It's Working Project

“Sometimes a HUGE ugly cry was just the best release in the world.”

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

See those expectations you have about just about everything and everyone in your life?  Shed them–they weigh you down.  Let go of expectations and cultivate flexibility–the ability to shift gears, remain open-minded, and roll with the punches will serve you so much!

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

In both cases I let my employer know that I was pregnant about two months in–I was excited and let my enthusiasm show.  I assured my employer of my gratitude for my job and conveyed my intention to give work all I had while pregnant and to return to work following my maternity leave.  In return, I was shown great compassion and support!

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?

My colleagues and employer were very understanding of my commitment to breastfeeding and were abundantly flexible when it came to my pumping schedule.  This meant the world to me!

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

While I anticipated taking 12 weeks off, I ended up taking 16 weeks (with the support of my employer).  During the last three weeks of leave, I started to ease back into work by reintegrating remotely.

 

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

My colleagues. Besides the pumping support, I always felt uplifted when a colleague asked to see a recent picture of my daughter or son!

My indulgence was YOGA as often as I could practice it!  Also, giving myself permission to cave in to my emotional melt-down tendencies–sometimes a HUGE ugly cry was just the best release in the world.

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

I never expected feeling like reclaiming my sense of professional self would be so hard and going to work and being in an office all day would be so much easier!

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