re: How much time did you get/take off when your first child was born?

In Louisiana, guys can get FMLA for bonding with child in a solid block up to 12 weeks. Since I've been on the railroad, I've take between 1 and 2 weeks off for each child we've had so far. It's not paid time off but we usually have enough saved up for that long or if I still have vacation days to take I extend it with the vacation days. A lot of people don't know much about FMLA. I know I didn't before starting with the railroad but if you or your family member has a medical condition that requires you to be off to assist them, you just submit the forms to your employer and there is nothing they can do unless they catch you lying basically. You get 12 weeks a year with of FMLA to be taken intermittently. Migraines, chiropractic appointments that are mandatory that you may need to take your spouse to and other related illnesses that require time off for yourself or you immediate family for you to assist them is pretty much covered by FMLA. It's crazy how many people have and use it where I work. That's about the only thing we can't get in trouble for with our attendance policy so just about everyone has FMLA for something.

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'll probably be able to take a day for when she's born and then back to work the next day.

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Good luck with that. Even with a lot of family around, you'll need several days to help as your wife rests and recovers.

With my first, I got a week off. Although my boss only approved 3 days of sick time. Showed up after day 3 and the office manager sent me home.

About a month later my boss sent out a company wide email clearly defining his three days of sicktime policy for paternity leave.

I was able to take 4 weeks paid. I was ready to get out of the house at that point.