Time off for Baby?!

[StAndArdAU]

Hey everyone, this one is directed at those fathers who have little ones running around the place:
How long off of work did you have when your baby was born? Like, how much time do you think a boss will deem as appropriate to have off?

ie:
If our first actually arrives on the weekend of her due date, i could take 5 shifts off to give me a total of 10 days off work. But those 5 are not in succession. Do you think they'd be fine with thaT?

[rodderz]

I've still got to work this out as yet. I work for myself, and have an apprentice that hasn't got his license yet, so in a few months when the missus is due will have to just let clients know what may be happening, and take time off when it happens. Probably take a week or so, family will be down from interstate so if I have to go back to work, someone will always be there to change nappies for me :

In a workplace though where you are an employee, I guess you just give notice of the due date, apply for x amount of time off and they will have to be flexible according to when the missus actually has the baby

[phoenix99]

I think 2 weeks is appropriate, one of the guys where I worked the boss said he could have 2 weeks off no questions asked but then again it depends on the business and how many people work there i guess

[GasoLane]

I went to the hospital for the birth in the morning. In the afternoon I was back in the truck at work.

Why have time off, unless you have other kids to feed and get to school or you can breast feed

[StAndArdAU]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Why have time off, unless you have other kids to feed and get to school or you can breast feed

because you havent met my 'mother inlaw'... if i did this i'd be in the dog house for years...

I swear my partner is having this baby with her mother...i swear!

[Falcon Coupe]

Originally Posted by rodderz

I've still got to work this out as yet. I work for myself, and have an apprentice that hasn't got his license yet, so in a few months when the missus is due will have to just let clients know what may be happening, and take time off when it happens. Probably take a week or so, family will be down from interstate so if I have to go back to work, someone will always be there to change nappies for me :

In a workplace though where you are an employee, I guess you just give notice of the due date, apply for x amount of time off and they will have to be flexible according to when the missus actually has the baby

Tell the apprentice he is taking a weeks annual leave, that's what i did.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by StAndArdAU

because you havent met my 'mother inlaw'... if i did this i'd be in the dog house for years...

I swear my partner is having this baby with her mother...i swear!

PARTNER??

I still hate that word...I guess I'm old fashioned, but if your married she's your Wife, if your not she's your Girlfriend.

As for the Mum in Law, you have my sympathies. I know exactly what you mean

[rodderz]

Originally Posted by Falcon Coupe

Tell the apprentice he is taking a weeks annual leave, that's what i did.

Probably what I'll do anyway, he'll enjoy a week off, been a hard year so far!

[XR6-VCT-2000]

I think if your baby is a brand new latest model falcon (that's a new born imo ), then your boss mighten mind you having a bit of time off, but if it's some old second hand car, especialy a holden etc then you'll be lucky to get any time off .. hehehe. Congrats anyway ;) .

[Jorgo85]

I took 4 weeks unpaid leave when my boy was born. I just told my supervisor a month or so before and they were completely understanding. The day he/she is born, you just ring in and let them know

[GK]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

PARTNER??
I still hate that word...I guess I'm old fashioned, but if your married she's your Wife, if your not she's your Girlfriend.

Couldn't agree more. A partner is someone you own a business with.

Originally Posted by Falcon Coupe

Tell the apprentice he is taking a weeks annual leave, that's what i did.

That's a good call I reckon.

As for what I did, the first child I had a week or two off. It was a c-section but the Mrs did really well.

Second time around, I had 6 weeks off all up, one week paid paternity leave, two weeks without pay, and three weeks of long service pro rata. My work is very understanding.

I'm taking some more long service for a family holiday in October-November but have kept 6 weeks up my sleeve in case we have another child, which will like the other two little lovelies, will need to be born via c-section.

If your MIL is a bit of a breaker and it seems that this is indeed the case, then I'd go for 1-2 weeks off work. The first one will fly but the second could be a shocker if the MIL takes over the whole shebang.

Here's the thing though, this baby isn't hers. It's yours and you have a wonderful opportunity to take the initiative to show her who's actually wearing the pants!

Whatever you decide regarding leave, I hope that it all works out well for you all and that your little bundle of joy enters this world safe, secure and healthy. I also hope that you and the Mrs get to have some wonderful bonding time as a family.

Shalom,

GK

[StAndArdAU]

cheers for your thoughts guys, yeah i think i'll take about 5 shifts off (total of 10 days) just to make sure everything is running smooth and get to know my little princess hehe.

As for using the word partner, i find using the word Girlfriend to describe a 5 1/2 year relationship a bit funny. Partner sounds more mature to me. Each to their own i guess. Whatever, shes my shag. Ball and Chain. Missus. Party Pooper... the list goes on.

[The Yeti]

I had great employers when both my kids were born,

I took 4 weeks each time with no fixed comencemnet date, what I did was take the day off the kid was born, the 1st one we headed to hospitol at 4am I rang my boss told him I wouldnt be in that day and they sent a huge bunch of floawers to the hospitol, unfortunatly the flowers beat the kid to the hospitol, and that was the comencment date of my leave. the second one was born on a sunday so that was easy and the boss form my old job sent another bunch of flowers.

[sneaky]

i was an apprentice at a large organisation when my daughter was born, so i just told my boss when the due date was and that i'd have a few weeks off. we ended up at hospital at 7am monday morning so i just called the boss and told him i wouldn't be in that day or for 2 weeks, then when my 2 weeks were up i called him again to say i was having another week off the joy of not being missed at work .

now we are having another baby and i'm a tradesman so i have warned my boss of roughly when the due date is and that i will be having a few weeks off. luckily they are understanding at work and don't expect a leave form filled in before i go off, so i don't have to put one in for the due date and hope that's when it happens.. once again it's good to be at a large company and not be missed when i'm not there

-tim

ps, good luck with it all

[XAGSV8]

I saved my annual leave and had four weeks off starting from the day of the birth. It was great for my wife as I could help her recover by getting up at night for everything but a feed and helping out during the day. Having that time off also is great for bonding with your newborn.

[Jason[98.EL]]

as others have said put in for the time of starting from the day the baby is born (or next working shift/day)

i had 6 or 7 weeks in total with our third but not for a good reason i had 2 weeks from when he was born but at 7 days old he was flown from geeong to r.c.h for surgery i was very lucky that my employer has a young family as well and knew what we were going through in both aspects

good luck with it all and with the motherin-law come that could be a godsend

hope that helps mate

jason

[Angry Beaver]

I would like to add, You guys deserve a pat on the back for taking time off. I never got any of that kind of support. Well done guys.