How long did you take off to look after your baby?

How long did your partner take off to look after your baby?

Please estimate your own drop in income in the first year after having a baby

Please estimate any drop in income (compared to pre-baby) in the second year after having a baby

What measures would have made the biggest difference to your family? (tick any that apply)

Why would this (👆) have made the biggest difference? What effect would it have? (please give as much detail as possible)

Overall, were you satisfied with how you were able to divide childcare and work as a couple?

How do you feel about how much you are working at the moment?

Please can you elaborate on this (👆):

Finally, are you?

1 year but I was an employee then

["Enhanced Shared Parental Leave (employees only)"]

My husband was not able to stay with us long as he had just started a new job. I had a baby with additional needs. It was harrowing being on my own so much and my husband struggled in his role

["A dedicated fathers leave"]

4 days before he had to go back to work, although he did manage to take some more time off after that.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

Partner would have been able to consider shared parental leave. I might have been able to re-establish my freelance career quicker.

No because partner had to go back to work full time as soon as possible and any time off was taken without pay due to freelance nature of work. Made sharing of childcare a non-option.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

If the financing had also been fair, I could have continued to grow my career, which would have made a monumental difference to my family. Plus I would have earned more long-term, thus contributed more in income tax & spending power

My career died. We have been financially squeezed ever since, almost facing ruin & affecting both our mental health

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

Allowed proper paid time off for Dad, and me to work more selectively.

Much lost income in order that we both had time with our children.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave", "Other (please specify)"]

flexible, affordable childcare, support from employers, mentoring schemes, returner schemes.

I have always been the primary carer. My husband is self-employed but because he earns more than me, no matter what work comes in for me it would always take second place. This put a huge amount of strain on me mentally and physically and I have found it very challenging. My husband has never turned down work if it has come in, where as I have had to completely change my working life to accommodate caring responsibilities. I have had to set up my own company, where I can work the hours around my children. It has worked out ok for me. I am not able to do the job I love, was trained for and spent 13 working professionally in but at least I have been able to make something else work.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

The amount I work now only seems right because I am 5 years on and have more or less changed careers. I am still available for freelance work but am now employed by a company that I set up as I didn't see how I could make it work. I needed a regular income and flexibility. If I was still only working freelance as an actor then I would definitely like/ need to be working more.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

My wife earns more so it made sense, but there was a knock on to my career

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "For us to use your answers as quotes (including your name)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

I started my kit days when my son was 4 weeks old

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

I would have felt that all the caring responsibilities were on me. It meant I would have not turned down work. I was offered work but unable to take it as my husband was not able to access shared parental leave so we would have no childcare or very expensive childcare costs, plus with a young baby it was important that either myself or husband were caring for my son.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

We had to work flat out in the last few months of pregnancy to make it financially possible to stay home and look after our kids. For our s cond child this was impossible.

As freelancers we’re able to equally split childcare, but it’s meant a halving if our earnings.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "For us to use your answers as quotes (including your name)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

["Other (please specify)"]

It’s the overnights that we struggle with so not sure there is a solution

I’m desperate to get back to work but one of us has to turn work down so the other one can take it. Clients get a bit bored of being told you’re not available so it just doesn’t work

No difference

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

Give my wife the choice to have more incontact days for work

I was lucky that my wife was able to take maternity leave as an employee and was willing/able to do the bulk of the childcare while I was absent for work.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

If my husband would have been able to take parental leave, then he would've been comfortable with helping at home rather than having to get back so soon after our child was born. Made for a very stressful period of our lives, rather than being able to enjoy those first few months with her.

Being self-employed forced us to have to prioritise work. My husband, being the higher earner, therefore had to get back to work quickly leaving the childcare solely in my hands.

