New mom
By dataentry100
@dataentry100 (50)
United States
February 15, 2008 2:31pm CST
5 days ago I found out I was pregnant and my husband and I are overjoyed! However, I started investigating on maternity leave and disability through my work. I couldn't believe what I found out. The coverage my employer has will pay me $500 while I'm out, an average of 6-8 weeks I'm guessing. SERIOUSLY? That doesn't even cover the interest on my mortgage for 1 month! How do they get away with this and how do single moms do this? If you have any suggestions on trying not to stress about money on top of just having a baby, I'm more than willing to hear it! Thanks!
1 person likes this
7 responses
@jbrooks (264)
• United States
21 Feb 08
getting paid even a little bit is more than i got. i had a leave of 13 weeks and no pay and we had to try to pay for the apartment and food and all the bills on 1 income. that is hard but now i do not worry i just started a business from home and i hope that this works. before you go on leave i would try to get everything in place. like if you need daycare,money for all the items that you need like bills,apartment and so forth
i hope that this helps you out
1 person likes this
@dataentry100 (50)
• United States
26 Feb 08
It does help me out, thanks! There are so many things that people don't think about when they get pregnant.
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@VampAmber (308)
• United States
15 Feb 08
It looks like your only option, really, is just to save as much money as you can for now. It's an incredibly unfair thing to think of, them only giving you $500, but like Tink said, there's a lot of places that don't give you nothing. At least you do get maternity leave. I wish you the best of luck, hun. How far along are you, or do you even know yet?
1 person likes this
@dataentry100 (50)
• United States
20 Feb 08
You're right, I should just be greatful I'm getting something at all. A friend of mine is about to have her second child and suggested saving ahead of time as well. I think I'm only 6 weeks, but haven't had the first doctor's appointment yet to confirm it. Thanks for the luck! I'll need as much as I can get with it being my first!
1 person likes this
@lightningd (1039)
• United States
14 Mar 08
Well, unless you have complications during delivery or have a C-section, I guess I'm not sure why you think you'll need up to two months off work.
I waited on tables up until a week before I had my first child, and went back to work two weeks after. so I was off only 3 weeks. Unless you have complications, i don't see why you'll be off work that long.
Look into WIC and other assistance programs I guess. Maybe that can help you out some.
1 person likes this
@butterflygrl76 (205)
• United States
16 Feb 08
Congratulations on your good news. I'm not a mom so unfortunately I don't have any advice, other that just take it one day at a time. You are in my prayers and I hope everything works out the way you want it to. I wish you and your husband the best of luck.
1 person likes this
@tinkerick (1257)
• United States
15 Feb 08
Sadly, you should consider yourself lucky. When I went on maternity leave, it was completely unpaid. Needless to say I went back to work within a matter of a few weeks. It was some time ago so I don't remember our exact situation at the time, my husband might have been working still back then.
But you almost have to plan ahead and try to set money aside for the time you are off (something I know is very difficult for those of us who live paycheck to paycheck).
Other than that - go back to work as soon as you're able, rather than taking the 2 month leave than many women do. -Tink
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@dataentry100 (50)
• United States
20 Feb 08
That's just horribly wrong in my opinion. Maternity leave should be the time you recover and the time you bond with your new baby. I still can't get over that companies don't find that worth anything. Plus, if there were any complications during birth, then there could be outrageous medical bills. And there's nothing you can do because you're not even getting any money. I don't know how single mothers do it!
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@sophiasmom911 (1345)
• United States
20 Feb 08
I'm sorry that you have to go through that! Employers should have better maternity benefits... Maybe you can file for some sort of state assistance while you are on leave?
@dataentry100 (50)
• United States
26 Feb 08
I never thought about that, I'll have to check into it. Thanks!
1 person likes this
