Right now, the government has created proposals to alter the current maternity and paternity leave system. Dads could get more leave, taking over a proportion of the mother’s leave if she chooses to go back to work after 20 weeks. And small firms employing 10 staff or less could get an exemption from offering some maternity and paternity rights.  From my point of view, the first proposal has lots to recommend it, while the second is scary and could drive mums back to work before they and their baby are …

Today ministers meeting at the EU Employment and Social Affairs Council on Monday 6 December will be discussing the European Parliament’s proposals to extend maternity leave to 20 weeks and possibly change it from partial pay to full pay. I know that Family Friendly Working is read by a good mix of parents and small business owners, and I’d love to know your views on this.

Duncan Fisher, author of Baby’s Here! Who Does What?
Don’t end up with one parent doing all the caring and the other doing all the earning unless you really cannot avoid it.

Did you (or your partner) take paternity leave? Many men want to, but few get to access the leave they need to start family life, and even fewer then go on to request flexible working.  In the Guardian last week, Rob Williams of the Fatherhood Institute wrote about the UK’s dysfunctional paternity leave system. He highlights how, “the unequal sharing of caring is a big driver of the gender pay gap.”
Until we manage to create a system where there is no gender pay gap, it will always make financial sense for the woman to take on …

New survey from the Birth Trauma Association reveals that almost 70 per cent of women do not get the birth experience they want
It’s supposed to be the happiest day of a new mother’s – and father’s life. But a new survey of more than 600 women from the Birth Trauma Association has revealed that for many new parents, it’s the worst. If you spent most of your maternity leave in a state of shock, or battled post natal depression after a difficult birth experience, read on to find out more.

FSB launches new flexible working report proposing major reforms to childcare and maternity leave
The Government must reform statutory maternity and paternity pay to give small businesses certainty over employee’s family leave, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said in a new report today.

Are you working while pregnant? It isn’t easy to cope with the early signs of pregnancy whether you are in an office or have an active and physically demanding job. You may be concerned about sharing the good news to early, but telling your boss in confidence can put your employer in a position to look after you. If your work involves:

lifting or carrying heavy loads
standing or sitting for long periods
exposure to toxic substances
long working hours

If you’re going back to work, have you thought about using your parents or in-laws to help with childcare? Read this guest blog from Kate of Giggling at it All as she shares the ups and downs of this arrangement.
When you first have your baby, you are fascinated by the new little human being in your family.  I gazed at my first son and wanted to spend every minute of every day with him.  However, with a strong work ethic, a clueless feeling about being a mum and grandparents …

Has pregnancy made you rethink your career? I was speaking to a journalist from a national baby magazine about this yesterday. She asked me about the numbers of mums who were looking at changing career post baby, and I said that the majority of women who have a serious rethink … even if many decide that going back to work is the only option available due to contracts or financial commitments.

I had terrible morning sickness with my first pregnancy so I ended up telling my boss in confidence at around 8 weeks when I met her as I was going to the toilet again. If you don’t want to tell anyone until you reach 13 weeks but your tummy is getting bigger, you can’t stop snacking and are having to avoid post work drinks, here are some tips that might help, and advice on how to tell work when you are ready.