Preparing for Maternity Leave

Preparing for maternity leave can be a big job. Here’s a checklist to help break down the steps involved so it’s not such a daunting task.

Tell your supervisor – deciding when to tell your supervisor that you’re pregnant can be a difficult decision. Most women wait until after their 12th week of pregnancy because the risk of miscarriage drops significantly after the first trimester. However, some women struggle with morning sickness and not just in the morning. If you are missing a lot of work, you may want to fill your boss in as to the cause. Some women, however, who don’t show early wait until the fourth or fifth month to tell their supervisors and colleagues.

Decide whether or not to return to work – Given the desire to spend lots of time with their child(ren) and the high costs of daycare, some women choose to quit their job after the baby is born. There are other factors to weigh in this decision, such as: Does your job provide health care coverage for the family? If you’re not working, can you access health care through your partner’s employer or a private plan? Would it make more sense financially if you worked and your spouse stayed home? Don’t forget to factor in the cost of working – daycare, gas, eating out, clothing, dry cleaning, convenience services such as cleaning and grocery delivery. Do you have to decide before or can you give your notice after the baby arrives?

Meet with Human Resources – Be sure to meet with someone in your organization who handles personnel issues and ask them if The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), a U.S. federal law, applies to you. It is available to many Americans and allows up to 12 weeks of unpaid time off to care for an immediate family member, such as a newborn or newly adopted child. Be sure to also ask about the following potential options whether or not you are eligible for FMLA: paid vacation time, paid sick or medical leave, short-term disability coverage, unpaid leave, or additional union benefits.

Decide on how much time off – many women greatly underestimate the time it will take to recover from labor and birth, and also forget to factor in the emotional changes that inevitably occur due to sleep deprivation, hormonal differences, adjustment to having a new family member, new obligations, and new routines. You should also consider possible medical complications for you and the baby as you determine when to return to work. My advice is to take as much time as your employer and your financial situation will allow.

Check into daycare – even though it may be too early to enroll your child in daycare, it’s a really good idea to become acquainted with the process and to get your name on several waiting lists. The Greater Minneapolis Daycare Association (GMDCA) website has wonderful articles and resources including the ability to call 612.341.1177 or email referral@gmdca.org for a listing of daycare providers in your area. They can also help you determine if you qualify for daycare assistance.

Organize Your Paperwork – Before you leave, make sure you’ve turned in all the necessary paperwork such as applications, vacation time requests, and forms from doctors. Also, make a copy of all of these documents including letters, and emails from your supervisor or HR.

Seriously consider breastfeeding – with its many benefits, breastfeeding is believed to increase your baby’s immune system and baby will need all the help they can get because they’ll be inundated with all kinds of bugs at daycare especially their first year. A healthier baby means less sick time for you. All workplaces are required to provide a safe, clean, locked space for mothers to pump breast milk. Check with your Human Resources office if you have any questions. Consider taking a class on breastfeeding to learn the basics and start building a support network. Breastfeeding is a lot of work and can be especially challenging for moms who work full-time.

Talk to other mothers – to find out how they prepared and about their transition back to work. Babycenter.com a great list of questions to ask other moms.