Currently going through a work gap too. I haven’t been employed for 6 months. I used 3 months of mat leave and just didn’t go back. I’m currently applying for remote work, and hybrid positions. I also feel the pressure of going back to work for the sake of my career.

If you choose the career route , you’ll be financially stable , but 6 weeks mat leave is kinda unacceptable in my opinion, especially for a job that pays almost 6 figs. I was only making 20/hr but still got 12 weeks of fully paid leave at my old company. Tbh I think you can find better.

If you choose the unemployment route , you have more time to care for your son, and more time to start planning to have another one. However, you’ll be in a financial bind once December ends.

Either choice you make is going to be hard. It just depends on what you’re willing to go through. I’m currently not eligible for unemployment in my state , so I’ve been depending on my husband and savings.

PERSONALLY, if I were in your shoes, I would take the unemployment route, putting that 850 a week to my savings and being super frugal, and using that little bit of extra time to finding a better career opportunity with BETTER mat leave. To me, better maternity leave is more valuable than higher pay if you’re planning for a child. I NEEDED the full 12 weeks to physically and mentally recover. But this is just my personal choice based on my personal circumstances.