You have packed your hospital bag, briefed your team, and set up the nursery. But there is one final task sitting quietly on your pre-leave checklist — your maternity leave out-of-office message.
This guide gives you 30+ sample out-of-office messages for maternity leave — professional, simple, funny, and paternity-inclusive. Every template is ready to copy, customize, and send before you walk out that door.
Table of Contents
What to Include in a Maternity Leave Out-of-Office Message
Before you copy any template, knowing what every strong maternity leave OOO message must contain will help you customize it confidently. This is the section most guides skip entirely — and it is the most important one. If you want to read Pregnancy Congratulations Messages then visit this site.
Every maternity leave out-of-office message needs four non-negotiable elements.
First, your expected return date — or a reasonable estimate if you are unsure. Even writing “I expect to return in [month/year]” is better than leaving senders with no timeframe at all. According to SHRM, FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of protected leave — knowing this helps you frame your timeline professionally.
Second, your alternative contact — the colleague, manager, or team handling your responsibilities. Include their full name, email, and phone number. If multiple people are covering different areas, name each one with their specific scope.
Third, your communication boundaries — and this is where most working parents undersell themselves. You are allowed to fully disconnect. You are allowed to say clearly: “I will not have access to email during this time.” According to Harvard Business Review, employees who fully disconnect during parental leave return more engaged and productive. Do not apologize for protecting your bonding time.
Professional Out of Office Messages for Maternity Leave
These professional maternity leave out-of-office messages are built for corporate, client-facing, and management roles where tone and precision matter. Each template is clean, polished, and immediately copy-paste ready. If you want to read Sympathy Messages for Flowers then visit this site.
Formal maternity leave out-of-office messages for corporate roles:
“ Thank you for your email. I am currently on maternity leave beginning [start date] and expect to return on [return date]. During this time I will not have access to my email. For immediate assistance please contact [name] at [email] or [phone number]. I look forward to connecting with you upon my return. ”
“ Thank you for reaching out. I am on approved maternity leave from [start date] through [return date] and will not be monitoring my inbox during this period. Please direct all urgent matters to [name] at [email address]. I appreciate your patience and will respond to non-urgent messages upon my return. ”
“ I am currently out of the office on maternity leave and will return on [date]. All inquiries should be directed to [colleague name] at [email] during my absence. Thank you for your understanding and I look forward to speaking with you when I return. ”
“ Thank you for your message. I am on maternity leave from [date] to [date] and will have no access to email during this time. For questions related to [project or department], please reach out to [name] at [email]. For all other matters, please contact [manager name] at [email]. ”
Professional OOO messages when you do not know your return date:
“ Thank you for your email. I am currently on maternity leave beginning [start date]. My expected return date is [month and year] however this may be subject to change. For immediate assistance please contact [name] at [email]. I will respond to your message upon my return to the office. ”
“ I am currently on maternity leave and am not available to respond to emails at this time. I anticipate returning to the office around [approximate date]. In my absence please contact [name] at [email address] for any time-sensitive matters. Thank you for your patience. ”
“ Thank you for reaching out. I am on maternity leave starting [date] with a planned return of [approximate month and year]. As my return date may shift slightly, please contact [colleague name] at [email] for any matters requiring a prompt response. ”
Maternity leave auto-reply for client-facing professionals:
“ Thank you for your email. I am currently on maternity leave and will be out of the office from [start date] through [return date]. Your business is important and I want to ensure you receive the support you need in my absence. Please contact [colleague name] at [email] or [phone] who will be happy to assist you. I look forward to reconnecting with you when I return. ”
“ Thank you for contacting me. I am on maternity leave from [date] through [date] and will not be checking email during this period. To ensure your needs are met without delay, please reach out to [name] at [email]. They are fully briefed on all active accounts and will be glad to help. ”
“ I appreciate you getting in touch. I am currently on maternity leave and away from the office until [return date]. For all client inquiries during my absence, please contact [name] at [email] or call [phone number]. I will be in touch with you personally once I am back. ”
Professional out-of-office with multiple backup contacts:
“ Thank you for your email. I am on maternity leave from [start date] and expect to return around [return date]. During my absence please use the following contacts depending on your needs. For [topic/project A] please contact [name] at [email]. For [topic/project B] please contact [name] at [email]. For urgent matters please reach my manager [name] at [email]. Thank you for your understanding. ”
“ I am currently on maternity leave until [return date] and will have limited access to email. For immediate assistance with [department or function] please contact [name] at [email]. For billing or account questions please contact [name] at [email]. I appreciate your patience and will follow up personally upon my return. ”
Simple and Friendly Maternity Leave Out-of-Office Messages
Not every workplace calls for formal language. These simple maternity leave OOO messages strike the warm professional sweet spot — friendly, clear, and completely polished without feeling stiff. These work beautifully across casual offices, creative industries, and close-knit teams.
