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.
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.
Even though I’m the only employee at All Things Iceland, I still pay all of the required employer contributions, including payments into Iceland’s parental leave fund, known as the Fæðingarorlofssjóður.
One important difference for self-employed people is how parental leave payments are calculated.
Instead of looking at recent monthly wages like traditional employees, self-employed parents have their payments calculated using their average income from the previous tax year.
It was fascinating learning how that process worked, and thankfully everything went smoothly for me. Even so, it made me realize how important it is for self-employed people to understand these rules before planning parental leave.
Why I Chose Eight Months Instead of Six
Although I technically had six months of paid leave, I decided to spread those payments across eight months.
That meant receiving smaller monthly payments while allowing me to stay home with Eva for longer.
For me, six months simply didn’t feel like enough.
Maybe it was because I wanted to experience more of Iceland’s brighter spring and summer months with her, or maybe I simply wasn’t ready to jump back into work.
Whatever the reason, I’m incredibly grateful that Iceland gave me the flexibility to make that decision.
Understanding the Parental Leave Payments in Iceland
Parental leave in Iceland isn’t intended to fully replace a person’s salary.
Instead, the goal is to provide financial support so parents can spend meaningful time with their child during those first months.
One thing that surprised me was seeing how taxes and pension contributions affected my monthly payments. While the payment calculations were straightforward, it reminded me that the advertised amount is before taxes are deducted.
Overall, though, I appreciated having financial support while focusing on recovery and motherhood.
Applying for Parental Leave in Iceland
One thing that pleasantly surprised me was how straightforward the application process was.
Everything is completed online through Ísland.is, making the system relatively simple to navigate. Since I work for myself, I also involved my accountant to make sure all of my paperwork was submitted correctly.
I decided to begin my maternity leave before Eva’s due date so I could prepare our home, finish work projects, and mentally transition into motherhood. Looking back, giving myself that extra time before she arrived was one of the best decisions I made.
What 8 Months of Maternity Leave Was Really Like
Before Eva was born, I honestly had no idea what maternity leave would feel like. The beginning of my leave was a combination of overwhelming joy and genuine struggle.
After an emergency C-section, recovering physically while learning how to care for a newborn was incredibly challenging. I had also gained more than 60 pounds during pregnancy, so my body had a lot of healing to do.
One of the greatest blessings during those early months was having my mom come to Iceland to live with us for Eva’s first three months. She cooked, cleaned, did laundry, and helped care for all of us. Looking back, I don’t know what we would have done without her.
Having Halli home during those first months made an enormous difference as well. Those early weeks together as a family are memories I’ll always treasure.
Recovery doesn’t happen overnight. Learning how to become a parent doesn’t happen overnight either.
That’s why I believe parental leave is so incredibly valuable.
Returning to Work in Iceland After Eight Months of Maternity Leave
Although my maternity leave has officially ended, life certainly hasn’t returned to what it looked like before becoming a mom.
Eva is still home with me, and I’ve built a hybrid work schedule that allows me to continue running All Things Iceland while spending quality time with her.
A babysitter helps a few hours each day while I work from home, allowing me to continue creating videos, recording podcasts, consulting with travelers, and developing resources for people planning trips to Iceland.
Some days everything works beautifully. Other days, absolutely nothing goes according to plan.
I’ve learned that motherhood is constantly changing, and just when I think I’ve figured everything out, Eva reaches another milestone and we’re adapting all over again.
My Biggest Takeaway
Looking back, these eight months went by much faster than I ever imagined.
Before becoming a mom, eight months sounded like a really long time. Now it feels like it passed in the blink of an eye.
I’m deeply grateful that Iceland gave me the opportunity to spend this time healing, bonding with Eva, and gradually finding my footing as a new parent.
No parental leave system is perfect, but I genuinely appreciate that Iceland recognizes the importance of giving families meaningful time together during such an important chapter of life.
Random Fact of the Episode
Did you know that Iceland is consistently ranked among the world’s most family-friendly countries? UNICEF has recognized Iceland as one of the top countries for family-friendly policies thanks to its generous paid parental leave and support for working parents.
Icelandic Word of the Episode
Fæðingarorlofssjóður (Parental Leave Fund)
This is the government fund that pays parental leave benefits in Iceland. As someone who owns my own business, my company contributes to this fund just like other employers do, which is why I was eligible for parental leave as a self-employed parent.
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