I'm heading back in two weeks and am dreading it. My husband and I had just relocates before our daughter was born, so I didn't event qualify for FMLA leave. Luckily my new employer agrees to give me 8 weeks off.

Wow! Other countries take care of their mamas! America sucks... hahaha

Thank goodness I'm in Canada. I get a full year off. We receive employment insurance during this year which is 55% of our pay (to a maximum). I receive the max pay which is a little over $1000 every 2 weeks. My employer tops me up for the first 4 months of my mat leave. After that time, I will only receive the EI payment from the government. No complaints here though. I don't know how you mamas do it and go back to work so soon. I couldn't imagine leaving my daughter so soon.

And my nanny/babysitter is only charging me 20 a day! Such a great deal! I wish I could stay home with her until she could talk.

Oh trust me it is hard to leave my little baby so long! And right now I'm only working 6 hours!

I don't go back until June but every time I even think about it I start crying ( like I am right now). I was a workaholic before and now I can't even bear the thought of leaving him . ?

I went back on Monday. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It's just getting up and getting out the door in the morning and getting everybody to bed at a reasonable time.

I just checked out the daycare. It was nice enough but the idea of leaving baby there is horrifying right now. Hopefully by August I'll feel more ready. Isn't a nanny way expensive? Even part time daycare will cost us $1K/ mo.

That's so bad that you have to have it unpaid :( I definately wouldn't want to go back to work yet. We don't get paid a lot for the 9 months off but it's better than nothing and luckily with my partners income it's enough to live off. I hope going back to work hasn't been too bad for you xxx

The company I work for does not provide maternity leave (which is ridiculous they made 15mil last year and have less than 80 employees). And the FMLA act protects our position for up to 12 weeks.

Maternity leave depends on the company you work for. I worked at Starbucks for my first maternity leave and received 60% of my normal pay for 6 weeks. The company I currently work for does not offer paid maternity leave - I took the time off unpaid. There is the Family Medical Leave Act which allows parents to take leave (mothers and fathers) so that you're employer can't decline the leave but it is entirely unpaid. ? They make it hard to afford leave.

Maternity leave depends on the company you work for. I worked at Starbucks for my first maternity leave and received 60% of my normal pay for 6 weeks. The company I currently work for does not offer paid maternity leave - I took the time off unpaid. There is the Family Medical Leave Act which allows parents to take leave (mothers and fathers) so that you're employer can't decline the leave but it is entirely unpaid. ? They make it hard to afford leave.

I'm just wondering coz I'm from the UK, but do you not get maternity leave in America? We get paid by the government for 9 months x

I go back after Memorial Day and I'm dreading it. Been begging my so to let me stay home but we really can't afford it. I'm just hoping the more I complain about it maybe a miracle will appear lol.

I don't start until June but I'm already dreading it ? I work at home so I'm still with little one but won't be able to give her the attention I do now.

Good luck ladies. It was super hard to leave her, I cried! So did my SO.

She's been so good and hasn't cried at all

I'm going back tomorrow I can't afford it either. Luckily my fiancé will work days and I will work nights so we don't have to drop off our kids and the new baby off at daycare. Still sucks to go back

I feel the save way. I start back tomorrow. I wish I could afford to take more time off