Simple short maternity leave OOO messages for any workplace:
“ Hi there. I am currently on maternity leave and will be back in the office on [return date]. For anything urgent please reach out to [name] at [email]. Looking forward to catching up when I return. ”
“ Thanks for your email. I am out on maternity leave from [date] through [date] and will not be checking messages during this time. Please contact [name] at [email] for anything that needs attention. Talk soon. ”
“ Hello and thank you for getting in touch. I am on maternity leave until [return date]. Please contact [colleague name] at [email] with any questions and I will be back before you know it. ”
Warm and friendly out-of-office messages for maternity leave:
“ Hi there. I am on maternity leave welcoming a new addition to my family and will be out of the office from [start date] to [return date]. I am not checking email during this time but [name] at [email] can help with anything you need. Thank you for your understanding and I cannot wait to reconnect when I am back. ”
“ Thanks so much for reaching out. I am currently on maternity leave and enjoying some precious time with my new baby. I will be back on [return date]. In the meantime [name] at [email] is your best contact. See you soon. ”
“ Hello. I am on maternity leave from [date] and plan to return around [return date]. I will not be checking my inbox during this time. Please do not hesitate to reach out to [name] at [email] and they will take great care of you. Thank you for your patience and warm wishes. ”
Maternity leave auto-reply for creative or casual environments:
“ Hey there. I am currently out on maternity leave from [date] through [date] growing my family and honestly living my best life. I will not be checking email during this time. For anything work-related please contact [name] at [email] and they will sort you out. Looking forward to catching up when I am back. ”
“ Hi. Thanks for your email. I am on mat leave right now and fully embracing every sleepless moment of it. Back in the office on [return date]. Reach out to [name] at [email] in the meantime. See you soon. ”
Out-of-office messages for parents staying occasionally available:
“ Thank you for your email. I am currently on maternity leave from [start date] and expect to return on [return date]. I will be checking emails periodically and will respond when I am able. For anything urgent or time-sensitive please contact [name] at [email] directly. I appreciate your patience. ”
“ Thanks for reaching out. I am on maternity leave until [return date] and will be checking messages on a limited basis. I will do my best to respond within [timeframe] but for anything pressing please contact [name] at [email] for a faster response. ”
Funny and Paternity Leave Out-of-Office Message Samples
Funny maternity leave OOO messages work when the humor is warm, self-aware, and appropriate to your workplace relationship. These templates also include fully developed paternity leave out-of-office messages — because dads deserve equal coverage and most guides completely ignore them.
Funny maternity leave out-of-office messages that still sound professional:
“ Thank you for your email. I am currently out of the office on maternity leave attempting to teach a tiny human how to exist in the world. It is going about as smoothly as you would expect. I will return on [date]. For immediate help please contact [name] at [email]. ”
“ Hi there. I am on maternity leave from [start date] and will be back on [return date]. My out-of-office response time is currently measured in weeks rather than hours. For anything that cannot wait please contact [name] at [email]. Thank you for your understanding and your patience. ”
“ Thanks for your message. I am on maternity leave until [return date] — currently outnumbered and loving every second of it. [Name] at [email] is your person for anything urgent. See you when I resurface. ”
“ I am officially on maternity leave from [date] to [date]. My current priorities are feeding, burping, and approximately zero emails. For all professional matters please contact [name] at [email]. I look forward to rejoining the working world on [return date]. ”
Paternity leave out-of-office message samples for new dads:
“ Thank you for your email. I am currently on paternity leave from [start date] and will return to the office on [return date]. During this time I will not be checking email. For all inquiries please contact [name] at [email] or [phone]. I look forward to connecting with you when I am back. ”
“ Hi there. I am on paternity leave welcoming a new baby into our family and will be out of office from [start date] through [return date]. Please reach out to [name] at [email] for anything that needs attention during my absence. Thank you and talk soon. ”
“ Thanks for your message. I am currently on paternity leave from [date] to [date] and will not be monitoring my email during this time. For immediate assistance please contact [name] at [email]. Looking forward to catching up when I return. ”
Inclusive parental leave OOO messages for all new parents:
“ Thank you for your email. I am currently on parental leave beginning [start date] and expect to return on [return date]. I will not have access to email during this period. Please contact [name] at [email] for all inquiries. I appreciate your understanding and look forward to reconnecting upon my return. ”
“ Hi. I am on parental leave from [start date] through [return date] welcoming a new member of my family. For anything you need during my absence please reach out to [name] at [email]. Thank you for your patience and warm wishes. ”
“ Thank you for reaching out. I am currently on parental leave and away from the office until [return date]. All matters should be directed to [name] at [email] in my absence. I will follow up personally when I return. ”
FAQs
How to Write an Out-of-Office Message for Maternity Leave?
