Resuming work after having a baby is not an easy task for mothers. The foremost concern is the child’s needs. Once everything falls into place, you can resume your work. Read on to know how you can resume your work. In this articleQ. I work in my husband’s family business. My baby is now 3 months old. How soon can I go back to work?Q. I used to work in a multinational company before I had my 2 babies. I had initially thought that I would get back to work immediately, but for many reasons this did not happen. It has now been 6 years since I quit. What kind of work can I go back to?Q. I have looked after my little kids for some time now. I am ready to go back to full time employment. Although I have good help at home, is there some kind of checklist of things that could go wrong? Are there any measures I should take to guard against these?Q. I work in my husband’s family business. My baby is now 3 months old. How soon can I go back to work? A lot of women get back to work right after their maternity leave is over. Assuming you have left baby in good, loving hands there is no problem with this at all. However, if your employer allows for it, there is no reason for you to rush back and you could try making the separation at a more gradual pace. If you are leaving your baby to a grandparent who is looking forward to taking care of him, it is likely the separation will be more stressful for you than for your baby! There is no rule or ideal time as to when you can go back to work, but there are those who believe that you should wait until you have bonded with baby and feel confident in your new role as a mother. Whether you start work as soon as possible or whether you start it later, do be prepared to have your heart break every morning when you leave until such time that your brain learns to take over and somehow numb the effect! Do not make the mistake of trying to sneak out just to avoid saying goodbye properly…and cheerfully. If you are lucky enough to have a creche or some baby sitting facility at your work place, enabling you to bring your child to work, first, congratulate yourself on your choice of employer, and then make as many enquiries and visits to ensure that you feel comfortable about leaving your child at the facility. Q. I used to work in a multinational company before I had my 2 babies. I had initially thought that I would get back to work immediately, but for many reasons this did not happen. It has now been 6 years since I quit. What kind of work can I go back to? A lot can change in 6 years. Your red-faced, screaming baby has become a walking, talking, school going superstar. Similarly, your workplace has changed too. Your colleagues have probably moved either up or out. The skills required at your job may have altered. Your career prospects at your old job would certainly have taken a small beating. A hard fact is this: you will no longer have the ability or the inclination to put in those extra long hours…and this will be noticed. But do not panic. With time and dedication and a willingness to adapt, you can have it all back, whether with your old employer or someone new. If, however, time is not what you are willing to put in, there are other part-time options still available. Let us not fool ourselves, any part-time, flexi-hour job does not usually come attached with the greatest career prospects. You could choose from any of the following options: Part-Time Jobs or Flexi-hours – Ideally, you could begin by approaching your old employers or any of their suppliers indicating that you are available to be employed for certain periods of the day or week. It may give you some confidence to start out with something similar to what you were up to before you quit. A lot of companies are outsourcing all kinds of business and it a good idea to look up a company that provides such services. Telecommuting – More and more employers today allow their employees to work out of their homes. Apart from giving their employees flexibility, it actually reduces costs for the employer. This is a wonderful option which will allow you not only to work, but also to be around for your child whenever the need arises. Call Centres and the Like – Considering call centres and the like would mean working odd hours. But you may prefer this option since you will be away only when your husband or other help is in the home to be with your child during your absence. Be an Entrepreneur – There are limitless opportunities to supply goods, to fill a need, to provide a service. Be your own boss and set your own time table! Q. I have looked after my little kids for some time now. I am ready to go back to full time employment. Although I have good help at home, is there some kind of checklist of things that could go wrong? Are there any measures I should take to guard against these? Assuming you have organised your support system in terms of who will be looking after your baby in your absence, you have to ask yourself the following questions: a) Who will look after your child if he falls sick? Does your work situation allow you to easily take days off to look after your sick child? Or have you left him in able hands, capable of managing without you? b) What happens if the maid goes on sudden leave? It is wise to organise a second tier of help if you are depending on one maid. c) Can your support system kick into the next gear if you have to travel out on work? Will the whole system fall apart without your presence every evening? d) Suppose your husband also needs to travel at the same time as you. Do you have the necessary help to deal with such a situation? e) Will you be able to manage house-guests, family weddings, and such disruptions of schedules, if these occur often in your present life? Most of these situations will be solved if you have a good option # 2 in terms of babysitting. However as unlikely as the above situations may seem to you now, they DO tend to happen, and at alarming frequencies. You need not wait till you have fixed them all, before going back to work, but do have some plan of action stored in your head.
