For the working pregnant woman, planning for maternity leave is something she needs to think about as she enters the third trimester. In some instances, maternity leave is a no-brainer, and as soon as you deliver you will take leave for the legally allotted amount of time per your employer. In the United States, parents can file for maternity leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) which offers 3 months of unpaid leave to take care of personal medical issues – childbirth being one of them. Though some employers do offer paid leave, it is rare in the US. Other countries have much stronger maternity leave laws that support working moms in their transition to motherhood.

What can be most difficult is that you don’t necessarily know exactly when your maternity leave will start. Ideally, your maternity leave would commence upon labor and delivery. However, if you have any medical conditions (such as pre-term labor) that put you on bed rest, your maternity leave will start earlier. This is why it is important to begin planning at the beginning of or near the third trimester.

The first order of business is to speak with your human resources officer to find out what your company offers. Learn what laws exist in your country. You may also want to save up your vacation time so that you can take paid leave time to be with your baby. This may involve rescheduling or cancelling your vacations. Additionally, if you love your job and want to return to it – this can be an ideal time to discuss work-from-home or telecommuting options with your employer. This option can buy you more time to be home with your baby after delivery. Many employers today are open to new working conditions.

If you are dreaming of quitting your job to be a stay-at-home mom, you need to make sure you and your baby have health insurance. If your job provides the health insurance, quitting your job without an alternative plan can be financially devastating. If you plan on quitting, it is important to communicate as such to your boss beforehand, out of courtesy, but also so you don’t burn any bridges you may need to cross a few years later when you reenter the workforce.

Be reminded that discrimination against pregnant woman is illegal. You have both legal rights and responsibilities that are clearly outlined in laws to protect you and your job. That being said, it is important to communicate with your boss and employers throughout your pregnancy so that they aren’t blind-sided by you leaving.

Another aspect of planning for maternity leave is getting your work house in order. Train others to do what you do, make sure that your files and professional works are easily accessible, and make sure your office is clear of personal items that others may find upon your absence when rummaging through your office. If all of your professional ducks are in a row, you will feel more comfortable leaving your job. It can alleviate some personal stress in the later months of your pregnancy and early postpartum.

Your maternity leave is a time in your life you will cherish forever. These weeks and months will enable you to get to know your baby and ease you into the realities of being a mother. By planning early, talking with your employer and helping others to plan for your absence, you will be able to enjoy this time to the fullest.

Written By Stef, Mom of 4 @Momspirational

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

There is no right way to tell your boss about your pregnancy, but there are things you can do to make it easier both for yourself and your boss. You may find yourself feeling nervous about spilling the beans, and worrying that your boss will be inconvenienced by the news. Your boss may worry about the impact your pregnancy will have on the company, but is more likely to worry about losing you as an employee in case you decide not to return after maternity leave. Follow these simple tips to make telling your boss about your pregnancy as pain-free as possible:

1. Get the timing right – you should announce the pregnancy before you start to show. Some people prefer to wait until they are into the second trimester, but if you are suffering from nausea that is affecting your work, you may wish to announce it sooner
2. Tell her in person – a face to face conversation is always the best way to break big news
3. Tell her first – your boss may be annoyed to hear the news second hand from another colleague, so make sure your boss if the first person you tell at your workplace
4. Offer ideas – your maternity leave is likely to impact upon the company, so try to come up with a few ideas of how you can limit this impact. Writing handover notes, tying up loose ends and training up a colleague to cover your work are all ways you could try to limit the damage
5. Health and safety – are there any aspects of your role that could be unsafe to you or your developing baby? If so, you should inform your boss of this as soon as possible, and work out suitable alternatives for ensuring the work is done
6. Know your rights – maternity leave entitlements differ from state to state, and will also differ between companies. Some companies go above and beyond the legal minimum, whereas others will offer simply what they must. Find out what you are entitled to before the meeting, this will allow you to have an informed discussion
7. Be honest – it’s important to be honest with your boss. If you are planning to leave your job after your maternity leave, you should let them know in advance. Bear in mind, however, that this may affect your maternity benefits. It is also worth bearing in mind that it can be difficult to predict how you feel once the baby arrives, and for this reason many women choose to wait before deciding whether or not to return to work
8. Be clear – tell your boss your expectations, and how you plan to make the pregnancy work for the company. Are you planning to keep in touch with the office during maternity leave, or would you prefer to be oblivious to work news during that time? Both options are fine, but let your colleagues know in advance so they can act accordingly

Do you have any tips to add?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

When it comes to telling your boss you are pregnant, many women are at a crossroads.  One woman I know was up for a promotion at her job and waited until after the hiring process to announce her happy expectant news. When she landed the job and the boss found out she was pregnant, his first response was, “If I had known you were pregnant, I wouldn”t have hired you.” Illegal?  Yes.