I was unable to attend some auditions, or participate in residential courses for long periods of time, therefore development was limited. Had to limit my singing lessons as I couldn't afford regular ones and find childcare for short periods of time. Had to take well-paid work only (which didn't come up often) rather than taking on lesser-paid work to help develop my voice else I wouldn't have been able to cover childcare. Due to the nature of the opera/performance business, I wasn't able to take 'maternity leave' as 6 months away would mean it would be very difficult to be remembered and hired again.

1st was made redundant from my job while on maternity then became SE, 2nd approx 1 month and 3rd

["Other (please specify)"]

Just having something in place for both self employed parents, the provision is very minimal at the moment, there is only maternity allowance at the basic rate, and nothing else.

as above, couldn't afford not to work being self employed

The business I set up after having first, i have recently sold as I have three children and it was to hard to juggle the hours with school hours. I have set up another business which is working from home but as it is a start up the income is low. I used to be a senior manager and earning 35k a year. There is no after school club and my youngest is nearly 2 so it doesn't pay for me to go back onto employment once you take account of all the childcare cost for 3 children and I can't find any part time work at a senior level, all positions are full time.

["A dedicated fathers leave"]

To not feel guilty about taking leave, or feeling that my clients might not understand

We are lucky to have savings which meant we could keep the household running without rushing back to work.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

We budgeted for my husband to take some time off as I was beginning to return to work, but it tok me time to get back into the swing of things and to make headspace to write and create again. Finding good childcare we could avoid also took time and ate into my return to work. Neither of us were earning and we were using savings to kick start my return to work, which I felt put me under pressure. I'm pregnant again and am sure it will be the same this time around.

We have worked really hard to be fair and equitable but ultimately my partner is the higher earner and I work from home, so I take on most of the childcare duties, although he is absolutely diligent about taking the time when he can. Because he works int he technical side of theatre he is often in tech and longs techs are very hard because there's no family time.

No difference

["Other (please specify)"]

A benefit for either parent to look after our child at home after maternity pay ended.

I didn't want to return to work immediately, and although my husband would have welcomed a longer paternity leave, in the long term he wanted to return to his paid job.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

I wasn't freelancing at the time I had my child. I became a freelancer because of the treatment that I experienced at the hands of my employer once I confirmed that I was pregnant. Whilst I don't earn 50% as much as I did when I was full time employee, it has allowed me to be there for my son's early years and also to begin to train towards a new career.

3 yearsi total 2 babies within that time

["A dedicated fathers leave"]

I would have found dealing with a new baby much easier as a family rather than outside support. He would have a better understanding of the demands a baby has on you, would have felt less depressed and alone more of a family unit.

I work from home, and sort out the children, in terms of drop off / pick up and sickness

["For us to use your answers as quotes (including your name)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

Hard to say as my work is sporadic. But I was back doing paid work when my baby was 5 weeks old.

3 months of shared parental leave

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

My husband took SPL but I wasn't able to which seemed silly and made the whole process incredibly complex! It would have been far simpler and better had we both been able to take SPL.

My husband took the first 3 months off as SPL and I went back to work for 5 weeks of this time when our baby was 5 weeks old. This worked well and while he is employed his work is also project based so he plans to take a further 3 months off after this project finishes. Annoyingly it will have to be just as unpaid leave, as baby will be 12 months old then so he won't be eligible for SPL any more.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

I have stopped taking the 'money' jobs I was doing and focussing just on the work I want to be doing - drama directing. This is paid and project based so its hard to assess the impact of baby around this too. The decision to stop doing other work is because I became a parent as its hard to justify a long promo shoot day when I won't make that much after childcare costs etc. But equally now I am just doing work I want to be doing and being a Mum so its a good balance at the mo. Very hard to find childcare though as I am either working intensely full time for a short period, or not working at all.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

Having any parental leave would have made an obvious financial difference! We were not entitled to anything.

As a couple we were able to find a medium. We just weren't supported financially to do so.