Resuming work after having a baby is not an easy task for mothers. The foremost concern is the child’s needs. Once everything falls into place, you can resume your work. Read on to know how you can resume your work.Q. I work in my husband’s family business. My baby is now 3 months old. How soon can I go back to work?
A lot of women get back to work right after their maternity leave is over. Assuming you have left baby in good, loving hands there is no problem with this at all. However, if your employer allows for it, there is no reason for you to rush back and you could try making the separation at a more gradual pace. If you are leaving your baby to a
grandparent who is looking forward to taking care of him, it is likely the separation will be more stressful for you than for your baby! There is no rule or ideal time as to when you can go back to work, but there are those who believe that you should wait until you have bonded with baby and feel confident in your new role as a mother.
Whether you start work as soon as possible or whether you start it later, do be prepared to have your heart break every morning when you leave until such time that your brain learns to take over and somehow numb the effect! Do not make the mistake of trying to sneak out just to avoid saying goodbye properly…and cheerfully.
If you are lucky enough to have a creche or some baby sitting facility at your work place, enabling you to bring your child to work, first, congratulate yourself on your choice of employer, and then make as many enquiries and visits to ensure that you feel comfortable about leaving your child at the facility.
A lot can change in 6 years. Your red-faced, screaming baby has become a walking, talking, school going superstar. Similarly, your workplace has changed too. Your colleagues have probably moved either up or out. The skills required at your job may have altered. Your career prospects at your old job would certainly have taken a small beating. A hard fact is this: you will no longer have the ability or the inclination to put in those extra long hours…and this will be noticed. But do not panic. With time and dedication and a willingness to adapt, you can have it all back, whether with your old employer or someone new.
If, however, time is not what you are willing to put in, there are other part-time options still available. Let us not fool ourselves, any part-time, flexi-hour job does not usually come attached with the greatest career prospects. You could choose from any of the following options:
Part-Time Jobs or Flexi-hours – Ideally, you could begin by approaching your old employers or any of their suppliers indicating that you are available to be employed for certain periods of the day or week. It may give you some confidence to start out with something similar to what you were up to before you quit. A lot of companies are outsourcing all kinds of business and it a good idea to look up a company that provides such services.
Telecommuting – More and more employers today allow their employees to work out of their homes. Apart from giving their employees flexibility, it actually reduces costs for the employer. This is a wonderful option which will allow you not only to work, but also to be around for your child whenever the need arises.
Call Centres and the Like – Considering call centres and the like would mean working odd hours. But you may prefer this option since you will be away only when your husband or other help is in the home to be with your child during your absence.
Be an Entrepreneur – There are limitless opportunities to supply goods, to fill a need, to provide a service. Be your own boss and set your own time table!
Q. I have looked after my little kids for some time now. I am ready to go back to full time employment. Although I have good help at home, is there some kind of checklist of things that could go wrong? Are there any measures I should take to guard against these?
Assuming you have organised your support system in terms of who will be looking after your baby in your absence, you have to ask yourself the following questions:
a) Who will look after your child if he falls sick? Does your work situation allow you to easily take days off to look after your sick child? Or have you left him in able hands, capable of managing without you?
b) What happens if the maid goes on sudden leave? It is wise to organise a second tier of help if you are depending on one maid.
c) Can your support system kick into the next gear if you have to travel out on work? Will the whole system fall apart without your presence every evening?
d) Suppose your husband also needs to travel at the same time as you. Do you have the necessary help to deal with such a situation?
e) Will you be able to manage house-guests, family weddings, and such disruptions of schedules, if these occur often in your present life?
Most of these situations will be solved if you have a good option # 2 in terms of babysitting. However as unlikely as the above situations may seem to you now, they DO tend to happen, and at alarming frequencies. You need not wait till you have fixed them all, before going back to work, but do have some plan of action stored in your head.
