# How leave is split

**How should we split parental leave between us?**

How the time off is divided between you: all by the birth parent, an overlap, a solo block for the other parent, or roughly equal.

In short: Parents choose between 4 main approaches: Birth parent takes all; Partner takes a short overlap; Partner takes a solo block afterward; Roughly equal. Evidence: evidence leans one way. Research or guidance points in a direction, but it's thin, small or correlational. Best settled: during pregnancy.

- Area: Roles, work and the couple
- Evidence: Evidence leans one way
- Best settled: During pregnancy
- First published: 2026-10-03
- Last updated: 2026-10-05
- Page: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/topics/roles-work-and-the-couple--how-leave-is-split

## How leave is split: what are the options?

1. **Birth parent takes all**: The parent who gave birth takes all the leave.
2. **Partner takes a short overlap**: The other parent takes a short time off alongside at the start.
3. **Partner takes a solo block afterward**: After the birth parent returns to work, the other parent takes a stretch at home alone with the baby.
4. **Roughly equal**: You each take about the same amount of leave.

## How leave is split: what does the evidence say?

**Evidence leans one way.** Research or guidance points in a direction, but it's thin, small or correlational.

Quebec's reserved five weeks raised fathers' leave-taking by 53 points and their domestic work years later

Sources:

- [Patnaik](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272242845_Reserving_Time_for_Daddy_The_Short_and_Long-Run_Consequences_of_Fathers'_Quotas)

## What else is worth knowing?

How you divide leave affects how confident each of you becomes with the baby. Time alone as the main carer tends to build skills and habits that last. Some couples overlap at the start for support; others take turns to extend the time a parent is home.

## Questions to ask each other

- Do we want to be off together at first, one after the other, or both?
- What would the second parent want to be able to do alone with the baby?
- How would our split change if the birth is difficult?

---

General information, not medical advice. Two parents can each answer this and compare: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/explore?cat=roles-work-and-the-couple&topic=roles-work-and-the-couple--how-leave-is-split