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Maternity Leave and Maternity Benefit Act 2017
With the recent changes in the maternity leave laws of the country, there is a lot of new information to catch up on if you are planning a pregnancy. Here, we discuss in detail about the leaves you can avail during the period of being pregnant with a child, and other common queries on the topic.
What is Maternity Leave?
Maternity leave is a form of leave given to pregnant women to take care of the newborn child or children in the early stages of infancy. It also includes the last few weeks of pregnancy – termed as prenatal leave. For a period of the maternity break, the employee is entitled to full compensation from the establishment she works for.
The maternity leave policy in all Indian companies is drafted to adhere to the Maternity Leave Act (Amended 2017)
What is Maternity Leave Duration?
As per the amendment made to the Maternity Benefit Act in 2017, the maternity leave duration allowed is now 26 weeks, compared to the previous time period of 12 weeks. The duration allowed for prenatal leave is 12 weeks.
The leave duration allowed for women with two or more children is less – the maternity leave, in this case, is for 12 weeks and the prenatal leave is 6 weeks.
To be eligible for the Maternity Benefit Act, a woman must have been employed at the establishment for at least 80 days in the last 12 months.
In the unfortunate circumstance of a miscarriage, the employee is allowed 6 weeks leave, from the date of the incident.
When Can You Start Maternity Leave?
A pregnant employee can start her maternity leave up to 8 weeks before the delivery due date.
How to Apply for Maternity Leave?
Most companies have their own processes for leave application, including family leave and maternity leave. Maternity leave is usually applied a few weeks before the delivery due date. The Maternity Leave Act allows 8 weeks.
Are Both Paid and Unpaid Maternity Leave Allowed?
The extension of maternity leave depends on the circumstances that the mother or/and child may be facing. The period of 26 weeks, according to legislation is paid leave. Post the 26 weeks period, any leave (if granted by the employer) is usually considered as unpaid leave.
Do You Need to Pay Taxes When on Maternity Leave?
The pay that an employee receives during maternity leave will be considered for income tax, depending on the tax bracket she falls under.
Can You Extend Your Pregnancy Leave After 26 Weeks?
If the extension of the leave is required for health reasons, the employee can provide a proof of this requirement, with a certificate from a medical practitioner or an equivalent document. The establishment can ascertain the reasons and grant an extension accordingly. However, the Maternity Leave Act mandates full pay for only the 26 weeks prescribed.
What Will Happen Once Your Pregnancy Leave Period is Over?
The latest amendment to the Maternity Leave Act also allows a provision where the employee can work from home, but this is dependent on the nature of the work.
Can Your Boss Fire You Because You Are Pregnant?
The answer is no. Pregnancy cannot be a reason to fire someone.
There have been many advances in laws and general workplace attitudes towards working women, and it is always prudent for working women to understand their rights when it comes to pregnancy and the workplace. Under the Maternity Benefit Act, it is illegal for an employer to terminate a worker’s contract or job because of pregnancy.
What Benefits Will You Get While You Are on Leave for Pregnancy?
While on maternity leave, employees are entitled to pay. The maternity compensation is calculated at her average daily earnings over a three-month period immediately before the leave begins.
Can You Get Maternity Leave for Adopting a Child or Taking in a Foster Child?
Maternity leave is available for mothers adopting a newborn (less than 3 months) and the duration is 12 weeks from the date of adoption. There is no provision for adoption of older children.
Do You Need Maternity Insurance and How Do You Get One?
Childbirth is an expensive affair if you are choosing a private healthcare provider. Maternity coverage, in general, covers the related hospitalisation costs, pre and postnatal expenses during delivery, and also coverage for the newborn baby for the first 30 days. Most policies employ a waiting period of 2 to 4 years before you can claim maternity insurance, and some policies have waiting periods that extend to 6 years. The high premiums are offset by the fact that pregnancy is usually a controlled and planned event, which is a question of when rather than if. Most insurance providers that offer maternity plans can be contacted through regular channels like online aggregators and personal visits.
What if You Don't Go Back to Work After Maternity Leave is Over?
If you do not go back to work after maternity leave without a justification submitted to your employer, you will not have the right to compensation, as the Act mandates pay for the 26 week period only.
What Are the Other Benefits Entitled to Pregnant Woman?
The Maternity Benefit Act also states that in the 10 weeks leading up to the delivery date, no pregnant employee should be compelled to do arduous tasks that may affect the welfare of both mother and child.
If the concerned employee works in an establishment with more than 50 employees, then she has the right to crèche facility access when she returns to her job.
What is Maternity Benefit Act 2017?
