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By Gretchen Van Vlymen
Aug. 14, 2017
When I found out I was pregnant, I was elated. I couldn’t wait to tell friends, register for baby stuff I wouldn’t need, sign up for Amazon Prime diaper delivery, and start the so-called “nesting” phase. But then, anxiety about balancing a new baby and work hit me like a bad wave of morning sickness.
Most working parents, moms especially, will admit that it’s intimidating to tell their employer they are expecting.
It’s even scarier to figure out how they and their partner (if one is in the picture) will afford a new baby, let alone taking a leave that may or may not be unpaid and coming back to a job that feels unfamiliar. Once the baby arrives, there’s also the added bonus of hefty child care expenses and stressful logistics that is only enhanced by a ton of parental guilt if they can’t spend enough time with the child because they need a paycheck to make ends meet. Let’s just say the concerns for new parents are endless.
To help relieve the stress, trendy parenting blogs and baby apps give tips on how new parents should plan for a little one while working. However, as an expectant mom and HR consultant, I don’t always think their advice is realistic, nor does it jibe with what employers are actually able (or willing) to accommodate.
After my own experience and watching many of my clients go through this, here are some tips that make it easier on everyone, employee and employers alike:
New parents have enough to worry about. Following these helpful tips will ensure work isn’t one of them.
Gretchen Van Vlymen, a 2016 Workforce Game Changer, is the head of HR at StratEx. She is also pregnant, so maternity leave policies are high priority for her. Comment below or email editors@workforce.com.
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