by Caroline M. Levchuck
hotjobs.yahoo.com
And you thought going back to work after a great vacation was rough...
Planning Your Return
Six weeks? Ten weeks? Twelve weeks? How can a new mom know she's ready to return to work?
Proper planning can help you choose the best back-to-work date for you and your family. First, try to anticipate how much time you'll need (and how much time you'll get) to the best of your ability. Talk to other working mothers. Review your eligibility under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) as well as your employer's maternity leave policy and your personal financial situation to assess not only when but how you'll return to work.
Pat Katepoo, founder of www.WorkOptions.com, an online resource for working mothers who want to restructure their current job into a flexible work arrangement, suggests phasing back into work with a reduced leave schedule, which is a provision of the FMLA. "Take your six weeks of full leave and try to follow it with a temporary part-time schedule," says Katepoo.
Whenever (and however) you choose to return to work, remember that even the most meticulous planning cannot account for emotions. Author and speaker Liz Ryan says, "There's a lot of hormonal stuff going on." Ryan, CEO of www.worldWIT.org, a free resource for working women for work and life, elaborates, "It's extremely common for moms to drive in to [their first day back at] work with tears streaming down their cheeks."
Getting Back on Track
Once you do return to work, have a strategy in place to get back up to speed - without getting overwhelmed.
Ryan, a 25-year human resources veteran, says, "Part of going back to work is taking it really easy. You should not feel like you have to make up for those six weeks you missed." She counsels returning moms to avoid immediately booking a ten-hour day or attempting to tackle a huge project. Rather, urges Ryan, "Just go in and get oriented."
John Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a global outplacement company, concurs. "Go see lots of people in your office. Get your arms back around what's going on, how the relationships have changed. Learn what's important and just let people know you're back," advises Challenger.
If you stay in the loop throughout your maternity leave, it may make your return that much easier. It did for new mom Stacey Dobkins, Vice President of The Lyon Company, a wholesale gift manufacturer based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. She says, "I felt like it made returning to work less stressful. I didn't feel like things had gotten out of control and I knew where projects were at." Dobkins adds, "It also helped me feel like I hadn't given up my life to have a baby."
Handling the Nuts and Bolts
You can help create a smooth transition back to work by ironing out the mechanics of what you'll need to balance being a mom with being a professional. But only you know that, so speak up.
"Not everyone has the luxury of having maternity training," explains Dobkins, whose daughter Megan was born in May. "Whatever you need, you need to ask for it."
That includes everything you need to continue breastfeeding if you choose to do so. Liz Ryan admits, "[Pumping and working] can be a pain in the butt. If you want to stick with it, get support." Ryan believes planning every detail counts. Set up a private lactation room at work. Make sure you've got refrigeration available if you need it. Consider how convenient your clothing is to pumping during work hours.
Flexible work options can help new mothers meet the challenges of breastfeeding. Katepoo endorses a part-time schedule or telecommuting. Of course, she notes, "Telecommuting doesn't mean substituting childcare, but telecommuting can be perfect for a nursing mom who has a caregiver on the premises."
Be sure to carefully plan your daycare, too. WorldWIT founder Ryan tells women to test their daycare for a week before they return to work. "You may feel weird sitting around your house without your baby for a week, but just do it. You don't want to wait until the last minute to assess the stability of your daycare," says the mother of five.
Get Ready for Guilt
A new mom can feel guilty for leaving her baby. Or guilty for enjoying the fact that she's back at work.
Recent returnee Dobkins confesses, "It is a guilty pleasure to be back at work. But I actually don't have a lot of guilt either way because my husband takes care of our daughter while I'm at work."
"Guilt is a given," says job share guru Katepoo. She tells her clients to keep a pulse on how they're feeling and what is working - and what isn't - for their families. She reveals, "Some women say, 'I need to work. I want to work.' I help them find an alternative to a full-time position." According to Katepoo, "Even having one day off a week can make a huge difference in the newborn stage."
HR pro Liz Ryan acknowledges, "There's a tsunami of guilt that's going to arrive. Whether you are a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, you'll feel guilty." Still, she advises all mothers, "Just say no to guilt and thank goodness that we have options."
hotjobs.yahoo.com
And you thought going back to work after a great vacation was rough...
