but in some countries maternity leave can start during pregnancy, i.e. BEFORE the baby is born.
Getting way off topic now... but these are two separate concepts in German law. Maternity leave
(Mutterschutz) is a mother's entitlement to have time off work just before and just after the birth of a baby.
Erziehungsurlaub (parental leave) refers to the right of either parent to take up to three years off work to look after their child until it is old enough to start Kindergarten.
Lufthansa's rules refer to
Erziehungsurlaub - i.e., time off to look after a young child rather than maternity leave.