Maternity leave laws are essential in any legal framework to protect the rights of employees. Maternity leave rights include pay, compassion from the employer, and certain privileges for the pregnant employee. In India, the Maternity Benefit Act 1961 entitles a female employee the time and resources to take care of her child. The latest amendments to the act, the Maternity Benefit Act 2017, have increased the maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks, 8 till the date of delivery and 18 post-childbirth.
The amendments have also expanded the scope of the act. Maternity leave for adoptive and surrogate mothers has also come under the ambit of the act. Access to crèche facilities for mothers working in an organisation with 50 or more people has also become mandatory per the Maternity Benefit Act 2017.
The mandate of the Act also includes education of women employees on their maternity rights and benefits at the workplace.
Why is Maternity Leave Important?
Becoming a mother is a big decision that comes with huge responsibilities. Though the journey of caring for a child is largely a joyful one, there are also moments where the baby’s well-being trumps the physical and mental health of parents. Hence, maternity leave comes with numerous advantages that benefit both, mother and child.
1. Health Benefits For the Baby
Since the first year is essential for the development and well-being of the baby, maternal leave allows mothers to care for their children, without financial burdens worrying them. Thus, infants are stronger and happier.
2. Psychological Well-Being of the Mother
Women who are provided maternity leave have a lower chance of post-partum depression, as they are always with their child, preventing feelings such as guilt, worry, or sadness from surfacing.
3. Retains Women in the Workforce
Maternity leave allows women to return to the employer, once their leave duration is up. This allows employers to retain women employees who greatly contribute to the company’s progress.
In a competitive economic landscape where women have often borne the brunt of unfair work practices, it is imperative that a young mother knows her rights as she balances raising a child with her vocational responsibilities. Legally speaking, India ranks well in comparison with most parts of the world when it comes to maternity leave durations. However, in reality, particularly in private and unorganised sectors, this record is woeful. Therefore, knowing your (or your loved ones) maternity leave rights is an important step in the right direction.
Also Read: How to Prepare for Going Back to Work After Maternity Leave Read more
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5 Easy Ways to Keep Your Toddler Safe in a Crowd
Be it an amusement, zoo, or crowded marketplace, it just takes a moment for your toddler to get lost in crowded places. Too young to rattle off vital contact information, they can be totally unprotected in such settings. So, what should you do to ensure your lil' tot is safe in a crowd?
Have you been planning a fun outing to this weekend? Are you all set to embark on a vacation to the beach? Your trip to a theme park, museum, ski-resort, or any other place packed with revelers will present ‘we-time’ together, but will be packed with the dangers of losing your toddler in the crowd. Even the most competent and careful parents may have to go through agonizing moments if their kids disappear after running off in a public place. Go over these 5 key strategies sure to protect your child in all crowded settings.
How to Keep Toddlers Safe in the Crowd
1. Tattoos, IDs, name bracelets
One of the essential tips for keeping toddlers safe at public places relates to putting IDs with phone numbers and names on them. Think of Disney World, Sesame Place, or any other theme park that clips on a bracelet on your wrist for happy times ahead. Temporary tattoos, ID stickers, cards in the pocket, and name bracelets would work the same way. Alongside, they would guarantee a quick call-back or lost-baby announcement in case your toddler chooses to go his own way!
2. Harnesses for child safety
They definitely sound rough and can make parents shrivel with the idea, but harnesses, aka leashes for safety, may serve to be a good idea for attaining more peace of mind. This is especially true in case your child's involved in a fun-activity that makes him want to leave your hand and disappear in crowded places. If these crowd safety tips for toddlers suit you, then you need to be prepared for some nasty looks coming your way. But then, your kiddo is safe!
3. Teach safety skills, the fun way
Advance safety training will make outings easier. For instance, games like ‘Red light, Green light’ will teach your toddler when to run away and when to stop. By learning how to listen and respond to your commands, they will give you complete attention in public places too.
4. Put your foot down on hand-holding
While in a crowded shopping mall, you need to stress upon some rules. Either your toddler holds your hand or is seated in the shopping trolley. You may like to mould these instructions to suit other settings too.
5. What is stranger safety?
Never leave things to chance when you toddler’s safety is concerned. You need to start very early on in life to impart more knowledge after "stranger danger.” Here, it becomes important to strike the right balance so that your baby does not start fearing all unknown faces, like that of your friends or family members. Talk about uniforms, or what he should do in case you're not in sight.
The best option will be to keep your child close to you by using a baby carrier, as much as possible. Your toddler’s safety in public places is also related to your alertness and awareness of all possible dangers that may come your baby’s way. Be prepared and you are good to go. Read more
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Mom-to-be Sameera Reddy Opens Up About Her First Postpartum Depression Experience
Just a few days ago, actress Sameera Reddy took to social media and posted a pic of her baby bump with the caption “Halfway there! #baby #bump can’t wait to meet you!”. She also opened up about how postpartum depression took control of her after the birth of her first child.