Writing an out-of-office message for maternity leave requires four key elements — your last working day or start date, your expected return date, your alternative contact with full details, and a clear statement about your email availability during leave.
Keep the tone matched to your workplace culture. Corporate environments call for formal language. Casual teams can be warmer and more personal. The most important thing is clarity — senders need to know exactly what to expect and exactly who to contact.
“ Thank you for your email. I am on maternity leave from [start date] and will return on [return date]. For assistance during my absence please contact [name] at [email]. I will not be monitoring email during this period. ”
How Do I Write a Maternity Leave Message?
Writing a maternity leave message — whether an OOO auto-reply or a pre-leave announcement to colleagues — comes down to being clear, warm, and professionally complete.
For your OOO: keep it brief, include return date and backup contact, and state your email availability directly. For your colleague announcement: be warmer, express gratitude, mention your handover plan, and give your team confidence that everything is covered.
“ I am excited to share that I will be beginning maternity leave on [date]. I have worked closely with [colleague name] to ensure a smooth handover and they will be available at [email] to support you during my absence. I expect to return around [date] and look forward to reconnecting with you all then. ”
How Do You Announce Maternity Leave in an Email?
Announcing maternity leave in an email is different from your OOO auto-reply. Your announcement goes to your direct colleagues, clients, and manager before your last day. It should be warm, reassuring, and focused on continuity.
According to SHRM, employees who communicate a clear handover plan before leave significantly reduce workflow disruption and return to a smoother reintegration. Your announcement email is your opportunity to set that up gracefully.
“ Hi team. I wanted to let you know that I will be starting maternity leave on [date] and plan to return around [date]. I have prepared a full handover and [colleague name] will be the point of contact for [responsibilities] during my absence. It has been a wonderful season working alongside you all and I look forward to seeing everyone when I return. ”
How Do You Say You Are Going on Maternity Leave?
Saying you are going on maternity leave professionally means being direct, positive, and clear about the timeline and coverage — without over-explaining or apologizing.
You do not owe anyone a detailed justification. A confident, warm statement of your leave dates and your backup contact arrangement is entirely sufficient. The most professional parents communicate their leave with the same matter-of-fact confidence they would bring to any planned professional absence.
“ I will be going on maternity leave beginning [date] with a planned return of [return date]. [Colleague name] will be covering my responsibilities during this time and can be reached at [email]. Please do not hesitate to reach out to them with anything you need. ”
Conclusion
A well-crafted out-of-office message for maternity leave is not just a professional courtesy. It is an act of self-respect — for your work, for your colleagues, and for the extraordinary season you are stepping into.
Research from the American Psychological Association consistently shows that parents who fully disconnect during parental leave report significantly better mental health outcomes, stronger infant bonding, and smoother professional reintegration. Your OOO message is the first boundary you set. Make it a confident one.
Every maternity leave out-of-office template in this guide is yours to copy, customize, and send. Add your name. Add your dates. Add the colleague who has your back. Then close that laptop with zero guilt.
I am a professional content writer with over five years of experience creating high-quality, engaging, and SEO-optimized content. I specialize in blog posts, website content, and persuasive copy that helps brands grow their online presence. My focus is on delivering clear, compelling, and value-driven content tailored to each client’s goals.
