13 weeks pregnant - Three years, one stone then home

A glance back in time to ?

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

A little under 14 weeks pregnant and I?ve already faced a?massive decision. To work or not to work? After spending months debating whether to work an extra day, I?ve had to decide whether to actually work at all.

Here?s the issue. Maternity leave in Switzerland is a mere?three months (and only?eight weeks at full pay). Some companies, out of the goodness of their hearts, offer extended paid leave and some, unpaid leave. The company that I work for is offering neither. In fairness, it?s not in my contract so not unexpected and having been granted pretty much every request over the past 14 years working with them, it?s about time my luck ran out.

So that leaves me?three months to recover from the c-section and prepare myself, the newborn, and the rest of the family for my return to work. Not a hope in hell! I can?t see how this could be good for the baby, good for me, good for anyone really. I intend to breastfeed again and at three months old, CK was still waking up for at least one night feed, sometimes two. So a full days work on limited sleep, having to pump milk for the following day, leaving a tiny baby in someone else?s care ? thanks, but no thanks. I?ve always enjoyed my job and have been treated really well ever since I joined the company in 1998 but this is asking too much of me.

I don?t know what the Swiss authorities are playing at prescribing a mere three months statutory maternity leave. I?ve heard rumours that they have a rather old-fashioned?outlook and hope that by making?circumstances difficult, mothers will find that their only option is to leave work and stay at home. True or not, it?s worked in my case. I pondered for a mere moment, checked our finances, saw that we could manage perfectly well and have opted not to return after my maternity leave. A couple of people have tried to convince me to do otherwise but even after receiving some quite strong arguments, my?resolve?never wavered. The two options for me are as clear as wrong and right.

Come the end of April when my maternity leave ends, I will officially be a stay at home mum, and unemployed in the classic sense for the first time since leaving university. I?m sure the transition won?t be entirely easy and maybe I?ll crave a return to spreadsheet heaven but right now ? it feels great!

Source: http://threeyearsandonestonethenhome.com/2012/08/02/13-weeks-pregnant/

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