Maternity leave Canada vs. USA

[Mephys 2]

Well, I am very sad to have left Canada because of it. I want 1 kid, and workin gat a vet, I seeone of the vet at the moment, she is 30 weeks pregnant and she still does surgery, with the anesthesia gaz around and all.

While in Quebec, when you are pregnant in that profession you are only allowed to do paperwork, no X-rays, no surgery, no nothing, they don't even want you to touch the animals so you won't get bit and get any infections.

I really don't know what I am going to do It's not uncommon to have a big dog freak out and kick you in the stomach while we are trying to hold it.

And the other thing, what my hubby was doing with his ex and the kids, he was working days and she was working nights, so the kids would aloways be at home with one of them. It's great for the kids, but hell of a way to kill a couple. It wasn't well between them, but that situation sure didn't help anything at all.

I wouldn't want my newborn in daycare though. Maybe work night shift for 1 year ? and then when the baby is a little older go back to days and put it in daycare ?

/sigh

[jundp 191]

I read somewhere along the lines that in Sweden they have the best Maternity Leave....1 year at 100%!!! plus mandatory 3 weeks prior to due date you must take off...paternal leave that's paid....they are very supportive of people having time to recoup and all about families....

I will definitely miss the Maternity Leave part of Canada.....I don't know what will happen when the day comes but it seems very soon to leave your little one with someone when they are only a few months old....

Similar to Germany. Mandatory one month prior to due date. I'm not sure about the financial terms after birth, but P's mom is a midwife there and my best friend just had to go back to work because her son turned 2, or she'd have to forfeit her job (they've held it for her). She received income from her job for quite a long time, perhaps a year? Then she received money from the state of Bavaria until she went back to work.

Karen ((((hugs)))) Here I would have however many sick days I've accrued at my job (which currently would be about 5 plus the 10 I get each year). I could take a leave from my job for up to one semester with a guarantee for the same position back (I might have to come in and do some admin work while on leave if I wanted to keep the department head position) or a year with a similar schedule. The irony is I teach in a Catholic school...you don't get much more pro-family than that (supposedly).

[T.O_2_FL 0]

There doesn't seem to be much push or drive from Mother's in the U.S to want to change the current Maternity Leave.....

My husband and I were talking over the weekend about this and strongly feel that our future family is more important than adhering to a restricted short term Maternity Leave....I can't imagine if I were left with someone else to look after me when I was an infant. Not that I have been a Mother yet but I can imagine that it would be very hard for a mother to leave her child at such a young age....perhaps even contributing to depression???? or Post partum depression?

It's probably very hard to concentrate as a working Mom knowing that your newborn is with someone else....

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

I'm just going to move back home when I get pregnant...

Seriously, this is one of the crappiest parts of moving there for me....so stupid!!!!

[ginger1981 0]

I don't know if my husband and I will get around to having kids. It is just very difficult to do it here and maintain a career trajectory too.

It depends on the company how much leave you can take. I believe my company gives 6 weeks paid leave and after that it is vacation or unpaid leave.

[CBR 0]

From my perspective (and I don't adhere to this philosophy) people in the US are very career driven. They want to have it all, all the toys, big house, big career, big paycheck, and kids too. It just doesn't work. I have seen co-workers take risks during their pregnancies because they fear disapproval from others. They don't want anybody thinking they are using their pregnancy as an excuse to not do their job to the fullest (or fear being passed up on a promotion or opportunity). Also, if they are the insurance holders of the family they are really forced to maintain their full-time status. Another thing, I'm noticing more and more women who are the breadwinners of the family (i was one of them in my previous marriage). It's way too much pressure and I have many regrets.

This topic gets me so fired up, I must move on now.

[KarenCee 3]

I wonder if the USA had the generous maternity leave that Canada does, how many women would actually make use of it? I work with a girl who said she wished maternity leave wasn't six weeks, that there was NO WAY IN H*LL she would say home with any of her kids...and this from a fellow educator.

I would rather a couple NOT have kids and decide on a career instead rather than have this attitude. At the school where I teach, we have a before school and after school program. I know of at least three kids that are there when I arrive (7:30am) in the before school program AND are in the after school program until at least 5pm, which is when I leave most days. How sad...for the kids. *sigh*

[Krikit 1,163]

I would rather a couple NOT have kids and decide on a career instead rather than have this attitude. At the school where I teach, we have a before school and after school program. I know of at least three kids that are there when I arrive (7:30am) in the before school program AND are in the after school program until at least 5pm, which is when I leave most days. How sad...for the kids. *sigh*

I understand where you're coming from, Karen, but I don't think it's as sad as it seems. My kids had to do the same thing and they are perfectly, well-adjusted, happy and highly successful adults now. When you choose the right program it can enhance their education. And they also enjoy the social experience of being with other kids. It's not so bad.

[T.O_2_FL 0]

But as a Mother wouldn't you feel stressed about parting ways with your baby at such a young age? Just trying to understand how people feel....

[Krikit 1,163]

But as a Mother wouldn't you feel stressed about parting ways with your baby at such a young age? Just trying to understand how people feel....

Definitely. I was very stressed about it. (I had my children in the days when you only received 6 weeks off.) But having a responsible care-giver whom you trust, and whom your children love, definitely helps to take the edge off.

[KarenCee 3]

I would rather a couple NOT have kids and decide on a career instead rather than have this attitude. At the school where I teach, we have a before school and after school program. I know of at least three kids that are there when I arrive (7:30am) in the before school program AND are in the after school program until at least 5pm, which is when I leave most days. How sad...for the kids. *sigh*

I understand where you're coming from, Karen, but I don't think it's as sad as it seems. My kids had to do the same thing and they are perfectly, well-adjusted, happy and highly successful adults now. When you choose the right program it can enhance their education. And they also enjoy the social experience of being with other kids. It's not so bad.

I guess I was expressing how sad I felt at how long the day is for these kids who are at school from who knows how early (before school opens at 6:30am) and having to stay late like some I've seen. 10 hours is a long time, at least to me. I agree, some kids adapt really well. I do think it's the quality of home life once they DO arrive home. That can make a huge difference.

[Peggy 1]

I would find it very hard to leave my new baby with a sitter or day care at 6 weeks.

I feel for the mom's in the usa that have to go back to work so early.

[SapphireDreams 71]

I personally am a pretty career driven person and while I would love to take a full year off, will be totally fine with 3-6 months if I can swing it. I know it will be hard to leave my baby, but at the same time, putting a child in daycare is also very beneficial for them.

My sister stayed home with my nephew until he was 2 and honestly, it was only after that he started being more social and less clingy to my sister. All of the kids I know who started daycare before the age of 1 are very very smart and could sing songs and are much more independent than my nephew.

I think that being well rounded is really important for everyone in a family. I want a career, family, kids, vacations, a city-oriented lifestyle - maybe some would say that is asking too much or having it all.... but I think it's also the time we spend together as a family that is important and just one element to life. My kids will also have their own lives too eventually so I need to ensure I keep mine too. That's the way I look at it.

[thetreble 19]

So here's my question:

As a Canadian women who lives in the US, I guess I couldn't run back to Canada to have a baby right? I guess I wouldn't be allowed to have access to healthcare without living back in Canada? Just a question.

[Krikit 1,163]

So here's my question:

As a Canadian women who lives in the US, I guess I couldn't run back to Canada to have a baby right? I guess I wouldn't be allowed to have access to healthcare without living back in Canada? Just a question.

Nice try, though.