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Before: announce your pregnancy to benefit from maternity leave
When to announce your pregnancy? It is a personal choice, but generally, one waits for the three statutory months or rather the first ultrasound which confirms that “all is well”, before informing his relatives or his employer. Afterwards, you are free to choose the “right” moment to disclose the happy event, knowing that nothing obliges us to inform our employer.
In general, we do not spread the information before having officially announced it to our superior. If the latter learns it from another person, it is likely to upset him. This is important news, it is not said at the corner of a cafe or at the photocopier.
Request an appointment with your employer. Once in his office, we get straight to the point. We also reassure him about the importance that our work has for us today, and even more tomorrow, after thearrival of our baby.
- The faux pas: wait until the last moment to say “Hey I’m pregnant, and I’m leaving in a month.” Not very cool for the organization. At the same time, it would be hard to go incognito!
- Apologize for being pregnant, feel guilty… “I’m sorry… I know it’s going to be complicated.” Or how to hold out the stick to get beaten. If you don’t take responsibility for your pregnancy, your boss won’t do it for you. Worse, he can feel it as a burden.
The labor code does not provide for any time limit for announcing the pregnancy to one’s employer. You can let him know whenever you want. On the other hand, to benefit from legal rights and provided for in the agreement of your company, it will be necessary to inform it and present the medical certificate of pregnancy. This declaration to your employer allows you to benefit from protection against dismissal., justify your absences to get to your medical appointments or to reduce your daily working hours.
Maternity leave: it all depends on your physiological state
Difficult to anticipate the state in which we will be at the start of his maternity leave. Some will give birth as soon as the office door is closed, or a few days later, others may already be on pathological leave for a difficult pregnancy (diabetes, back pain, fatigue, contraction, risk of premature childbirth) which may require bed rest. Finally, it is also possible that you are in good shape to take advantage of this waiting time before your childbirth to follow various childbirth preparation courses: sophrology, prenatal yoga… or prepare your child’s room.
What to do during your maternity leave?
Now is not the time to carry heavy loads if you are moving or starting to assemble or disassemble furniture in your baby’s room. On the other hand, if you have the necessary energy, you can spend your days updating your administrative tasks, preparing for the return from maternity by cooking small freezer dishes, to meet future childminders or nannies in case you do not have a place in a nursery and need childcare. It is also time to prepare your maternity bag which contains your personal effects and necessary items for the reception of your child and find out about you to find a pediatrician you can trust and listen to.
I can’t take advantage of my maternity leave
Perhaps, if you already have one or more children, it is difficult for you to make the most of this moment without working? Or is bed rest, a pathological pregnancy, forcing you to stay in bed and take it easy? In that case, it is necessary to let go and not to put extra pressure on yourself. the maternity leave is a special time that each will use according to its possibilities. You can delegate many tasks to your loved ones or to the future dad. Do not panic ! Take naps and especially stay tuned to your body or your baby.
The futile things to do while on maternity leave
If you have time for yourself, remember that some occupations allow you to relax and to live more serenely while waiting for the birth of your child. Among them: the reading romance novels dozing on your bedside table, watching a movie or a series in its entirety. Pamper your body, with masks adapted to your skin, a manicure, a special massage for pregnant women (if you can come or have a professional come to your home). You can also meditate, dream, think about plans for the future. Whether professional or family. And nothing prevents you from having colleagues or relatives over for lunch to take your mind off things. Perhaps you can also delegate the care of preparing a Baby Shower Party to the future godmother?