Maternity Leave: too costly ?

[cyberianpan]

ABSOLUTELY NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!!!!

Well for a natural child you get 26 weeks , whereas adoptive leave is 24 weeks. The only difference is parturition which is thus a 2 week allowance

Also I'm aware of a case whereby someone took all their 26 weeks - but spread over 4 years ! (1 day per week). I think that configuration is possibly even more child friendly.

cYp

[Sandrita]

I have an 8 month old daughter and am still on maternity leave. I will be going back to work when she is almost a year old. I am taking all my unpaid leave and all my holidays in order to achieve this leave.

The reason that maternity leave is for 6 months is to support breastfeeding. The world health organisation recommends that babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months and then that solids be introduced along with breastfeeding. Breastmilk is the biggest source of nutrition for a baby until 1 year and again the WHO recommends breastfeeding until age 2. Breastfeeding works on a supply and demand basis so in the beginning the baby will feed at about 2-3 hour intervals day and night and more often at different times of the day. A baby will feed more frequently when it is about to go through a growth spurt because the more it feeds the more milk will be produced meaning that there will be enough milk there when the needs increase due to the growth spurt (supply and demand). Breastfed babies need a lot more than 3 feeds a day, my 8 month old still has 5 feeds during the day. Just one bottle of formula can be a disaster for breastfeeding and can lead to mastitis and a large reduction in supply.

Though expressed breastmilk is way more preferable to formula it does not offer the same level of nutrition as the real thing and there is a loss of the bonding experience. Also a breast pump no matter how good will normally only get 2/3 of the milk that a baby would get from suckling therefore leading to a reduced supply if done constantly in the place of a feed.

Breastfed babies grow up to be healthier children and adults less like to suffer from allergies and asthma, obesity and with much less likely chance to suffer from certain cancers. It also reduces the risk of certain cancers in the breastfeeding mother. So by supporting breastfeeding with increased maternity leave the government is making an investment that will reduce healthcare costs.

If someone who is breastfeeding chooses to return to work before 6 months they are entitled to breastfeeding breaks in order to either breastfeed their baby (if the baby can be brought to work by childminder) or to pump or to go home early or come in late to breastfeed. Employers are required to supply a safe a private area for either the pumping or feeding and somewhere to store the expressed milk.

[Sandrita]

Well for a natural child you get 26 weeks , whereas adoptive leave is 24 weeks. The only difference is parturition which is thus a 2 week allowance

Also I'm aware of a case whereby someone took all their 26 weeks - but spread over 4 years ! (1 day per week). I think that configuration is possibly even more child friendly.

cYp

You cannot take maternity leave in that way you cannot have a break between paid leave and unpaid leave (e.g. take paid holidays and then unpaid leave)

Perhaps you are confusing this with the 14 weeks unpaid parental leave that both parents are entitled to until the child reaches age 8.

Adoptive leave is 24 weeks but maternity leave must be taken 2 weeks before baby is due so you really only get 24 weeks after the baby is due to arrive.

[Akrasia]

Why a month ? All should be in order a few days after. My GP usually only takes 10 days herself.

Breast feeding need only be done once or twice a day, also the mother can pump out surplus and bottle it for later use.

Also the government should give grants to men for operations in order to overcome their mammary challenge.

cYp

Are you totally taking the piss, you want to sell out the future generation (even more, we're already forcing them to pay for the cost of our 'property boom' and environmental destruction) by taking newborn babies away from their mothers and forcing women back to work?

Maternity pay is only paid to women who have contribited to PRSI, its an essential welfare payment that is worth far far more to society than the cost.

[seabhcan]

Well for a natural child you get 26 weeks , whereas adoptive leave is 24 weeks. The only difference is parturition which is thus a 2 week allowance

This is quite logical. The law says a woman must begin leave at least 2 weeks before her due date. Obviously, this doesn't apply for adoptions.

Also I'm aware of a case whereby someone took all their 26 weeks - but spread over 4 years ! (1 day per week). I think that configuration is possibly even more child friendly.

cYp

The law isn't on their side, they must have had a very understanding boss.