Having a First Versus a Second Child: Comparing Women's Maternity Leave Choices and Concerns

There are good reasons to suspect that the transition parents go through when having their second child may be different from when having their first, yet these differences remain understudied. This study focuses on one specific area of possible divergence by looking at how first-time versus second-time mothers decide on maternity leave length. To address this question, a series of in-depth semistructured longitudinal interviews were conducted at three different times over the course of 1 year with 16 pregnant public school teachers; 8 of whom were having their first child and 8 their second child. Findings indicate that some areas in which differences emerged include the level of influence of the Family and Medical Leave Act guidelines, comfort level with using paid child care, and the gendered nature of their parenting ideologies.