Planning Your Return
Six weeks? Ten weeks? Twelve weeks? How can a new mom know she's ready to return to work?
Proper planning can help you choose the best back-to-work date for you and your family. First, try to anticipate how much time you'll need (and how much time you'll get) to the best of your ability. Talk to other working mothers. Review your eligibility under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) as well as your employer's maternity leave policy and your personal financial situation to assess not only when but how you'll return to work.
Pat Katepoo, founder of www.WorkOptions.com, an online resource for working mothers who want to restructure their current job into a flexible work arrangement, suggests phasing back into work with a reduced leave schedule, which is a provision of the FMLA. "Take your six weeks of full leave and try to follow it with a temporary part-time schedule," says Katepoo.
Whenever (and however) you choose to return to work, remember that even the most meticulous planning cannot account for emotions. Author and speaker Liz Ryan says, "There's a lot of hormonal stuff going on." Ryan, CEO of www.worldWIT.org, a free resource for working women for work and life, elaborates, "It's extremely common for moms to drive in to [their first day back at] work with tears streaming down their cheeks."
Getting Back on Track
Once you do return to work, have a strategy in place to get back up to speed - without getting overwhelmed.
Ryan, a 25-year human resources veteran, says, "Part of going back to work is taking it really easy. You should not feel like you have to make up for those six weeks you missed." She counsels returning moms to avoid immediately booking a ten-hour day or attempting to tackle a huge project. Rather, urges Ryan, "Just go in and get oriented."
John Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a global outplacement company, concurs. "Go see lots of people in your office. Get your arms back around what's going on, how the relationships have changed. Learn what's important and just let people know you're back," advises Challenger.
If you stay in the loop throughout your maternity leave, it may make your return that much easier. It did for new mom Stacey Dobkins, Vice President of The Lyon Company, a wholesale gift manufacturer based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. She says, "I felt like it made returning to work less stressful. I didn't feel like things had gotten out of control and I knew where projects were at." Dobkins adds, "It also helped me feel like I hadn't given up my life to have a baby."
Handling the Nuts and Bolts
You can help create a smooth transition back to work by ironing out the mechanics of what you'll need to balance being a mom with being a professional. But only you know that, so speak up.
"Not everyone has the luxury of having maternity training," explains Dobkins, whose daughter Megan was born in May. "Whatever you need, you need to ask for it."
That includes everything you need to continue breastfeeding if you choose to do so. Liz Ryan admits, "[Pumping and working] can be a pain in the butt. If you want to stick with it, get support." Ryan believes planning every detail counts. Set up a private lactation room at work. Make sure you've got refrigeration available if you need it. Consider how convenient your clothing is to pumping during work hours.
Flexible work options can help new mothers meet the challenges of breastfeeding. Katepoo endorses a part-time schedule or telecommuting. Of course, she notes, "Telecommuting doesn't mean substituting childcare, but telecommuting can be perfect for a nursing mom who has a caregiver on the premises."
Be sure to carefully plan your daycare, too. WorldWIT founder Ryan tells women to test their daycare for a week before they return to work. "You may feel weird sitting around your house without your baby for a week, but just do it. You don't want to wait until the last minute to assess the stability of your daycare," says the mother of five.
Get Ready for Guilt
A new mom can feel guilty for leaving her baby. Or guilty for enjoying the fact that she's back at work.
Recent returnee Dobkins confesses, "It is a guilty pleasure to be back at work. But I actually don't have a lot of guilt either way because my husband takes care of our daughter while I'm at work."
"Guilt is a given," says job share guru Katepoo. She tells her clients to keep a pulse on how they're feeling and what is working - and what isn't - for their families. She reveals, "Some women say, 'I need to work. I want to work.' I help them find an alternative to a full-time position." According to Katepoo, "Even having one day off a week can make a huge difference in the newborn stage."
HR pro Liz Ryan acknowledges, "There's a tsunami of guilt that's going to arrive. Whether you are a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, you'll feel guilty." Still, she advises all mothers, "Just say no to guilt and thank goodness that we have options."
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