How long did your partner get for paternity leave?

[Shanti]

I'm in the same boat as you Ren.

Alibaby. It sucks huh!! Wish my DH could have even just 3 days at home with us in the first week so he can bond with bub.... I know i'll cope ok on my own and he's wonderful when he is home and helps out so much and cooks for us etc but when he's at work I'm really gonna miss him!! I'll be calling him to come home early every day he'll be home weekends so we can have real quality family time then.

I do feel though, I'll be able to establish routine etc and independence much faster than maybe someone who has their DH home for like 3-4 weeks. As in, I will be forced to just do it all on my own and wont' have to worry about a time when DH has to go back to work because i won't have relied on him as much iykwim? So think of it that way, at least we are adapting to how it will be right from the word go.... not having help around during the day kwim??

[Indadhanu]

Shel got I think it was 6 weeks unpaid 'paternity' leave, but she had saved up her holidays/annual leave and took 6 weeks paid off. TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO long IMO, but then I just wanted to get into the seing of things and Shel took it more like a holiday She bonded with Jazz and it was great for them, but for me I would have liked maybe 2-3 weeks off after the birth and maybe a week off at 2 and then 3 months old... Just to give me a break, as at those times I generally had a meltdown and could have used a good sleep.

[nic]

For me, I preferred the time off at the start. But we are pretty fortunate with DH's roster in that he works a 3 week cycle, and in those 3 weeks he works 11 days ( 6 days and 5 nights to be exact)

His first week back at work was 3 nights, and then he had 4 Rostered days off, followed by 3 days and 2 nights then 5 days off then another 3 days, one off and start all over again.

Having the c/s, I found it useful having DH home from the start. Having an older child going to school was also helpful him being home to do the school run. Many different circumstances. What works now might not work next time for you?

[Jas]

DH had 2weeks off with Noah and we are planning on around the same time this time. He doesn't get paid ppaterntiy leave so he just used annual leave, he also gets 1 rdo a month at the moment he has 8 stored up so he's having this week up to use some but will have those as well as his annual leave to use but yea at least 2 weeks

[mrscricket]

DH took 4 weeks off which was great for the first couple as I had a c-section but by the end of the 4th week I was pretty ready for him to go back.. which sounds horrible - but only in that I wanted to start establishing a bit of a routine for me and DS

[Pandora]

I think he can have 1 week unpaid leave.
I am not sure how much annual leave he will have available to use but I doubt it would be more than a week, but then he woud have another week at the 2 month mark so could possible take one off then.

[Olive]

last time DH took 2.5 weeks off, took A/L for 2 weeks and a few sick days, this time he's having 3 weeks, 2 weeks A/L and i week paid paternity leave, which i think is fantastic all work places should have paid paternity leave