Maternity leave: how to change your life?

In this podcast, Marion welcomes Jill, a mother of 4 children. Jill is known on social networks as @jill_et_sa_tribu where she shares her life and the life of her family, through their travels around the world.

She tells us about her maternity leave and all the new experiences she lived with her family thanks to this period. The opportunity for us to talk to you about maternity leave and the change of life!

How long is maternity leave?

Maternity leave is composed of the prenatal phase (before the birth), and the postnatal phase (after the birth).

The length of the maternity leave will depend on several factors: if it is your first child, if you already have dependent children, and if it is a single or multiple pregnancy.

For a single pregnancy of a first or second child, the total duration of maternity leave will be 16 weeks (6 weeks prenatal and 10 weeks postnatal). From the third child onwards, the duration of maternity leave extends to 8 weeks prenatal and 18 weeks postnatal (for a total of 26 weeks).

For multiple pregnancies, the duration of maternity leave is extended to 12 weeks prenatal and 22 weeks postnatal, for a total duration of 34 weeks. Finally, for multiple pregnancies of triplets or more, the duration of maternity leave is extended by 24 weeks prenatal and 22 weeks postnatal.

Moreover, for the post-partum period, our menstrual panties are ideal: they ensure comfort and security in terms of absorption no matter what your activity is after the birth of your baby!

How to take advantage of maternity leave to change your life?

And why not take advantage of your maternity leave to change your life? That's what Jill tells us, she took advantage of her maternity leave to travel around the world with her children.

Going on a trip with young children can be scary at first. But, as Jill explains in this podcast episode, it's actually a whole new way to approach motherhood.

There are many benefits: it opens their minds and sparks their curiosity.
Whether it's discovering new landscapes, new cultures, new tastes (through the discovery of local food), or even learning a new language.

Traveling with children, Jill explains, is also about discovering a new way to travel and enjoy the journey. Seeing your child marvel at each landscape, and reading the joy in their eyes, is giving you a different perspective on the country.
Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone with your children! Children are much more adaptable than adults, so take advantage of it!

How to reconcile travel and motherhood? How to travel with children?

The hardest part about traveling with kids is taking the plunge and leaving everything behind (for a long trip of course, as Jill explains in the podcast)!
If the idea of a far away destination scares you at first, choose destinations in France for example where you know you won't have any difficulties with care in case of illness etc...

The same goes for the means of transportation you choose, don't take the plane if it scares you, choose the train! Go in stages.

Also take time for yourself: if you are stressed, your children will be too and it will make the trip more complicated.

But, it is obvious that a trip must be organized! Even more so with children. Whether you are leaving for 6 months or 2 weeks, you need a minimum of organization to avoid being caught off guard, so here are a few tips:

• Check your children's vaccinations (and yours at the same time), especially if you plan to go to a country where certain diseases are particularly widespread. Anti-malaria treatments to be taken before leaving are particularly recommended. For more information, you can contact your health care professional.
• Check your children's passports and identity cards: they must be up to date and valid, just like you as an adult.
• Bring a first aid kit, if you are anxious to leave, to reassure yourself that you have medication and other items at hand, and a bandage or a compress will always be useful for your little adventurers!
• Depending on where you are going, plan for appropriate clothing: for example, if you are going to a country where mosquitoes and malaria are present, it is better to plan for long sleeves for your children's clothing.

How to manage jet lag when traveling with children?

The sleep rhythm of small children can already be complicated in normal circumstances, but this does not mean that you cannot leave for a destination where there is a time difference. You'll just have to prepare your baby.
You can delay or progressively advance the bedtime of your children (depending on the country you are going to), a few days before leaving.
The body takes about 48 hours to adapt to jet lag, and a week to be well adjusted.
In short, don't be afraid to leave your comfort zone with your children, they adapt easily! Traveling with children is to offer them an awakening and a curiosity about different cultures.