2 days Saturday and Sunday

No difference

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

Would have help in the first few months of getting to know my child and help my wife recovering after a c section and childcare (very expensive)

Due second baby in few months we have worked very hard over the last year to make some extra money to help cover us so I can take a few weeks off this time but will still have to work a day here or there and miss out on valuable bonding time with my family also with care for my wife who is all ready having a bad pregnancy and will have to be sectioned again

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

Wife works full time so it was important for her to be able to progress in her career as well as mine.

I'm currently trying to go back part-time now my twins are 9 months

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

I could have taken on a contract within that first year whilst my children felt too young to be going to nursery. Plus we have twins so childcare is v expensive. Would have been lovely for them to spend that time with their dad and I could have eased back into work slowly.

["Other (please specify)"]

Having the guarantee of a job to go back to would have made a big difference and resulted in a lot less stress for me. I had to fight for my job back and was initially offered less money to do the same job.

Because I was eligible for maternity allowance but took none, my husband was able to take 6 months spl at full pay (he’s a civil servant).

["Enhanced Shared Parental Leave (employees only)"]

Would've been far more attractive for my partner to have taken more time off. I could've returned to work a bit earlier and may have affected whether I lost that main contract of work. When you're self employed you very much have to still remain visible or you do get forgotten about.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

8 months but I had to use all my KIT days.

2 weeks but one of those was taken as holiday

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

My husband would have had the joy & pleasure of spending time bonding with his daughters, which should be a basic human right.

It's profoundly unfair that other European countries offer their parents considerably better leave. It enevitably makes one parent resentful of the other.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

1 year for each child (we have 2 children)

2 wks statuary paternity leave for our first (when he worked at a label), no time for the second as he is now freelance.

["Enhanced Shared Parental Leave (employees only)"]

We were fortunate and had budgeted knowing we would take a big dent in our incomes when we had out kids, but we needed one of us to remain in full time work and we took the tough decision that that would be me, in order to keep the family finances stable. with shared parental leave it may have enabled me to share the load more.

It is a constant negotiation of time, it is impossible for both parents to work non flexible, full time with little external help (we don't have the luxury of close families to help out). We don't want to have a nanny or au pair bringing up out children, so instead I work full time and my partner works insane freelance hours around the kids. It isn't healthy and can be an immense strain.

No difference

["Other (please specify)"]

Having self- employed fathers getting paternity pay

It is very mother-centric especially when self-employed

["Other (please specify)"]

As someone who is self-employed it is not possible for my husband to take time off work for us to spend as a family so while the bills are paid he is often missing out on family time and we cannot take holidays

No difference

No difference

["Other (please specify)"]

Husband's work won't allow pt work nor change his co. Car to one that can fit a car seat.

["Other (please specify)"]

He is employed and earns more than me therefore financially it was my work that suffered as a result as the obvious financial decision was for me to provide childcare, not just for the first few months, but until both children were at school.

18 months & 4 months

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

We had no options and the financial impact was hugely stressful for a long time

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "For us to use your answers as quotes (including your name)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

Took 4 months off, before first paid work with both babies, then did keeping in touch days till end of maternity allowance period

2 weeks paternity leave then later took unpaid sick leave and left work.

["Other (please specify)"]

Getting a maternity allowance that was actually based on my taxable profits OR be able to do work in the maternity period and gradually build up again. £513 is only 25% of my usual earnings, so it was very very expensive to take the maternity leave and I can't afford to have another maternity leave.

Would have been better to be able to split it equally.

No difference

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

Would love to have my husband at home so I can put more time into my business without relying on a childminder

Would prefer a more balanced split

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "For us to use your answers as quotes (including your name)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

Was made redundant so didn’t go back

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

If my partner doesn’t work he doesn’t get paid and I am not work no income so he couldn’t and can’t take any time off no holidays in nearly 2 years

["Other (please specify)"]

Husband in long contract so had priority for work

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

We would have been better of financially, as his rights to pay were excellent (full pay for 6 months leave), while I could have worked. It would have enabled me to accept far more work in the first year, and would have been better for us on a personal level too.

