After Maternity Leave: Making The Transition Back To Work
November 29, 2009 by Kimberly Redison
Filed under pregnancy
After Maternity Leave: Making The Transition Back To Work
You’ve carried your child for nine months. You’ve experienced the joy and excitement of childbirth. You’ve also spent the last few months bonding with your infant. Unfortunately, the time has come to return to work and leave your baby behind. It’s a difficult transition to make for any new parent; it can be emotionally devastating. Not only will you want to stay with your little one, but you’re likely to be nervous about what to expect.
In this article, we’ll offer useful advice on preparing to return to the workplace after enjoying your maternity leave. We’ll explore making the decision, planning to breastfeed, and finding the time to get everything done.
Making The Decision
Even if you know you want to return to the office after your maternity leave ends, be open to making that decision after you’ve spent time with your newborn. Many women decide early that they want to go back into the workplace, yet change their minds once they have bonded with their babies. Other women can’t fathom leaving their little ones behind until they have spent an entire three months at home.
Also, make a list of the things that are important to you and your partner. Prioritize them. For example, you might enjoy certain luxuries, such as eating in fine restaurants. Your career may be important to you. On the other hand, you might be willing to sacrifice those things in order to stay home with your little one.
Planning To Breastfeed
Breastfeeding your infant gives her access to protective nutrients that are unavailable to her otherwise. If you’re staying home, you’ll have the flexibility to nurse her whenever she’s hungry. After you return to the workplace, doing so will become far more difficult. You’ll need to plan your schedule carefully. Work with your manager to schedule time during which you can express milk (plan to set aside thirty minutes). Also, make sure there’s a refrigerator in which you can store the milk.
Getting Everything Done
New mothers are often anxious of letting details fall through the cracks. This may be the reason they’re so efficient as multitaskers. Having said that, you can reduce your stress and frustration by delegating household duties to your partner and children. Make a list of the individual tasks for which each person is responsible. Create a schedule on which those tasks should be completed. Then, be flexible and don’t expect perfection. Your household can run smoothly if you communicate openly and place your faith in your family.
After your maternity leave ends, you’ll need to decide whether returning to work is the right decision for you and your family. As noted, it will likely be a difficult decision to make. You’ll feel pangs of guilt and wonder how any mother could leave her infant. That said, if you decide to go back into the workplace, stay organized and stick as closely as possible to your new schedule.
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Secrets For Looking Fantastic While You Are Pregnant
November 6, 2009 by Kimberly Redison
Filed under pregnancy
You’re pregnant and excited about what the future holds for you and your baby. You’re watching your belly expand in order to make room for the new life growing inside you. You’re also wondering how you’ll be able to fit into your clothes in a few months.
Fashion and pregnancy can go together without putting too large a dent in your bank account. Whether you’re dressing up for a corporate setting, or need to find a set of stylish, yet comfortable, maternity clothes for wearing at home, a few essentials can do wonders. Here are five secrets to looking great while you’re pregnant:
Stock Your Closet With Tees
T-shirts will never go out of style. Plus, there’s a size that will fit any body. Whether you’re wearing them with shorts, a skirt, or maternity jeans, they’ll look great and provide the flexibility you’ll crave as your body grows larger. By the time you’ve entered your third trimester, your tees can show off your growing belly.
Buy An Elegant Black Dress
Being pregnant doesn’t mean you’re housebound for the duration. Invest in an elegant black dress to wear when you and your partner go out for dinner or spend an evening out. You’ll feel great and look even better. Remember, black is ageless. Like t-shirts, a black dress will never seem dated.
Borrow Your Husband’s Shirts
A clean Oxford-style button-down shirt will not only feel comfortable, but it will also give you a casual, refined look. Plus, if you’re stocking your closet full of tees, wear one underneath. It makes a perfect complement to an unbuttoned Oxford.
Invest In Accessories
The right accessories can transform an otherwise lifeless ensemble into a sophisticated, energetic outfit. A pair of maternity jeans and a tee can be matched with a colorful scarf and dazzling earrings. Classy shoes and a quirky handbag can add a little zest to any outfit. Keep in mind that you’ll be able to take full advantage of your accessories after giving birth.
Buy New Bras
Your breasts will probably grow at least one – and possibly two – cup sizes while you’re pregnant. It is critical that you wear bras that can properly support them. Otherwise, you’ll experience backaches as well as an overall lack of comfort. While bras are technically undergarments and will stay be out of sight, feeling more comfortable can directly influence how you appear to others.
Maintaining a keen sense of style while you’re pregnant is not only possible, it’s easy. Buy plenty of tees in different sizes, invest is a black dress for evenings out, and don’t be afraid to raid your husband’s closet. Also, rely on accessories to add sparkle to your maternity wardrobe, and buy bras that fit and support your growing breasts. You’ll find that doing those five things can give you a charismatic sense of fashion that other moms-to-be will envy.
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