How to plan parental leave around your due date
Planning parental leave is easier when you start early and plan together. Here is a simple way to do it, step by step.
Step by step
- Find your country’s rules on the official government website, or use the leave calculator.
- Note what is compulsory (for example the weeks right after the birth).
- Decide together who takes which weeks, and write it in your calendar.
- Tell your employers in time: notice periods apply.
Share the time
Where both parents have leave, many families take some weeks together after the birth and stagger the rest. Use the leave calculator for your dates, and talk it through with the Same Page check.
Questions to talk about together
- Who will be at home in the first weeks, and who after that?
- Do you want some weeks off at the same time?
- How will money work during lower-paid or unpaid weeks?
- Who will do the night feeds? The night shift planner can help.
If the baby comes early or late
Plans made from the due date often move a little. In the UK, if your baby comes early, maternity leave starts the day after the birth (GOV.UK). Check your dates again when your baby arrives, and tell your employer.
Questions people ask
Can both parents be on leave at the same time?
Often yes, but it depends on your country. In the UK, for example, paternity leave can be taken in the weeks after the birth, so it can overlap with maternity leave (GOV.UK).
When should we start planning our leave?
As early as you can. Notice periods apply, so check your employer’s rules and the official rules for your country in good time.
What if the baby comes early?
Leave after the birth usually starts from the real birth date. In the UK, maternity leave then starts the day after the birth (GOV.UK).
Should we write the plan down?
Yes. Put the dates in a shared calendar: the leave calculator can add them for you. It helps you both, and your employers.
Who should we ask if our situation is different?
Ask your employer or HR team first, then the official government service in your country. Self-employed parents often have different rules.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Maternity pay and leave · checked October 26, 2026
- GOV.UK: Paternity pay and leave · checked October 26, 2026
- U.S. Department of Labor: FMLA · checked October 26, 2026
- Government of Canada: EI maternity and parental benefits · checked October 26, 2026
- Services Australia: How much Parental Leave Pay you can get · checked October 25, 2026
- PIB: Code on Social Security 2020, maternity benefit · checked October 25, 2026