With popular Bollywood and Kollywood films like Race (2008) and Vaaranam Aayiram (2008) under her belt, Sameera exited the film industry after she conceived and put on weight. “I stopped stepping out because I feared that people will judge me. It became stressful to be in the public eye at that time. One part of my heart wanted to come back to the movies right after Hans was born, but the other part didn’t want to.”
Sameera is one of the few celebrities who don’t believe in sharing every tiny detail of their lives on social media. Then, what made her speak fearlessly about her post-pregnancy phase after a span of more than three years was one of the questions she was asked during the interview. “This time around, the pregnancy has been a lot easier on me. It’s joyous and I feel sexy about myself. I am so happy to be out there. This should be the way to deal with such a beautiful phase of your life. That’s why I decided to step out and flaunt my bump” Sameera said.
Like most moms-to-be, Sameera was unprepared for the changes her body would go through for the first time, making her first pregnancy an unnerving experience. The mother of 3-year-old Hans said that Raveena Tandon and Kajol inspired her to restart her career only when she felt ready enough.
[caption id="attachment_222253" align="aligncenter" width="533"] Source: Instagram[/caption]
However, she regrets that her decision to not go back to work and her new role as a mother put her under tremendous pressure. “I was freshly out of show business, but I was still caught up being who I had been for so many years. I felt major FOMO (fear of missing out). The thought that people will judge me for the way I look, refused to leave my mind when I was pregnant and even after I delivered.”
Falling rapidly into postpartum depression, she withdrew from the limelight and started keeping to herself. “My insecurities became too big and I was afraid people would judge me for my weight if I stepped out of my home”, she recalled.
[caption id="attachment_222252" align="aligncenter" width="533"] Source: Instagram[/caption]
When asked why she hadn’t chosen to speak out against body-shaming trolls instead of withdrawing from the public eye, she answered, “The difference is that people are more accepting of these things now. Kareena and Neha have stepped out and done whatever they wanted to do when they were carrying their babies and people appreciated it.”
“But, whenever society shames new moms for their weight, it makes me upset”, Reddy said. The actress is happy that her second pregnancy has been a lot easier and has made her feel more joyous and proud of her curves.
[caption id="attachment_222251" align="aligncenter" width="533"] Source: Instagram[/caption]
Many women go through postpartum depression because of the stigma associated with weight gain. We feel that body-shaming is unfair not only to moms and but also to the entire female community. Pregnant and new moms go through a lot of physical and emotional changes and when they don’t let themselves feel embarrassed about their appearance and physique, postpartum depression can be stopped in its tracks. Seeking help and support from loved ones can also increase happiness and make the parenting journey smooth sailing.
[caption id="attachment_222250" align="aligncenter" width="533"] Source: Instagram[/caption]
As far as work is concerned, Sameera plans to come back to movies after two years and on her terms. More power to her and all the moms who have fought the postpartum depression monster and prepared themselves for their second tiny tot! Read more
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'Babies Grow up Really Fast' Really? Wait Until You Begin Toilet Training Them!
There are many apprehensions for first time mothers, which must be done away with. A major one is the first encounter with baby pee and poop! Yes, it may sound really funny (or disgusting at pre-motherhood stage), but at some point of motherhood, you may end up obsessing about it. "Oh, it happened more than once yesterday today!", "Why is it not happening to her today?", "It looks different!" And so on. However, that's not the end of it. There is a mountain summit of toilet training to be conquered, which will make your baby's diaper days seem like a cakewalk.
I have signed up for it twice, hence the double summit. For my older one, there was a whole lot of convincing and counselling that happened every time I pleaded her to enter the washroom. Moreover, making her use it took a whole lot of juggling, singing, and senseless talk so that she did not try to escape. Ironically, it is just the opposite for my younger one. The washroom has become her hangout spot and I am facing a hard time explaining to the 22 month old that the place is to be visited only on a need basis.
Jokes apart, there are a number of internet videos and articles on guidelines for toilet training. Nonetheless, here is my compilation of disclaimers on the topic, purely based on experience. Do take a glance at it, if you are about to or already into the challenge.
Initially, it will happen just at the moment you step out of the washroom with your child, without fail. So, replace your new fancy doormats with old ones you can discard.
Do not ignore your toddler's call of visiting the hot seat even when it is hardly two minutes after your last parade. Sometimes, the job needs a couple of rounds to be certified as complete!
You have to master at least one performing art - singing, mimicry, story telling, or juggling. If you really thought that the toddler would sit there patiently with folded hands and a smiley face without you putting up a show, then I am sorry to break your bubble.
This one is the most crucial for those who have more than one toddler around. The 'trained' toddler will certainly want to visit the same washroom at the very same moment when the 'trainee' toddler is just beginning to feel enthusiastic about the visit. So have a contingency plan for this one in place, before hand.
