Vidhya Vivekanand, working for an MNC says, "I took six months of maternity leave and when I got back to work, I just could not work. I knew my work well and I have been doing it for the past two years."

But the break made her lose touch. For couple of weeks she was spaced out and could not work as efficiently as before. But soon she got into the tune and started working like before.

Effect on Appraisal

Parveen Sehmbey from Emmay HR, a Human Resource firm says, "Taking a long break for maternity leave can affect your appraisal."

An appraisal is given keeping your performance and attendance in mind. So, if you have had a good performance in your past, then that is taken into consideration.

Quitting… Better Option?

Instead of taking maternity leave, you may quit your present job and when you are ready to work, you can start looking out for a new job.

But is this a good idea?

Rachna Iyer, HR executive from Shawman Software Ltd says, "Approaching any company after a long break can give you a chance. However, this depends on how long you were on a break and the reasons why you were on leave."