Why Neonatal Leave Matters: Supporting Families When It Counts Most

Welcoming a new baby into the world should be a time of joy, but for many parents, it can also come with unexpected challenges. When a baby is born prematurely or with health complications, parents often find themselves navigating long hospital stays, medical uncertainty, and emotional stress—all while balancing work and personal responsibilities.

That’s why at Virgin Media O2 we offer up to 12 weeks’ paid leave as part of our neonatal policy which we implemented in 2022. Designed to give parents extra time off when their newborn requires specialist care, neonatal leave ensures that no parent has to choose between work and being there for their child when it matters most.

As awareness grows around the importance of family-friendly workplace policies,  businesses have the responsibility to provide meaningful support to employees during these critical moments. From April 6, 2025, parents in the UK will have a new right to paid neonatal care leave. This will allow them to take time off work if their baby requires neonatal care for at least seven consecutive days within the first 28 days of life.

Laura Coogan is Head of Legal – Litigation at Virgin Media O2. Laura benefited from Virgin Media O2’s paid neonatal leave in December 2022 following a difficult pregnancy and subsequent birth of her son, Albie. The neonatal leave was provided on top of her paid maternity leave (which is 26 weeks’ paid leave).

Albie was born at 29 weeks and three days via caesarean section after Laura experienced a haemorrhage and a placenta abruption. Both Albie and Laura ended up in intensive care following his traumatic birth.

With Virgin Media O2’s neonatal leave, Laura recovered from the birth, and then cared for Albie while he spent eight and a half weeks in hospital, and had the time to also look after her older son, Theo.

Albie is now a healthy and happy two-year-old boy, and lives with Laura, her husband, and Theo in Hampton, Greater London.

We spoke to Laura who shared her experience:

“While Albie was in hospital, he experienced a number of very worrying health issues, and there were times when he was very poorly.  We didn’t know what this would mean for his future.  This was all while I was recovering from the pregnancy and Albie’s birth, as well as caring for our other son, Theo, too.

“It was like I was dealing with 10 things at once, so being able to benefit from Virgin Media O2’s paid neonatal leave, on top of my maternity leave had a big impact on my mental health. I strongly believe that it meant I avoided additional trauma, as I knew I’d have plenty of time with Albie at home, rather than the days he spent in hospital eating into my maternity leave.

“The leave was game-changing for our family, and made a huge difference in helping us move forward from the pregnancy, birth and time in hospital, and helped us to settle him into our family.”