It's Working Project

"Our story is a bit cliché, but it started with an idea and a bowl taped to a piece of paper!"

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

Take life in stride and do what works for YOU and YOUR family! Life is a series of peaks and valleys, so enjoy the ride and live in the moment.

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

With three boys under the age of 2, I thought that staying at home may be the right solution for our family. After about 10 months, I was ready to start working again. I can’t fully explain being “ready,” other than the fact that I knew it was best for me as well as the boys. I started the ezpz when my oldest, Brody, was 4 and the twins, Chase and Drew, were 2. Most people would say “What – you’re crazy!” but that is when the timing was right and when the idea came about!

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 breastfed and pumped and was VERY lucky not to have any trouble with either.

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

I took almost 6 months when I worked at Pfizer. Luckily, Pfizer had an amazing maternity leave policy, and I was able to take the time I needed. I feel grateful that I got to spend so much time with our first. With our twins, I was staying home so I didn’t have to go back to work.

How easy was it to put a childcare arrangement together and did it work for your family?

For childcare, we decided to go the daycare route. Both my husband and I work from home (for the most part) SO having an empty, kid-free house was important for us. I also like the structure of daycare and have been very pleased with how well our oldest has transitioned into Kindergarten.

What was your biggest challenge going back to work?

Not seeing the boys as often, which meant missing them and feeling mom guilt.

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

Although there are many great people in the world, there are also lots of folks that are greedy and dishonest. In business, always have your guard up!

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