What to expect when you're expecting: The second trimester

You may be developing a bump and hopefully the early pregnancy symptoms have started to subside.

At the early stage you're not obligated to tell your employer about your maternity leave, but you should do so before 24 weeks of pregnancy. There is more information about your rights and responsibilities here.

In the 5th month of your pregnancy, you will have a check up with your doctor where the length of your cervix will be measured and it is routinely in Luxembourg to have a vaginal swab to detect Streptococcus B, which is treated during labour if you are to test positive.

At 22-24 weeks of pregnancy you will have your second major ultrasound which is referred to as T2, it's a thorough ultrasound that takes about 40 minutes.

The majority of women will also not be immune to Toxoplasmosis which is a parasite found in raw meat, unwashed salads and unpasteurised cheese. While it is fine to contract it while you're not pregnant, once pregnant it can be fatal to the foetus. Your midwife will advise you on how to prepare your food to avoid this and what not to order in a restaurant.

You will also be given a blood and urine test each month to make sure that you are safe. I highly recommend drinking lots of water before your appointments as your blood is drawn more easily when you are hydrated and the urine samples will be an absolute breeze for you then too!

For those who have a family history of diabetes or have had a baby weighing more than 4kg, you will be invited to take a test for gestational diabetes. You will need to be fasting for this, you will be offered an extremely sweet syrupy drink and then monitored for 2 hours and blood tests will be taken before and after to see how your body manages the high sugar intake.

Personally, I found this quite difficult but my Dr suggested putting a few drops of lemon juice into the drink to help it go down more easily.

The Luxembourgish government offers a birth allowance currently set to €1,740.09 available to every resident or employee in Luxembourg. It will be paid in 3 instalments of €580.03.

In order to receive the allowance you must have at least 5 medical examinations and a dentist examination. The allowance is paid to the person who is looking after the child and the final instalment will be paid after the child’s second birthday.

As well as physical changes to your body, you will understandably want to prepare for the changes that will happen in the workplace too. It can be a lot to take in so I've drawn a timeline of what the maternity/parental/paternity leave dates look like.

Please be aware that the dates are the very latest you should apply for your leave, it really is best to get it done as soon as possible to avoid procedure delays.

© RTL Grafik

Who is entitled to maternity leave?

If you're an employee, self-employed or an apprentice, you're entitled to maternity leave.

How long is maternity leave in Luxembourg?

Here you can calculate your maternity leave start date. It usually starts 8 weeks before your due date. Please be aware that if you happen to give birth before the expected date the antenatal dates are not added to the postnatal leave. If the birth occurs after the expected date, the antenatal leave is extended until the effective date of birth of the child.

Postnatal leave is effective from your delivery date and continues for 12 weeks after your child is born.

I'm going back to work but I will still be breastfeeding

You are legally entitled to breastfeeding breaks of either 2 periods of 45 minutes or a single 90 minute period. You can discuss this with your employer but you may also find it useful to finish your day earlier so that you can breastfeed somewhere private and comfortable.

You may be asked to present a medical certificate as proof of breastfeeding and this is given to you by your doctor.

What about fathers?

The law was changed about 2 years ago and fathers were given 10 days instead of the previous 2 days allowance so fathers can now take 10 days paid paternity leave after the birth of the child.

The default is from the date of birth of the child, unless you reach an alternative agreement with your employer, in which case it needs to be taken within the first 2 months.

Am I entitled to parental leave?

There are 2 parental leaves in the Luxembourg system, the first is viable for any parent who is employed full-time and part time, self employed or an apprentice.

The second parental leave is available for salaried employees. The first parental leave must be requested at the latest 2 months before the start of the maternity leave or adoption leave.

It must also be taken by either one of the parents immediately after maternity or in the case of adoption, immediately after adoption leave.

You are entitled to either 4 or 6 months full time or 8 or 12 months part time. You can also opt for split leave which gives you 4 periods of 1 month off at a maximum of 20 months or 1 or 2 half days off per week for a maximum of 20 months.

The second parental leave must be taken before the child's 6th birthday and in the case of adoption, before the child's 12th birthday.

Whilst the parental leave opportunities are great in this country, parents often feel that the system is quite rigid. Once your parental leave has begun, the type of leave cannot be changed and this can be quite difficult for a lot of first-time parents who don't know what to expect or what they will prefer as a family.

One of the most important things to remember is that most forms require signatures, permission and time to submit. So be vigilant about when you need to be doing what. The Guichet website is full of information and between their contact, the CNS, and the Zukunftkeess, they are very responsive by email and can help you for your own specific situation.

The full series

You can find Marina's recommendations and steps that you should remember to take before, during, and after delivery in the five parts of this series:

The first trimester
The second trimester
The third trimester
The "fourth trimester"
Childcare and beyond