Pregnancy is a wonderful part of life but for many who enjoy their careers and working, it’s something that can be a stop-gap that is difficult to dive back into straight away.
Feeling good in the workplace and managing expectations can be challenging when a baby has just been pushed or pulled out of the body. Let’s be honest, it’s not like being written off work for a broken arm or a common cold. Parenthood has many ups and downs, with going back to work is a tough one.
How can a new mum feel better when heading back into the workplace after pregnancy? Whether a person is in that position now, or it’s something that’s worried about in the future, hopefully, these tips will help relieve the stress and anxiety of it all.
The aftermath of pregnancy and the expectation to bounce back
Why is it that women have such high expectations put against them to get back to business as soon as they’ve given birth? Labour is classed as a traumatic experience on the body, even though it’s for the best reason possible.
A study on women in the workplace after pregnancy found that 17% of women leave employment completely in the five years following birth. This is in comparison to 4% of men.
What could be deemed as being a world built for and catered to the males of society, may be the reason why women feel pressured to get back to work quickly. While it’s completely fine to stay at home and not work if the opportunity presents itself, getting back to work after pregnancy is challenging to do regardless.
How to feel better in the workplace post-pregnancy
Returning to the workplace can be overwhelming, to begin with, post-pregnancy. There are a lot of feelings and emotions happening within the body at this point. Job-wise, it’s coming back after a long period away, which means changes within business operations and perhaps new workers that weren’t there before.
Hormones can often still be all over the place and there can be a lot of conflict going on in the mind. With that being said, here are a few ways in which one can feel better in the workplace after giving birth.
Accept that the process of returning to work will be challenging.
To think that a return to work is going to be like a duck to water is wishful thinking. In fact, it can be a road full of obstacles in the way. To start with, it’s important to accept and acknowledge that the process isn’t going to be easy.
There are going to be a lot of things going on when returning that the new mum might not have had before going on maternity leave.
Accept this and it’ll often relieve some of that pent-up pressure that has been building, mostly triggered by oneself, rather than the business itself.
Let go of the guilt when working away from the baby.
One of the biggest obstacles to overcome when returning to work post-birth is the guilt that can be felt when having a baby at home. Whether it’s working from home or away from home, the guilt remains the same when every moment has been spent at the baby’s side since giving birth.
Whilst it’s easier said than done, it’s important to let go of the guilt that comes with working away. Understand why it’s happening and the benefits that are going to come as a result. For example, this job is going to help provide the family with more money to enjoy life and make memories.
Assess the future career path or decisions that need to be made.
Coming back to work can often be a case of looking at what has happened since the person has left. There can often be a lot of change, not just with the organisation, but the person themselves. It may be that a new focus or career move is needed in order to be satisfied within the workplace.
With that being said, to make the transition easier, it’s always good to speak to peers and those responsible or influential for making change. By speaking to these people, it can help to find some new or existing direction to take.
Having a fresh perspective makes the process of coming back, so much easier. It can be like wiping the slate clean and starting with a new chapter in one’s work life.
Ease back into work with flexible working hours.
Sometimes rushing back into the job is never a good idea. For some, it can be feasible to get back to the job full-time and for others, it can be a necessity for the finances. However, if it’s possible, it’s handy to try and ease back into the work lifestyle by doing flexible working hours.
Flexibility in working hours can help to ensure the person is eased back in without the overwhelming feeling of going from no work to a 9-5 job.
Easing back in can also be helpful if wanting to return within a time period where recovery and mental recovery are required. If this is something that the workplace offers, speak to the manager or supervisor. If it’s not, then raising the topic is something that should be done. Knowing workers’ rights is also important to know ahead of this.
Invest in post-pregnancy work clothes.
The body post-pregnancy is a lot different from the body before the baby was conceived. That means that how a person looks and feels after pregnancy is something that can be hard to manage.
It’s not just the external pressures but the internal pressure to look good. While in reality, there’s no pressure to look any other way than oneself, post-pregnancy work clothes may help.
If it’s a career that requires a uniform, then there are plenty of shopping opportunities to really transform the work wardrobe. For example, the best scrubs from Uniform Advantage are great for those who work in the healthcare industry.
Set boundaries between work and life.
As far as work life and personal life go, there should be a positive shift when having a family. A baby requires attention and a lot of love. That can’t be provided from a distance, which is why a work-life balance is needed.
That means the foot needs to be put down when it comes to overtime or having to stay late for work because something just couldn’t wait.
Whether that pressure comes from internally or from someone on the team, set boundaries from the beginning. When the work day ends, that’s the end of contact with the workplace. Unless it’s not feasible to do this, in which case there should still be some form of boundary in place to give the individual the space they need to spend time with their child.
If there’s a worry that these boundaries are going to be crossed, then a formal meeting should take place with a HR representative in the room. That way any misunderstandings or problems can be ironed out and hopefully, an agreement can be made.
Create some affirmations to repeat in the mirror each morning.
Pregnancy is tough and post-pregnancy is a whole new level of toughness. With that being said, the priority of the parent(s) can often be put to the bottom of the pile, with the baby being put first.
As it should be at this point in time, it’s still necessary to provide oneself with positivity. When going back to work, there may be days that aren’t the best and it can dull the shine off the happiness that was once felt.
In order to feel better in the workplace after pregnancy, create some affirmations that can be repeated in the mirror each morning.
Examples of these affirmations are:
- I am doing my very best at work despite the circumstances.
- My child is going to be so proud to have me as a parent.
- I am just as important now as I was before my pregnancy.
These are a great way to help bring some positivity back into the working day and to reconfirm and acknowledge aspects of life that might have been forgotten about for a while.
Prioritise self-care where possible.
Lastly, a big one that shouldn’t be forgotten in any case is the need for self-care. When going through a pregnancy and coming out the other side, the body has been through a lot. Both the mind and body, in fact, need to be cared for.
If the workplace is kind enough to offer any form of counselling, therapy, or aid, take it. Where there are opportunities to take a mental well-being day off or to get a bit of self-care in between meetings, it’s all beneficial to take advantage of.
Take time when coming back to work
Be patient when it comes to returning to work. It’s going to be challenging to begin with, but it’s bound to get easier with time.