Taking Paternity Leave: A Wise Decision If Your Situation Allows

Childbirth is no easy feat. Mothers are truly rare gems. The most challenging and difficult period in the life of a mother is during pregnancy. Pregnancy is a journey filled with challenges, difficulties, and discomforts. From severe headache and stomach pain to dizziness, restlessness, and weird cravings, pregnancy is really a zig-zag journey. When the pregnant woman finally gives birth, the journey seems complete, but that is when another journey begins. The journey of motherhood. In my country, and so many other places (if not all), after a woman gives birth, she is given a period off from her workplace. Childbirth is draining. The woman needs to rest, take good care of the baby, and bond with them. The break from work is called maternity or parental leave.

In my country, the law states that women must be given at least 6 weeks leave after giving birth. It should be noted that this law varies from one to another. While some organizations give more than 6 weeks, others give less than that. In my mom’s workplace, women are given a six month maternity leave after giving birth. After giving birth, a woman’s body is weak and unable to perform the usual day to day tasks. This is a period when she needs all the love, care, and support she can get. Her sole duty is breastfeeding, and taking care of the baby, while another person handles the household responsibilities. Adding household responsibilities would be a lot of burden that the mother might not be able to handle. This is why it is important to have a helping hand, whether it’s a partner, family member, or friend.

When it comes to raising a child, one topic that has raised debates and arguments is whether fathers should also be given a period off work when their wife just gives birth. It is important to note that raising a child is the responsibility of both the husband and the wife. When a woman gives birth, she is given maternity leave to recover and take care of her newborn. Now, the big question is; should the father also get such treatment? In Nigeria, the law states that male civil servants are entitled to 14 days of paternity leave. Unfortunately, not so many organizations follow this law. Also, some husbands who are not civil servants have to keep working so as to be able to put food on the table.

The concept of paternity leave is totally amazing. As I mentioned earlier, when a woman just gives birth, she needs all the support, love, and care she can get. The husband’s presence would go a long way in making things easier. It would be nice if the husband also took a break from work to help the wife and bond with the baby, but things are quite complicated. On the surface, paternity leave seems appealing , but there are so many things to consider.

In many homes, the father is the breadwinner. Meaning, the father is in charge of providing for the family. He brings food to the table. Let’s use this as an example; the father has a job where he gets paid daily. If he doesn’t go to work for a day, he won’t get paid for that day. Paternity leave for this type of family wouldn’t work. Who would provide for the baby and the wife? The baby needs so many things; clothes, food, medicine, and so on. If the father takes a break from his job, who would take care of these needs? In this type of family where the father’s income is crucial, paternity leave is not feasible. This is where family members or friends come in. After childbirth, a wife should be surrounded by people who would help her, and if the husband is busy, someone else must fill the gap.

On the other hand, if the family is financially stable. For example, if the husband is the CEO of an organization and the family is well-off, then taking paternity leave can be a great opportunity for him to support the wife with household responsibilities, take care, and also bond with the baby.

Summarily, if the circumstances allow, husbands should take paternity leave and make good use of it.

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Thanks for reading.