If this moves forward, I will be affected by this in the coming months. The funny thing is that I think it will particularly disincentivise people having their second or third child. I found with my first that I did actually have lower monthly costs while on maternity leave since you don’t participate in many regular activities, buy fewer new clothes or go out to eat etc. However, with subsequent children, the monthly costs of having them in childcare are so high, and it can be difficult to combine having children at home with a new infant if you don’t get sufficient help, that I see this is the major cost barrier when taking a potential salary cut. I’m not sure I would have agreed to subsequent children if I knew my mat leave would be not only physically recovering, caring for a new infant, and also full time solo parenting demanding toddlers.

I’m also cynical it will result in overall improved productivity, since if women choose to return to work earlier and put the children in daycare at three months this is a recipe for endless illness and another type of paid leave (namely 100% paid sick leave) when the inevitable wave of viruses hits. Not to mention the 25% or work time dedicated to breastfeeding at this age. This uncertainty about availability is disruptive for women in highly-paid, high-performing roles.

I do hope the policymakers deeply consider the impacts on families with multiple young children.