It's working for Melissa D
Boston, Massachusetts
1 child
"16 Weeks feels like the absolute minimum that parents should get in terms of time off."
What is one piece of advice you wish you could offer your former expectant self?
Breast milk vs. formula… it doesn’t matter. Just feed the baby.
What was your primary motivation for deciding to return (or not) to work? How early did you tell your employer?
As 12 weeks approached, I knew I wasn’t ready to return to work. I was still a mess and trying to get a firm grasp on this whole parenting thing. I asked for another 4 weeks of leave and I was granted it. Now, at 16 weeks, I feel much better about the transition back, although the difficulty now is that I don’t want to be separated from my child for even a nanosecond! She is changing so quickly. One minute she’s not laughing yet, only for us to hear her giggle the next. I love being with her and don’t want to miss a thing!
How much leave did you take, and how comfortable were you taking it?
16 Weeks. I feel conflicted! I am looking forward to reengaging in work and thinking about non-baby related things, but will miss my baby when I’m not with her.
Fill in the blanks: As a working parent, I never expected ____ would be so hard and ____ would be so much easier!
That having my daughter was going to change everything I thought I knew about how I’d feel about returning to work (if that makes any sense). I thought I’d prefer a daycare for my child, but I actually want a nanny now that I know her and see where we are 16 weeks into her life. I thought I’d want to jump back into work right away full time, and I ended up wanting more time off and returning part time. I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to have figured everything out before I had my daughter, but what I should have done instead was set myself up to be able to take advantage of different options.