We found that my male partners work environment viewed shared parental leave and his wish to be equally involved in childcare as strange. He encountered huge pressure not to take additional parental leave so that I could work more.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "Enhanced Shared Parental Leave (employees only)"]

if my husband could have look after the kids Without loosing his job, Inwouldnt have had to leave my work completely.

1 year for each but i was employed at the time

As my husband was running his own business I had to take the bigger break despite being the main earner

["A dedicated fathers leave"]

If the fathers' leave was paid at a basic rate it would have allowed me to focus on my child more.

I looked after my child most of the time.

About 8 weeks though I started doing bits from 4 weeks

No difference

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave", "Enhanced Shared Parental Leave (employees only)"]

We benefits from a few of the above so I can testify to the fact I was able to get back to work on a major project very soon after the birth and my husband has a great relationship with both kids partly as a result of this time

We are lucky in that my husband wanted to share the responsibility and was less ambitious in his job at the time and even went down to a 3 day week for a while

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "For us to use your answers as quotes (including your name)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

1 year (involuntarily - didn;t pay to stay in employment because salary did not cover childcare costs)

6 months (including holiday allowance - max he could get)

No difference

["Other (please specify)"]

More security in contracts and better pay would have allowed me to work; instead, casualised work affecting mostly women has pushed me out of employment because, paradoxically, I cannot afford to work. My work does not cover my expenses.

My partner did the maximum he could to share responsibility and allow me to continue to work, though there is a system that blocks such efforts.

["A dedicated fathers leave"]

I would have felt able to commit a solid amount of time to looking how and where to return to work, knowing my babies were being looked after & I didn't need to rush off at any moment

It was always assumed that because I am freelance my time is flexible & that therefore I'd do all necessary things with the kids; the other side of there assumption was that my partner felt his employer would not look kindly on / allow time off for child-related necessities

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

A year - as well as being self-employed, I also have a part-time PAYE job which offers maternity leave

No difference

No difference

["A dedicated fathers leave"]

Our circumstances were particularly odd, as my partner did my maternity cover, so we got the best of maternity pay AND him earning for a year. But the fact he only had 2 weeks off to be with me and my daughter was heartbreaking. 2 weeks is nothing - she was still so tiny when he had to go back to work.

We have no family close by, and being at home with a small baby on my own for months, while he was at work was really hard.

No difference

["A dedicated fathers leave"]

My partner would have appreciated it and perhaps I could have got into work sooner.

I am lucky as i have my mother helping me out so I can rely on her. Without her, yes it would have been tough to juggle work and childcare after my daughter turned 1.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

No difference

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "Other (please specify)"]

We made it work but had help from family to save money on expensive childcare

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave", "Enhanced Shared Parental Leave (employees only)"]

Sharing responsibility for childcare to allow me to have the time to work on getting more work for myself. Sharing the financial responsibilities more than just agreeing to ‘see what happens’ with my work

With a first child I didn’t understand the demands on me as a mother and that I couldn’t just walk back into the sort of work I was doing pre-child. I wish my partner and I had worked harder to make it slightly more balanced at home

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

If I'd had access to shared parental leave it would have meant that my husband could have taken the last part of my leave, which would have given me the time to build up my client base without having to pay for childcare. This way I have had to pay for childcare before I started earning money again.

Not having access to shared parental leave has meant that I have had to do all the childcare while my husband has had to work. Neither of us are happy with this, it means that he misses out on time with his daughter and she is disproportionately attached to me. Not to even mention how it perpetuates traditional gender roles in society.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "For us to use your answers as quotes (including your name)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

Sharing the burden of parenthood much more equitably

Too much pressure on one parent, with the other permanently exhausted

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

I would have been able to keep in touch with my students (kit days are done by the day, which is ridiculous when you work by the hour and are limited by everyone's availability). My husband would have been able to have dedicated time at home while I brought money in, rather than the full responsibility of earning a living falling solely on his shoulders. Our work is difficult to get to full-time hours and involves a lot of evening and weekend work, so he was exhausted.

