When I was interviewing with Brilliant Ink, I remember being impressed by the unlimited vacation policy, generous bonus program, and attractive benefits, but I never thought to inquire about the company’s maternity leave policy. Perhaps I’m wrong here, but unless having a child is in your immediate future plan, a maternity-leave policy isn’t even a thought in your mind – at least it wasn’t with me. That is, until I found out I was expecting.

Suddenly, I felt stressed and overwhelmed about how little I knew about maternity leave. How much time will I be able to take off to spend with my newborn? How much paid time do companies typically cover? Do I have to file for short-term disability? What government maternity programs exist? Since I didn’t want to go public with my happy news until after the first trimester, I depended heavily on Google and my girlfriends for answers to my questions, and the information I got was frightening.

It turns out, there is no “standard” when it comes to maternity leave, but from what I researched, many companies offer anywhere from four to eight weeks of paid leave, while others don’t offer any paid leave at all. Then you have government disability, which in New York, is barely enough to cover diapers.  

My short-lived anxiety came to a screeching halt when I discovered that Brilliant Ink offers 12 full weeks of paid maternity leave. By American standards, 12 weeks of company-paid maternity leave is almost unheard of.

The journey to motherhood is such an overwhelming experience. Along with the bursting-at-the-seams excitement, there is so much to think about and plan for. Not having to stress about maternity leave, and having 12 (sleep-deprived, yet blissful) weeks to bond with my son is the greatest gift I could have asked for.