Once I sat behind the desk for light duty, it hit me that this pregnancy was real. This process is underway, and life is going to look different. There was the emotional toll that came with the change in job description (see Part 1). But this new position gave me the opportunity to dig a little deeper into, and fret over, what I do once I have the kid. I made a pre-plan of sorts for maternity leave. Remember, you can pre-plan as much as you want, but like any fireground, you have to have the ability to adapt. There were six big questions that popped up as I built out my pre-plan.
1/ What are my department’s policies on maternity leave?
Under FMLA, they’re required to protect my position for up to 12 weeks. Many states have Paid Family Medical, but because most fire departments are employed under municipalities, they are not required to offer paid leave.
Side note: A friend at my gym who works as an RN asked if I would be taking the full paid time off. She, like every person I told, was surprised to find out that paid leave wasn’t offered. Most hospitals in the area offered up to six months of fully paid or, at least partially paid leave! Private industry, what a different world.
2/ Can I afford unpaid leave, and for how long?
Some folks have the ability to go unpaid for a few months. I admittedly found myself in a bit of a pinch with an unexpected pregnancy and/or a reliable partner to lean on at the time. What did my savings look like? Could I estimate how much the medical bills amount to, or what child care costs would look like? Where could I save money?
3/ How much sick time do I have?
Had I been expecting a pregnancy, I might have stocked up on sick time. I was also fairly new. At three years on this department, the sick time that rolled over didn’t look as cushy as someone’s who’s been on for more than a decade. Getting a baseline reading of the time I had available for paid time off gave me my foundation for planning.
4/ Do I have short-term disability coverage?
What is my differential? When I got hired, I was oblivious to what I might really need. I felt strong, healthy, invincible. Why would I need to pay all that money for short-term if I could bounce back easily? I had no idea what a differential was. I just picked the package that was least expensive. As it turns out, with the plan I had, I wouldn’t be covered until after my unpaid leave ran out. It’s not guaranteed that if you get injured, you will get injured on duty. That shoveling back injury, Sunday league ankle injury, or getting pregnant gets covered by that short-term disability. Short-term disability has benefits to help pay bills while you’re not able to work, and many include a maternity benefit. Picking a differential based on the sick time I had would have been more beneficial.
Side note: For the newbie adults like me, the shorter your differential, the sooner you get covered.
5/ Does my union have a sick bank?
Our department contract includes a sick bank with time available for employees who have an “extended illness,” with other stipulations in place. My union rep knew what that contract language looked like and if it was available to me. Be sure to meet with your rep to ensure you understand the technical aspects of your contract.
6/ What do I need?
As I mentioned, you can pre-plan all you want, but you need to be able to adapt. There are a lot of unknowns that come with pregnancy. I could be early, late, have a natural birth, a cesarean, have a health condition pop up … There are so many factors that can contribute to how much time I would need off from work.
According to my OB, the industry standard for a birth without complications is a recommended minimum of 6-8 weeks recovery before returning to “normal” activity. But every body and birth is different. What’s more is what does “normal” activity mean to someone with a physically demanding job? Pelvic floor muscles can take up to a year postpartum to heal, and a huge part of my job is the core stability to lift, carry, and move awkwardly under load. Talking to your doctor can provide a general idea of what recovery might look like, best-case and worst-case scenario.
At the time of writing this article, I am about a week out from my due date. I am less afraid than I was when I started planning because I’m physically and emotionally over being pregnant, and because I have my “pre-plan” plan in place. My pre-plan looks a lot like it might for a fireground. It’s more about knowing what resources are available to me and when to implement them, given certain circumstances. Even more so, like on the fireground, I know that, even with the limitations I might face, my crew is with me and has my back. I can get through this because I’m not facing it alone.