One benefit of both of us being part-time is that we have to share childcare between us. This is ideal with our desires as parents to have time with our child.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

It would have made my partner feel that it was more acceptable for him to take more time.

It fell to me because my husband felt he couldn't take an "unexplained" prolonged absence from his clients. And he didn't feel confident being off their books for a (more than 1 month) period of time. This is partly due to to the way our jobs work, but also cue to the working culture we are part of.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "Other (please specify)"]

I received stat. Maternity pay. Being able to share this with partner would have allowed me to also take jobs. The other difference would have been maternity allowance that reflected

a living wage

With no childcare support it wasn’t possible for us to juggle 2 freelance schedules. Paid for child care is £££ and didn’t have the flexibility we needed

["Other (please specify)"]

We used shared parental leave which was great but would have benefited Tom Flexibility in coming back to work. Employers being open to working from home, or job shares.

My husband took the paternity leave I would have been entitled to if I was employed full time so we were home together and shared the work for five months.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

["A dedicated fathers leave"]

We wouldn’t have lost all our income when my husband too time off to be with his family.

Childcare is almost impossible to coordinate when you don’t know which days you will be working.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

No difference

No difference

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

It would have helped my wife and I to share the childcare more equally. We both have quite random schedules so juggling childcare is tricky and if I was able to be at home more that would help significantly.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "For us to use your answers as quotes (including your name)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

No difference

["A dedicated fathers leave"]

It would have meant my husband could have been around more in those precious early weeks

We do what we can to cover it between us as childcare and cost of living is so expensive

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

Would have been able to take on work knowing my partner could cover childcare. More equality.

We couldn't afford to sacrifice my partner's pay

Wish there were more affordable & flexible childcare options

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

Both being freelancers, shared parental leave would have been far more beneficial to our careers. It would have allowed us to keep both careers moving forward instead of having to ‘freeze’ one. It’s also just really healthy for the family.

Without being able to share parental leave, the women’s career is automatically put on hold. This may not suit couples depending on opportunities that may be present at that time.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

9 months fully off, then decreased hours to date (nearly 2 years)

Decreased hours to date (nearly 2 years)

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

It would have eased the issue of keeping in touch days

It’s challenging, and we’ve both had to decrease the hours we work, but we’re both happier sharing working and parenting

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

Being able to go back to work and not have big nursery bills so soon. Could have had time to build up the business again without the big outlay.

Childcare all came down to me during the week when husband went back to work:m. Very stressful and more leave for him would have been helpful

He is full time carer and has been for the last two years. However, he's a musician and does all his work on weekends and evenings. Prior to having our daughter he also worked full time at the financial ombudsman.

["Enhanced Shared Parental Leave (employees only)"]

I only took off 9 weeks (plus holiday) as this was all I got as full pay and as I'm the higher earner we could not afford to go without those wages.

My partner was pleased to leave his job. And I was pleased not to have to leave mine. It would have been great to have the flexibility to work less though.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "For us to use your answers as quotes (including your name)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

She is still off (20 months later!).

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

We could have kept my partners business going, and I could have had more time with the baby.

As mentioned before. We had no choice but to adopt a quite traditional role split.

My partners business has all but ceased as she has ended up providing the majority child care, and continues to. I have had to take on significant extra work to balance the loss of my partners income. It would take some time for her to get her busines up and earning again, which means we are, for now, stuck in these traditional fixed roles of 'breadwinner' and stay at home mum.

She is still off (20 months later!).

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

We could have kept my partners business going, and I could have had more time with the baby.

As mentioned before. We had no choice but to adopt a quite traditional role split.

