Margaret Saunders shares her expertise with us once again and offers timeless advice for Mum's approaching Maternity leave.To contact Margaret:
http://www.FamilyAdvice.com.au/
“Perhaps the most effective way to improve
breastfeeding rates is to provide longer periods of paid maternity leave.
Countries with generous maternity and parental leave policies – such as
Denmark, Norway and Sweden – tend to have high breastfeeding rates… Apart from
the United States, all developed countries now have laws mandating some form of
paid compensation for women after giving birth.”
Some of the Unknowns:
•
How many women postpone children
because they need to work? If a new mother will be financially supported for
one year, will that increase the birth rate, and increase the costs of this
program?
•
Will there be any corresponding
savings, such as those associated with increased breastfeeding rates decreasing
medical costs?
•
How much room is there for cost
savings by putting a cap on eligibility by household income, requiring the
mother to have worked a certain number of hours to qualify, etc.?
Continuing to keep it simple, we’ll assume that the
unknown costs and savings cancel each other out.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MATERNITY LEAVE:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE TAKING MATERNITY LEAVE:
Having a baby? Then find out
about your maternity leave entitlements.
Government-paid maternity leave
around the world varies from 68 weeks in Sweden to 39 weeks in the UK and 12
weeks in China to no weeks in the US and Australia.
Last year, there was a lot of talk
about the federal government introducing an 18-week paid maternity leave
scheme. But there's no funding for the scheme in next year's budget, so where
does that leave our mums-to-be?
Can I take leave?
If you have been working
full-time or part-time for 12 months with your employer, you are entitled to
take up to 52 weeks of unpaid maternity leave. If you're a casual, you need to
have worked on a regular basis for 12 months and intend going back to your job.
Maternity leave is guaranteed under the law.
Can my partner take leave?
When your child is born, your
partner is entitled to take "short paternity leave" for up to a week.
If your partner plans on being the primary carer and you are returning to work,
then "extended paternity leave" is allowed for up to 51 weeks. But
both of you can't be on leave at the same time. If, for example, you have six
weeks off after the birth, your partner will only be entitled to 46 weeks when
you return to work.
Is the leave paid?
Unless your company has a
policy or it's stipulated in your employment contract, maternity leave is
unpaid. However, a lot more companies are starting to offer paid maternity
leave.
How do I apply?
Check with your employer, but
generally you need to give a letter of intent to take leave, supplying your
start and finish dates and any dates requested by your partner for paternity
leave.
Notice periods vary from four
to 10 weeks. If you intend to work up until the birth, you may need to provide
a medical certificate indicating you're fit to work. If your baby comes early,
notify your employer in writing within two weeks of the birth.
Returning to work
Make sure you give your
employer a letter of intent with a return date before you start your leave. If
the date changes, notify your work in writing. When you go back to work, it
should be to the same job, but if this isn't possible, it must be a similar
job.
For more information, visit www.workplace.gov.au. Support paid
maternity leave at www.nfaw.org/paid-maternity-leave.
.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RETURNING TO WORK:
Back to work after baby
By Nicola Conville
Heading back to
work after maternity leave? Here are six tips for making a smooth transition.
Returning to work after
maternity leave is a big change for any mum and bub. The good news: there is
plenty you can do to ease back into the working world. Regardless of your
reasons for returning to work, try to avoid feeling guilty – this is just one of
many adjustments your family will make over the years, and after a few weeks,
things will settle down as a new routine gets established. Here's our advice on
making the transition all the more easy.
1.Stay in touch
Don't disappear off the radar
when you have your baby. Stay in touch with your boss and colleagues while
you're on leave. Depending on how relaxed or conservative your work environment
is, you can bring bub in for a visit, or just send an email once in a while to
ask how everything is going. Request that any important workplace updates be
sent to your home email account while on maternity leave. This helps avoid any
big surprises when you go back.
2.Know your
rights
Find out what policies your
employer has when it comes to being flexible and family-friendly and speak to
your union rep about your entitlements. Under Australian law, an employee
returning from parental leave is legally entitled to return to the same job
they held prior to going on leave. If that job no longer exists, they are
entitled to return to a position that is similar in pay and status. For more
information, visit www.fairwork.gov.au.
3.Be clear about
what you want
It sounds simple, but many
people (women especially) shy away from being direct when it comes to work. If
you want to work part-time or from home to start with, say so. Speak to your
boss about expectations too – if you worked 12-hour days pre-baby and you now
wish to leave at 5pm on the dot, make this clear. Ask about carer's leave as
well for when your baby gets sick.
4.Managing
breastfeeding
You may wish to keep
breastfeeding when you return to work, and how easy this will be depends on how
organised you are; how old your baby is (a three-month-old needs more feeds than
a 12-month-old); and the facilities available to you for expressing and storing
milk. You may wish to feed your baby in the morning, leave expressed milk for
their carer to give them, and either express at work or wait until you get home
to feed your baby (bring breast pads with you as you may have to deal with
engorgement and/or leaking). Many employers now provide a dedicated room where
new mums can express. Go to a breastfeeding organisation such as the ABA
for more tips on this topic.
5.Consider your
childcare options
The earlier you start to think
about childcare options the better, as waiting lists can be long. The main
options are to have your child cared for by a friend or relative; long day
care; family day care; and a babysitter or nanny. Ask friends about their
experiences, do your research and make an informed decision based on what will
be the best choice for you and your family.
6.Rest up
Despite going back to work in
increasing numbers, a recent British study found that women still do three
times as much housework as their partners. With so much on your plate, it pays
to be as organised as possible to make life easier for yourself. Whether that's
roping your partner into cooking a few times a week, going to bed an hour
earlier each night or hiring a fortnightly cleaner to give yourself a break
from the domestic duties. Because if mum is happy, everyone is happy!