Even so, it is easy to see things from the eyes of a supervisor or boss. After all, they realize that when a woman becomes pregnant, they are in for a certain period of maternity leave – which leaves them down an employee. And with laws in place to protect the jobs of pregnant woman, employers cannot just release an employee because she is pregnant. Yet – employers are human, and they realize pregnancy and having children may or may not affect a woman”s job in the long run.

So what should you do?  Should you spill the news to your co-workers and your management team, or should you keep your lips tight?

Experts believe that a woman should feel safe and secure to announce the news of her pregnancy at work as soon as she feels comfortable doing so. In early pregnancy, when you may experience morning sickness, or need to call out sick, having your employer know you are pregnant can be beneficial.  Additionally, if you have a stressful or highly physical job, it may be in your best interests to let your boss know so he or she can lighten your workload or transfer you to another department. Of course, all of this depends on your work culture and the nature of your business.

Some women decide to not break the news until after the first trimester due to risk of miscarriage or because of privacy reasons. There is no law or legal expectation for an employee to announce her pregnancy at work, and many strides have been taken to protect the jobs of pregnant woman. Years ago, it was acceptable for an employer to let a woman go because she was pregnant. Today, it is not.

One thing that is important is to make sure that you speak to your boss directly, and first – rather than let the news of your pregnancy reach him or her via the “grapevine.” This way he or she can discuss any concerns with you personally. Likely they will want to know if you plan to return to work after the baby is born, and in some cases, may need to make arrangements during your maternity leave so that their business is not negatively affected. Depending on your position, being properly prepared may be a process that needs to start sooner rather than later. This also gives you the chance to offer to help put a plan in place for your maternity leave.

The risk of your happy news affecting your stature in the workplace is one that cannot be ignored. Some people will see your pregnancy as a problem, for them. Even though legally an employer cannot discriminate against an employee due to pregnancy, some still will. This is why it is important for you to proceed with caution. At the end of the day, telling the boss you are pregnant takes a combination of timing and tact, and only YOU can know when the time is right.

Written By Stef, Mom of 4 @Momspirational

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

It might be time for you to head back to work, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re ready to stop your breastfeeding journey just yet. You may have a magic number in mind for when you’d like to stop breastfeeding or perhaps you want to let your child decide when she’s ready to wean. Either way, the following top tips might help you as you prepare to re-enter the workplace after maternity leave:

1. Plan ahead

If you’re planning to continue breastfeeding, you’ll need to plan ahead to figure out how best to make this happen. You’ll need to be upfront with your employer so they can find ways to accommodate you as you settle back into work. If you’re planning to express milk at work, you’ll need to find out if they can offer you a private area to do this in. You’ll also need to try and work out how frequently you’ll need to pump and where you’ll be able to store the milk. Your employer is best placed to advise you on these matters.

2. Store it safely

When you express milk at work, you’ll need somewhere safe to store your milk. A fridge would be ideal, allowing you to keep your breast milk chilled until you can transport it home. Breast milk can only be stored at room temperature for up to four hours, so you’ll need a better solution for where to store your milk.

3. Supportive childcare

Choose a childcare provider who is supportive of your desire to continue breastfeeding. Your childcare provider should be able to use your pumped milk to bottle feed your child during the day. This allows you to balance the demands of the workplace with your desire to continue breastfeeding your baby. If you’re lucky enough to have childcare near work you may even be able to visit your baby to breastfeed during the day.

4. Be prepared

You may find that your baby feeds more often during night for the first few weeks, which may come as a shock as you’re adjusting to the early mornings of employment. Plan ahead; go to bed early to maximize the amount of sleep you’re able to get. This might be a tiring few weeks as you juggle daytime work with nighttime motherhood, and it may take you a while to get used to this new lifestyle.

5. Reconnection

After a challenging day at the office for you, and a busy day at nursery for your baby, breastfeeding can be the perfect way to reconnect. It allows you each a few minutes of quiet after a hectic day, as well as the benefits of touch and being close to each other. Many mamas say breastfeeding helps them to reconnect with their child after a day’s work.

Do you have any tips to share with mamas who are preparing to return to work?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.