My partners business has all but ceased as she has ended up providing the majority child care, and continues to. I have had to take on significant extra work to balance the loss of my partners income. It would take some time for her to get her busines up and earning again, which means we are, for now, stuck in these traditional fixed roles of 'breadwinner' and stay at home mum.

No difference

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

My partner could not take parental leave whereas I was entitled to maternity allowance, so I was the one to take a year off. My career suffered greatly - it would have been nice if we’d had the option of taking 6 months each, for example.

My partner could not take parental leave whereas I was entitled to maternity allowance, so I was the one to take a year off. My career suffered greatly - it would have been nice if we’d had the option of taking 6 months each, for example.

No difference

I would have struggled to have much longer away from the business. I presume there would be limited contribution from the government

Would have liked to take more part time

["A dedicated fathers leave"]

Being able to spend time with my new child without a significant drop in income

Being self employed and working from home I have had to take on far more childcare responsibilities

He didn't have freelance work offers for 6 months so timing worked well. He would have been back to work as soon as work was offered as we needed the money.

No difference

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

Not really. Being freelance you take work where you can. I think the difference shared parental leave, or perhaps dedicated dad's leave makes is ingraining a dad's important family role in work culture.

50/50 - whoever was offered the fattest paycheck took it, the other stayed at home and looked after kids/house.

6 months (but I did some work in that time)

He went back to work 1 day during baby's first week, and one day in his second week. Then went back to work full time.

["Other (please specify)"]

If the government gave some bursary to self employed fathers it would have lighted the load a little.

As a solely breast fed baby for the first six months I was the main care giver. The help for me was more about getting a nanny on set for a short film. Between scenes I would feed the baby. And on other projects working with people who don't mind and more importantly allow time for you to pump your breasts.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "For us to use your answers as quotes (including your name)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

["A dedicated fathers leave"]

1 year as I had a part time contract at the time

No official time beyond the first 2 weeks but he worked round project.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

Not applicable.

No difference

No difference

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

I wasn't working at that time so I was free.

About 2 weeks and then a much reduced workload for 3 months, then back to work part time employed in the autumn term + her own practice work.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave", "Enhanced Shared Parental Leave (employees only)"]

Because it would have tasken the finacial pressure off which was too much for us in addition to just having had a baby.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

My partner did most of the childcare

I gave up job 6 months before he was born, i started very sporadic work 10 months after his birth.

2 weeks. He also had a 3 month break whilst i took a short job during that time.

["Other (please specify)"]

Childcare being more flexible than just 8-6. Hubby is 9-6 over an hour away from nursery and my job is 5pm to midnight so i need other people to now pick up child or we cant work.

He works a job, i am now just a mum. When i want to try and get some work it takes a lot of planning and unpaid leave so this means i am often paying to work! So i stop trying to work. Had a massive impact on my mental state but that's the price you pay when you become a parent.

2 years and counting!

No time off (but his work is flexible so he was around a lot)

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

["Other (please specify)"]

People's attitudes to women in the the work place need to change. Women are ambitious and their ambitions reach beyond becoming a mum.

We were lucky to be able to afford childcare.

No difference

["Other (please specify)"]

Easier access to local, reasonably priced childcare which offered hours that suited my work

Higher paid employee took precedence on all factors enabling ease of word

["Enhanced Shared Parental Leave (employees only)"]

My husband would have been able to support me more

Not as many opportunities for the mum vs 12-14 hour days for father.

No difference

No difference

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave", "Other (please specify)"]

Flexi time for for parents in employment so both parents can share the childminding responsibilities would help.

my husband had very little time off and I had to bare the brunt of caring for the child.

