Shared Parental Leave¹ was introduced in 2015. The idea behind it was to provide families with choices when it came to who looks after the new addition to the family, who goes back to work, and when. If you’re eligible for Shared Parental Leave, then as a couple you can share up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay once your baby arrives. One of the great things about Shared Parental Leave is that it’s available to those parents who are adopting, too².

Whilst Shared Parental Leave is certainly a step in the right direction for more love and less judgement, it’s thought that the number of parents taking advantage of the scheme is as little as 2%³.

But why is that?

Well, it seems that parental judgement is raising its ugly head yet again when it comes to how we’re choosing to raise our children.

Despite the fact that there are numerous benefits to dads taking paternity leave⁴, those who want to spend more time with their children in the early weeks and months are often asked why on earth they’d want to do that. As for mums, those who would happily share parental leave with their partner are often faced with other people’s shock and disapproval that they’re not taking the chance to spend every waking moment with their little one.

Here at C&G baby club, we believe that no one should be judged for the decisions they make when it comes to parental leave. It’s all about finding a balance that works for you and your family. Shared parental leave goes some way to demonstrating that it’s perfectly acceptable for mums to go to work, and for dads to be happily left holding the baby. And vice versa.

In one survey, 90% of new mums stated that they have felt lonely since giving birth⁵.

There are lots of myths and misconceptions out there about parental leave. Like the idea that mums and dads are counting down the days until they can leave work and skip happily into a year of baby classes, meeting with friends and snuggling with their tiny tot.

But in reality, it isn’t always like that. You, like many parents, may enjoy working. You might be worried about missing the day-to-day interaction with your colleagues and the challenges your job presents. And that’s more than OK.

Experiencing these feelings doesn’t make you a bad parent. It simply means that you’ve got your own take on what parental leave means to you. You shouldn’t feel worried about sharing how you feel here for fear of someone judging you for having those feelings in the first place.

Your feelings are completely justifiable. It’s the judgement that’s out of place.

You might be reluctant to return to work after your maternity leave. After all, having that unadulterated time with your baby can be really magical.  On the other hand, it might be that you’re ready to get back to the world of work before the end of your maternity leave.

Either way, and whatever your reasons and feelings, you should always follow your instincts and do what’s right for you. And you should be able to do that judgement free.

If you’re thinking about returning to work before the end of your maternity leave, here’s a couple of things you’ll need to think about:

• By law, you’ll be required to take a minimum of two weeks off. This increases to four weeks if you work in a factory environment⁶.
• You’ll also need to give your employer 8 weeks notice if you intend to return before your maternity leave is up⁷.

The more you’re encouraged to do what feels right for you as a parent, the more confidence you’ll have to follow your instincts. Whether that’s to stay at home and with your baby, return to work early or explore Shared Parental Leave, the only choice is the one that works for you and your family.