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

Do NOT drink the castor oil.

What was your primary motivation for deciding to return (or not) to work? How early did you tell your employer?

Finances. I told my boss about 3 months in and I was super nervous because I had only been at the job for about 10 months at the time.

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

12 weeks. I thought I would make it back in earlier but the time flew by and I wished I had longer to spend at home with her. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be.

What was your biggest challenge going back to work?

Pumping every free moment was hard and I cried every morning at daycare drop off for a month.

Who was your biggest source of support in returning to work? What was your biggest pregnancy indulgence?

My mom, I don’t have any family living close by, but I called her often.

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

I never expected that getting a healthy dinner on the table in time would be so hard and that pushing through the anxiety would be so much easier!

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