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

I am from South Africa where I employed my mother to look after my child while I continued to work and so my income didn't suffer, however since moving to the UK a few months ago, where childcare is so expensive and in order to have year-round consistent care you either have to pay a childminder full time, even if your child is at pre-school, or you have to pay for holiday schools (most of which are only available to 5 +, the self employed parent tends to take the brunt of the hit. Since I have to do most pick ups and drop offs until I can afford mre care, my business has suffered.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave", "Enhanced Shared Parental Leave (employees only)"]

My career has basically been on hold since I had a baby, and even now I'm the one taking on the majority of the childcare or sacrificing when my work commitments when the kid is sick etc.

Obviously my earning potential has massively decreased since having my son, but maternity leave was particularly hard. All of my Maternity Allowance went straight towards household bills, my partner then had to help me cover my existing, personal monthly direct debits which left me with less than zero money to do anything at all. This meant I went to very little 'mother & baby' activities or classes, even meeting people for a coffee was difficult and fed into feelings of isolation. I took 6 months off but I was building up credit card debt in the last couple of months, I don't think I'd take that long off again... And we're super lucky to have one of us with a good income, I can only imagine what it must be like for two self-employed parents, single parents or couples with smaller incomes between them.

No difference

["Other (please specify)"]

Help with childcare before the age of three would be most beneficial. As I am growing a business I feel guilty about taking on projects which don't pay well, even though they are developing my skills, as we have to rely on family help to cover childcare.

I 'work' 2 days a week while baby is in nursery and then top that up in the evenings or with sympathetic client meetings who don't mind her being there. Partner is about to start a new full time contract so we will need to see how this works out as evening meetings will not be possible while he is away for work (living in Bristol, working in London)

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]

It was about three months whenI started taking on projects again, but only small ones.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

Would have meant I could have completed work within daytime hours and under less stress.

My husband would have liked to spend more time with the baby and I would have liked to work more without using childcare witihn the first year at least, and less childcare in the second year.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

I have not had a second child because of being self-employed. I still want to have a second child but I'm nearly 40 and have to delay this due to financial circumstances - I cannot guarantee that I will have work to go back to after 9 months of statutory maternity pay, which is hard enough to live off, especially in London and as a single parent.

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave", "A dedicated fathers leave"]

My husband's company is remarkably flexible - otherwise, I would not have been able to return to work

["Other (please specify)"]

Better childcare for our disabled child. As she gets older it gets more expensive so situation will get worse, not better. Plus as the mother, society and as a result my husband expects me to stay at home rather than do childcare equally even though we have same wage.

Being able to claim part or all of childcare costs from when I went back to work.

It's very hard when you're both self employed. My husband was running a start up SME so he couldn't take time off, although he had more flexibility than a lot of employees. I found suddenly not working and not interacting with colleagues and friends, being alone with a baby very difficult and isolating.

No difference

["Other (please specify)"]

As a retired teacher who worked in socially challenging areas, I can inform from first hand experience that a stable and loving household with sufficient income to enable their children to be fed, clothed and cared for is over 50% of the battle teachers can face in the classroom

10 months in total including 4 months of pregnancy

6 months including 4 months of pregnancy

["Being eligible for Shared Parental Leave"]

We have to take turns working and as soon as I went back to work my maternity allowance was cut off even though I was eligible for a few more months. My partner had to look after our baby but couldn’t benefit from the allowance that i had so our income was limited. .

2 week paternity + 4 weeks annual leave

["Other (please specify)"]

Wife ended up shouldering the burden of childcare and felt unhappy that she was unable to work. Lack of money added to the stress of having a baby

Three or four years for each but the two overlapped

3 weeks with the first. None with the second.

["Other (please specify)"]

Husband couldn’t afford to not work. The circumstances meant he was financially not able to stop working with our second child. Three weeks with the first was great but not long enough. If he had taken any more time off, we couldn’t have financially survived. His work is better paid than mine and mine was very physical, so it took a long time for me to be able to resume work after my second and last baby. I didn’t work again until he was at nursery.

There felt like no choices so we made the best

["For us to use your answers as quotes (anonymously)", "To be put in contact with journalists about your experiences"]