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While on Maternity Leave, Keep Your Foot in the Door

Third in a series for expectant moms

by el-e-e  |  6546 views  |  6 comments  |        Rate this now! 

4.) Perhaps, if you're lucky, the total mind-to-mush syndrome that I faced after three months off won't plague you. (Seriously: It took me two weeks to readjust and get my brain back. I couldn't remember procedures, and asked, "What is it I do here, exactly?" every hour or so.)

If you doubt you'll have the desire to call in regularly, enlist a coworker to place the call for you -- maybe every other Friday. I'm thinking this will be my tactic, since I'm apt to want to hibernate again like the last time I did this wonderful thing called childbirth.

We've already discussed getting ready to go on leave and how to take a leave if you're freelancing. Coming up next: Your triumphant return to the office (ta-da)!

About the Author

Lee is a full-time Web Producer in Atlanta, and mom to AJ, 3, and KT, who arrived Feb 15, '08.

Read more by el-e-e




6 comments so far...

  • Communication is key, but there's a responsibility on the part of the workplace as well. I stopped in for a visit while on leave and had some bad news dumped in my lap. The boss was caught out by my visit.

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by Daisy on 26th January 2008

  • Great article and oh so true. Making sure that the person, (if there is one) helping out while you are gone, is competent is also key to staying in the loop.

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by Sarah on 25th January 2008

  • For me, it helped to stay out of the post-partum blues. I really liked being able to take my mind off of baby for a little while and focus on something else.

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by mamajama on 25th January 2008

  • i agree!! when DS was mere weeks old he would sleep on my chest and i would have the laptop on my lap and chat and email with coworkers (ok and websurf, whatever!). this helped coordinate a trip to the office closer to my coming back date. apparently one of the guys that didnt know me very well had bet one of my friends i wouldnt come back to work HAHAHA! he lost :)

    keeping in touch ABSOLUTELY helped keep me sane and made it much easier once i was back!

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by Kate on 25th January 2008

  • I agree with AmyE - email is key. To make it even more efficient - i simply checked my bbry once a day to respond to emails quickly and to catch up on what's going on at the office.

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by Victoria on 25th January 2008

  • I think just checking e-mail can keep you in the loop. I was a mess after I had my second baby. I think it would have hurt my career if people had seen me in the immediate postpartum period and lord knows what I would have said to people in my sleepless stupor.

    Amy
    Mom to 3
    www.sofiabean.com

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by AmyE on 24th January 2008

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