It's Working Project

"Going back to work doesn't dictate whether you are a good parent."

What is one piece of advice you wish you could offer your former expectant self?

Do what works best for your family and try not to let others’ opinions steer you in a direction that makes you uncomfortable.

FOR MOMS: If you breastfed, was there a place for you to pump that met your needs and was conducive to your success? If you breastfed, how did you decide to continue? FOR DADS: What, if any, adjustments did you (or your workplace) make to your schedule after having a baby? Was it specific to your manager or larger, whole work culture?

I understand breast feeding is best, but ultimately switched to formula before I would otherwise have liked because pumping and work did not coordinate well.

How much leave did you take, and how comfortable were you taking it?

I took 12 weeks.

What was your biggest challenge going back to work?

Handing my baby off to a stranger at daycare.

Fill in the blanks: As a working parent, I never expected ____ would be so hard and ____ would be so much easier!

That choosing to send your kid to daycare can have some real benefits in terms of socialization and adaptability. It also allowed my kids to be to exposed to many other playmates and contemporaries that they may otherwise never have met. Going back to work doesn’t dictate whether you are a good parent.

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