Only 12% of American workers qualify to take 12 weeks of paid leave through their employer. Sadly, I’m not among them.
After my daughter Rose was born in 2015, I managed to take seven full weeks off. I arranged with my employer to work part time for five additional weeks before returning to full-time hours.
Now I’m expecting my second child and hope to take the full 12 weeks — but only if I can accumulate enough savings to be off work for three months.
I’m lucky to have some sick days and vacation time I can apply to maternity leave, but I’m still facing roughly seven weeks without pay. Besides the usual preparations for a newborn, I worry about how we’ll manage without my regular income.
My target is to stash away about $800 per month, which I’ve mostly met by freelancing, canceling our home alarm subscription and switching my daughter to a less expensive daycare.
Trimming costs and saving from the moment you learn you’re pregnant until your last day on the job can make it realistic to take unpaid leave.
Plan Ahead
Being pregnant in the U.S. can be stressful, particularly if you work full time and want a substantial maternity leave. The Washington Post notes that the U.S. is one of only three nations that doesn’t ensure paid maternity leave for new moms. If you’re self-employed or your job doesn’t offer paid leave, you may need to plan for unpaid time off.
It’s wise to start a savings strategy as soon as that positive pregnancy test. The more lead time you have, the better prepared you’ll be when the baby arrives.
What Can You Live Without?
When I discovered I was expecting, I had just finished paying off my car, so the first thing I did was redirect what had been my car payment into a separate savings account each month. I was accustomed to that outflow, so it was simple to convert the habit into saving for maternity leave.
While I was pregnant with Rose, my husband Ben and I cut the cord on cable so we could funnel that money into my leave fund. We also switched our dog’s food from a high-end brand to a Costco alternative that cost a fraction of what we’d been paying.
Those modest yet meaningful adjustments helped us grow our savings faster. We kept the Costco dog food and the no-cable setup even after Rose arrived, which eased the financial strain of kid expenses like formula and childcare.
Some reductions might become permanent, but even temporary belt-tightening will accelerate the growth of your maternity savings. Use coupons, buy lower-cost brands for food, toiletries and clothes, and be mindful of impulse purchases.
MSN suggests opting for generic versions of canned beans, meat, frozen produce, snacks and baking essentials (like sugar, baking soda and mixes) to stretch your budget. Cash-back apps such as Ibotta can also return a little cash when you shop at participating retailers.
Consider All of the Expenses
Lost income isn’t the only cost to prepare for when bringing home a baby. You’ll also face new expenses like medical bills, maternity wear, infant necessities and potentially higher utility bills.
Just last week I opened a stack of unexpected invoices. With Rose I had good insurance and only small prenatal charges, but this time our insurer is different, and I received a $900 bill for a 12-week ultrasound plus additional charges for bloodwork.
Altogether, I ended up paying $1,300 out of pocket for services I assumed would be covered. I expect another sizable bill for my upcoming 20-week ultrasound.
A big part of the issue was agreeing to tests that weren’t covered by our plan — something I should have checked in advance. It’s a tough lesson, and from now on I’ll call my insurer before any procedure to confirm out-of-pocket costs.
You’ll also need clothing that accommodates a growing bump. If this is your first pregnancy, you likely don’t own maternity clothes, and buying new items can be pricey.
Look for local mom groups on Facebook or in person to see if anyone is selling secondhand maternity clothes rather than rushing to the mall. Thrift stores can have options too, though inventory varies. One Savinly reader spent under $200 on her maternity wardrobe.
The same thrift-or-marketplace approach applies to baby gear. You can collect freebies online and build a smart registry, but eventually you’ll spend money. Check Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for used local pick-up items like high chairs and baby swings to avoid paying premium prices at specialty baby stores.
Use Your Skills
Are there ways you can earn extra income while pregnant? Perhaps you can tutor math, offer dog-walking services, or use another skill to bring in side cash. Chances are there’s something you can do to add to your maternity fund.
As a writer and editor, I funneled all my freelance earnings into my maternity savings. That way I didn’t need to tap as much from my regular paycheck and could still indulge in the occasional takeout when I was too tired to cook.
Saving for maternity leave can feel overwhelming initially, but with planning and a few sacrifices you can sock away money each month to rely on once your baby arrives.
Amanda Reid is expecting her second child. When she’s not frantically building her maternity fund, she enjoys running, cooking and rereading the Harry Potter series.
