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

It’s never going to get easier… juggling a career as a mother and a career in the corporate world.

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

I was 4 months along when I shared the news with my manager.  I shared it during a regular “touch base” with our team.  My manager at the time was also expecting.

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 pumped at work a lot.  Elsie was fed exclusively breast milk up until she was 10 months.  Therefore, meetings and calendars had to be adjusted to accommodate my bulging breasts :).

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

I took 14 weeks.  However I started working part time after 12 weeks to get back on track.  This was always my original plan.

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

My direct manager and my peers were extremely supportive.

I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, so I couldn’t have my consistent craving of sweets.  However, I made up for that with a lot of fabulous manicures and pedicures!!

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

I never expected 3-year olds (or threenagers) would be so hard and infants would be so much easier!

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