Can I extend my SDI maternity leave before transitioning to PFL baby bonding?

Yes, you can extend your pregnancy disability leave/SDI before transitioning to PFL baby bonding! You need to have your doctor fill out a supplemental medical certification (basically another DE2501 form) stating you need additional recovery time. Your doctor needs to provide medical justification for why you need more time beyond the standard 6-8 weeks. Call your doctor's office ASAP to request this since your claim is ending soon.

The EDD system is designed to make everything as DIFFICULT as possible!! I tried extending my maternity leave last year and it was a NIGHTMARE. My doctor submitted the form but EDD "never received it"... TWICE!! Had to fax it THREE TIMES before they acknowledged it. Start calling them NOW and keep detailed records of everyone you talk to. The system is broken!!

I went thru this in January! My doctor had to extend me by 2 more weeks after my c-section got infected. You 100% need your doctor to submit that form, and then you need to call EDD to make sure they connect it to your existing claim. The rules say you can get up to 52 weeks if medically necessary but good luck getting anyone on the phone lol

my cousin had to extend her maternity leave for postpartum depression and her doctor just filled out another form and she got approved for 4 more weeks pretty fast but i think it depends on your doctor and your medical reason good luck!!!

Just to clarify some information that's being shared: You're currently on SDI (State Disability Insurance) for your pregnancy recovery - this is different from PFL (Paid Family Leave) which is what you'll transition to for baby bonding. The extension process requires: 1. Have your doctor complete a supplemental DE2501 form indicating why you medically need additional recovery time 2. Submit this form to EDD before your current disability claim ends 3. Include your current claim ID on all documentation 4. Once approved, you'll continue receiving SDI benefits for the extended period 5. Only after your extended SDI ends would you apply for PFL baby bonding Your total SDI benefit period can be up to 52 weeks if medically necessary, but it requires proper documentation. The standard is 4 weeks before birth and 6-8 weeks after (longer for c-section), but extensions are common for complications.

when i had my baby last year i had complications too and my doctor gave me 4 extra weeks! dont feel bad about needing more time!! healing is so important and every woman is different. make sure ur doctor knows exactly what ur experiencing so they put it all on the form. my friend didnt get approved because her doctor was too vague

Has anyone actually got through to EDD on the phone lately??? I've been trying for like a week straight and it's always "we're experiencing high call volume" then hangs up on me. How are we supposed to handle urgent issues like this??

UPDATE: I talked to my doctor and she agreed to give me a 3-week extension due to my recovery complications! She's filling out the form today and I'm going to try calling EDD using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. Thanks everyone for your advice! I feel much less anxious now knowing this is a normal thing to request.