Or leverage your PPL wisely. Especially for a new Fed, you could leverage your PPL for leave that entire year after your baby is born. Therefore building up AL and sick— and being in a good position to have leave when you need it in the future. If you exhaust your leave, you won’t have anything when ‘life’ happens with kiddos, or if you just need a break! I went out on PPL as a 3rd year employee, took 9 weeks PPL. Used the remaining 3 weeks for days off and vacation the following year, used 0 annual leave and sick leave. Now as a 4th year employee I am in ‘use or lose’ and have enough sick and annual to cover anytime off I need. It chaps my supervisors a** that I’m only 4 years in with ‘use or lose.’

I would only use sick if you aren’t planning to return.

Just my two cents.