid during leave? These are all things you need to know so you can plan accordingly. With my first child, I wasn’t eligible for paid maternity leave since I didn’t have enough tenure at the company. Because of that, I had to save more and I opted to take a shorter leave. This time my leave is fully paid through short-term disability and company parental leave.

5. How to make a plan with my manager

This is an important part of preparing for maternity leave. Around the 36 week mark, I scheduled 1:1 meetings with my manager to strategize how my maternity leave would work. We discussed everything from gradually lightening my project intake to what my return would look like. Now I have peace of mind that I’m leaving in a good space and I can unplug without worrying.

Honorable mention: Always opt for short-term disability

Going into this, I had no idea that I would have to use short-term disability benefits as part of my maternity leave. Every year when open enrollment time comes around, I have this internal debate over whether or not I should opt for short-term and long-term disability. I always do it as a “just in case” and I’m so glad I did! Having a baby wasn’t in our plans for this year, but I’m glad I had the foresight to cover myself and my family as much as possible. You never know what you’re going to need and when, so if you’re on the fence about getting that extra coverage—do it!