Never be under the illusion that just because you made her visit the washroom before stepping outside, she will not ask you to take her to a restroom, just when you are relishing a plate of your favourite dessert at a lovely restaurant. Trust me, none of my outings is complete without me taking a trip to the restroom with my trainee. I may not know where the sale is happening in a mall, but ask me about the washrooms!
There may be some ulterior motive to visiting the washroom, like getting her hands on the new soap bar or an urge to play with the faucet, or simply an excuse to run away from the bowl of khichadi, when the toddler makes the sweetest face while saying, "Mumma, poo poo!"
Always, always, turn off the gas burner if you're cooking anything on it, before the washroom marathon with toddler. There is almost a 99.99% chance that the milk will overflow or curry will burn.
At the moment, I do not understand when people say, "Kids grow up so quickly. I never realised when mine did." Maybe I would say that, too, when many memories like these eventually turn into funny anecdotes. But, right now, I do live through every single day of motherhood, especially with my toilet training experiments.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her.
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Enjoying and Spending Quality Time with the Toddler While Travelling - Short Checklist and My Story
Hi, I am a mom of a 2-year 10months old baby. My hubby and I both like to travel, so when we r travelling wid my lil one who also likes to explore things around, we have to take care of some things like clothes, medicines, etc. So, I always have a checklist for him as my lil one is a bit fussy about eating. So, we have to carry some homemade products as he has zero spice tolerance level, so we carry some sweet pickle, some roasted Suji, homemade muffins, oats, ladoo, etc as its easy to travel. I would also like to say, please check the weather of the place and carry clothes accordingly. And most importantly, medicines, as if the lil one gets cold, cough, vomiting, you should have the basic medications. Please give your toddlers mineral water as they are prone to stomach infections. That's how I travel wid my lil one and explore the world around without any worries. Please also take care if any vaccination is due. Please give flu shots if you are travelling to other countries as it will keep the baby immune from any infections. Feed the baby as many fruits, soups and salads as possible, and whatever is comfortable for your baby to digest. If you're travelling to your native place, then there are no issues but when you are travelling to other cities for vacation, then preferably chose a clean hotel with some activities for the baby as babies tend to get bored easily if we don't make them indulge in some activities. Enjoy with them, play with them as this is the time to bond with the baby and it's the time when we are also relaxed. So, as winters are around, please go out and enjoy with your little ones as they deserve most of our time .... bye until next time...I think this will help moms take care while packing for a vacation.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her. Read more
Dr Vandan H Kumar has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
15 hours ago
Q. I am currently 32 week pregnant.I recently had growth scan.mu baby is in cephalic presentation. Does this change as I approach my due date. Also my EDD is July 25 and EDC is July 2. what is my expected due date. Also what is EDC?
Dr Vandan H Kumar
Paediatrician
14 hours ago
A. edc is expected date of delivery only.
that is 40 weeks
You will get more information for your query with your family doctor. You may meet your dr in person for proper guidance .
It is important to remain in contact with your doctor.
Swati Kar Samanta has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 7 months
14 hours ago
Q. why I am getting dizziness in my pregnancy
I am going with 3rd month of my pregnancy it's a very strong dizziness I feel at times means every day .....no other symptoms of pregnancy .Please help with elaboration .All okay means isn't part of this journey.
Read moreSwati Kar Samanta
Mom of a 2 m old girl
4 hours ago
A. Do consult your doctor as soon as you can. It's important to find the real reason because without that, proper medication is not possible.
Dr Priyanka Kalra has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
14 hours ago
Q. I am currently 32 week pregnant and had growth scan recently.My baby is in cephalic presentation.does this change after 36 week or does this remain the same?
Dr Priyanka Kalra
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
7 hours ago
A. usually fixed. better to show to specialist always as they get the correct diagnosis. try to avoid self and extra medication that will only complicate this and create more damage to the child
Rashmi has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
5 hours ago
Q. it's my 5 month n I still didn't went for check up yet not even once is it okay if I go now or?
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
5 hours ago
A. You should have started going from the very beginning itself once you get to know you’re pregnant but since you haven’t reached that now if you’re pregnancy has been healthy last five months please get it checked with your doctor also if you need to start with any supplements or diet the doctor would advise you after a ultrasound so please visit your gynaecologist
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
1 hour ago
Q. size chart is not correct for age of the baby
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
1 hour ago
A. generally it is available from Indian academy growth chart download from Google. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Nikitha has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
43 mins ago
Q. Mera 8 month start hu white distance hora mere ko
Nikitha
Mom of a 9 yr 5 m old boy
42 mins ago
A. hello since u are a expecting mom this would require a proper medical attention and it is better to check with your doctor and your doctor will be able to guide you better on examination of the same and advise you accordingly
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