I Just Finished 8 Months of Maternity Leave in Iceland. Here’s What It Was Really Like.

After eight months of maternity leave in Iceland, I’m finally back to work. Looking back, I can honestly say that this experience has given me an entirely new appreciation for Iceland’s parental leave system.

Before becoming a mom, I had so many questions. Would I qualify since I own my own business? How would my payments be calculated? How much time would I actually get with Eva? And what would maternity leave even feel like?

In this episode/blog, I’m sharing both how parental leave works in Iceland and my personal experience navigating it as a first-time mom.

https://youtu.be/BzbZjLI2-xo

How Parental Leave Works in Iceland

One of the things I love most about Iceland’s parental leave system is that it’s designed for both parents.

Each parent is entitled to six months of parental leave, giving families a total of twelve months together. Parents also have the option to transfer up to six weeks of their leave to one another, while still encouraging both parents to spend meaningful time bonding with their child.

Another aspect I really appreciate is the flexibility. Parents can spread their leave out and use it until the child turns two years old.

In our family, I decided to take my leave all at once, while Halli took the first three months immediately after Eva was born. He still has additional leave remaining that he plans to use before she turns two.

For me, this flexibility is one of the strongest parts of Iceland’s system because every family’s needs are different.

My Experience Taking Leave as a Self-Employed Business Owner

One of my biggest concerns before having Eva was whether I would qualify for parental leave since I own my own company.