Things to think about before going on maternity leave: 10 real tips

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Olga Litvinova, Vice President for Human Resources and a mother of three, was able to combine work and childbirth. She shares her personal experience and tells how to properly go on maternity leave and what to pay special attention to.

Two small stripes can divide your life into very different "before" and "after". What's over the horizon? What are all women who are actively building their careers so worried about and suddenly found out that they will soon become a mother?

I have walked this path three times, combining work and having children, so I am glad to share my personal experience.

1. Duration of maternity leave

Once your manager finds out that you are in a position, one of the first questions to prepare for will be: "How long are you planning to sit on maternity leave?" The question is very logical and clear - if a key player is out of action, the employer needs to understand what to do. Keep in mind that a lot depends on your answer: whether your colleagues will be able to pick up this functionality for a while, whether they will look for someone at a temporary maternity rate, or, frankly, they will not wait too long for your return.

2. Money

A very important point, especially for those women whose income plays a significant role in the family budget. The months leading up to maternity leave will fly by quickly, so focus on planning your expenses.

Very few employers compensate for this period in excess of what is required by law, so you need to prepare for a sharp drop in income. This is neither good nor bad, just a fact. Everything that you plan, feel free to increase by 30% - usually there are unforeseen expenses, the existence of which is now even difficult to imagine.

Those with deferred income have a slight advantage, such as an annual bonus.

3. Health

Now is the time to do it, even if your hands did not always reach before. Carefully study what opportunities are available in the VHI program offered by the employer. Often, for an additional fee, it can be expanded to include options for managing pregnancy and childbirth. Also inquire about children's insurance programs.

4. Completion of projects and transfer of cases

If you are not eager to go straight from the office to the hospital, it is better to start this process in advance. Who are your successors and on what issues? Write a plan for the completion of key tasks and agree in advance with your manager. If long projects start, think about who will duplicate you on them and can then complete.

5. Future mode of operation

Determine when you are ready to return to work and in what format. I had the experience of both a very quick exit from maternity leave, and the opportunity to sit for almost two years - the difference is very noticeable. If the transition from one state to another is smoother, the adaptation process is easier. It is also possible to return to work part-time or part-time - discuss this with your employer. If the specifics of the profession allow, you can think about the option of telecommuting.

6. Benefits and benefits

Study labor laws carefully to understand what additional options you have. The simplest example of their application in practice is the reduction of the working day due to the breaks for feeding the child, which are legally required for working women with children up to one and a half years old.

7. Your helpers

Talk with loved ones, who and in what issues can support you. It is also better to look for a nanny in advance so that you can gradually return to an active social life. By the way, according to the law, not only mom, but also dad and even grandmother have the right to take parental leave. You can change roles in the process. I personally know examples when dads of the most serious male professions went on maternity leave. Give up stereotypes, do as you like!

8. Gadgets

Things like a breast pump, sterilizer, steamer, electronic toddler swing and more have saved millions of hours for new moms and freed up their hands for other important tasks. It is not necessary to buy all of them, many of them can be borrowed from friends.

9. Rest

For the birth of a baby, and especially for the first time of sleepless nights, you will really need strength. Think about when it is better to take previously unused vacation days. The most common situation is that a woman, on the eve of maternity leave, takes another paid leave, taking advantage of this legal right.

10. New features

Assess what new opportunities open up for you during the period of the decree, for which there was a sorely lack of time before. Go to an exhibition, start cross-stitching or get additional education - it all depends on your interests and level of ambitions. Often times, this magical pause can be a great springboard for your next career leap or starting your own business.