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Being
a Working Mother
How long can I continue
working after I am pregnant
Pregnant women who have no complications
can continue working until the ninth month. They must however, take certain
precautions such as avoiding strenuous activity, stair-climbing, extreme
temperatures and smoky areas. They must also take frequent breaks and leave
early if they are feeling exhausted. If they have been standing for a prolonged
period, they should sit down and put their feet up. Standing for extended
periods, lifting heavy objects, stooping and bending should be avoided
in the last three months. Pregnant women must eat regular meals. A sedentary
job that is not particularly stressful may be less of a strain than staying
at home.
I would prefer to be
a stay-at-home mother
Many women around the world feel
that having a baby is not just something you do and then move on. In fact,
a baby that depends on you for its most basic needs and in many ways is
completely helpless. Once you have a baby, you may find that it is not
so easy to just get on with your life as you used to know it. Not
only do you consider yourself solely responsible for the care of this child,
but also you do not want to miss out on the pleasures of parenting, for
which you feel you need to be a full-time mom. Experts in parenting
and childcare have now given the role a new level of significance by calling
it the stay-at-home mother, indicating that the decision of leaving your
full-time job and career was a conscious choice made by the mother.
Should I go back to
work
Resuming full-time work is not a
black and white issue. There are a lot of factors that need to be
considered while taking this decision, such as financial circumstances,
the financial and emotional support from your partner, the availability
of an alternate caretaker, etc.
All new mothers consider their babies
as the most precious thing in the world. This is not to say that women
should spend their entire lives looking after their children. Women
are having babies all over the world and their lives are obviously not
coming to an end. In fact, working mothers who are in the prime of
their careers should definitely not give up their jobs for full-time motherhood.
Although it may sound like a much-needed break for the first few months,
it may lead to disappointment and resentment at one's self, which in turn
may get transferred onto the baby.
How soon can I go back
to work
In most countries, women are granted
three months of paid maternity leave. Many companies have a more
liberal maternity policy where they even allow an extended leave of upto
six months or more.
What are the alternatives
to full-time work
Most women hesitate in asking their
employers for working schedules where they can manage both their personal
lives and professional lives. Women should take the initiative in
discussing options such as flexible hours, part-time work, telecommuting
or job-sharing. They may be surprised by the number of women who
opted for one of these alternatives and achieved a successful balance.
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