All leave arrangements for pregnancy and birth
Maternity leave is by far the best known type of leave during pregnancy. But new fathers and co-parents, as well as parents who adopt a child or take one into foster care, are entitled to leave too.
Mothers who breastfeed can take breastfeeding leave, or schedule breastfeeding breaks when they return to work, to breastfeed or express milk. Both parents can also apply for parental leave for each child, in order to stop working or
Maternity leave
How long your maternity leave lasts depends on your employment status and on the number of children you are expecting.
Duration of leave
- Employee and unemployed: 15 weeks, or 19 weeks for a multiple birth
- Self-employed: minimum 3 and maximum 15 weeks, or 16 weeks for a multiple birth
Benefit via Helan
- Employee: 82% of your average daily wage during the first 30 days (79.5% with a ceiling if you did not have a contract on the start date of your maternity leave) and 75% from day 31 (with a ceiling).
- Unemployed: your basic benefit, topped up with 19.5% of your gross unemployment benefit during the first 30 days and with 15% from day 31.
- Self-employed: a fixed weekly amount of € 908.11 during the first 4 weeks and € 830.59 from week 5. For part-time maternity leave, this is € 454.05 and € 415.30 from week 5.
You will find more information and all the conditions on the RIZIV website.
Breastfeeding leave
If you breastfeed, you can take extra breaks or days of leave for this.
Duration of leave
This depends on the type of breastfeeding leave:
- Ordinary breastfeeding leave
- Removal from work while breastfeeding: possible until 5 months after the birth
- Breastfeeding breaks at work: possible until 9 months after the birth.
- Do you work at least 7 hours 30 minutes a day? Then you may take 2 breaks of 30 minutes.
- Do you work between 4 hours and 7 hours 30 minutes a day? Then you are entitled to 1 break of 30 minutes.
No benefit or a benefit via Helan
- For ordinary breastfeeding leave, you receive no benefit.
- For removal from work, you receive 60% of your wage (with a ceiling).
- For breastfeeding breaks, you receive 82% of your gross wage (without a ceiling).
You will find more information about removal from work while breastfeeding and breastfeeding breaks on
Adoption leave
As an adoptive parent, you are entitled to leave with your child and family too.
Duration of leave
As an employee or a self-employed person, you are entitled to 6 basic weeks of adoption leave per parent.
- Employee: you can extend your leave by 3 additional weeks, to be divided between both parents.
- Self-employed
- Are you adopting on your own? Then you can extend your adoption leave by 4 weeks.
- Are you adopting as a couple? Then you can extend your adoption leave by 4 weeks, to be divided between both parents.
Benefit via Helan
- Employee: you receive your normal wage during the first 3 days. For the rest of your leave, you receive 82% of your capped wage via Helan.
- Self-employed: you receive a benefit from Helan in the form of a fixed amount per week. In 2026, this is 633.61 euros per week.
You will find more information and all the conditions on the RIZIV website.
Birth leave
Fathers and co-parents who work as an employee or are self-employed are entitled to birth leave when their child is born.
Duration of leave
20 working days
Benefit via Helan or your social insurance fund
- Employee: apply for your benefit with Helan. Your employer pays your normal wage during the first 3 days. For the remaining 17 days, you receive 82% of your capped gross wage via Helan.
- Self-employed: apply for birth leave with your social insurance fund.
You will find more information and all the conditions on the RIZIV website.
Parental leave
Parental leave is a statutory arrangement that allows you as a parent to stop working for a certain period, or to work half-time, 4/5 or 9/10, so you can spend more time with your child or children. You are entitled to this leave for each child and you take it before your child turns 12.
Duration of leave
The duration depends on the type of parental leave you take:
- Full-time: 4 months
- Half-time: 8 months
- 1/5: 20 months
- 1/10: 40 months
Benefit via the RVA
You do not apply for parental leave through Helan. You submit your application in writing to your employer.
The National Employment Office (RVA) pays your benefit: a guide amount of 957 euros gross per month for full-time parental leave, 478 euros for half-time and 191 euros for 1/5 parental leave.
You will find more information and all the conditions on the RVA website.
Foster parent leave
As a foster parent, you are entitled to leave for long-term foster care too. This is foster care where it is clear from the outset that the child will stay with you for at least 6 months.
Duration of leave
As an employee or a self-employed person, you are entitled to 6 basic weeks of foster parent leave per parent.
- Employee: you can extend your leave by 3 additional weeks, to be divided between both parents.
- Self-employed
- Are you the only foster parent? Then you can extend your foster parent leave by 4 weeks.
- Are you a foster couple? Then you can extend your foster parent leave by 4 weeks, to be divided between both parents.
Benefit via Helan
-
Employee: you receive your normal wage during the first 3 days. For the rest of your leave, you receive 82% of your capped wage via Helan.
- Self-employed: you receive a benefit from Helan in the form of a fixed amount per week. In 2026, this is 633.61 euros per week.
You will find more information and all the conditions on the
Extending your postnatal rest
Are you incapable of work or fully removed from work before your maternity leave starts?
Then you can extend your postnatal rest by making up the days of incapacity for work or removal from work that you take before the birth with maternity leave after the birth.
Discover everything about pregnancy
Also check the central file: everything about pregnancy.
No leave and a sick child?
Is your child suddenly ill and do you have to work? Via Helan, a professional childminder is arranged within 48 hours at an attractive rate.
You can use up to 10 days of childcare per year and per child in your family, from Monday to Saturday between 7 am and 7 pm. You pay only 3 euros an hour for this professional childcare service.