WOMEN/MOMMY SPECIAL…PLANNING THE MATERNITY BREAK

PLANNING THE MATERNITY BREAK 

New mommies often find themselves in a dilemma on when to get back to work. Help is here…

    Over the last one year, the media has closely followed Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who has been on a break since the birth of her daughter Aaradhya. The new mommy’s attitude was a welcome change — she surely seemed to revel in motherhood in a time when working women race to get back in shape and resume work.
    While she set an example for new mommies to take things easy and enjoy their new role, in 2012 a high profile woman set a new standard that ensued, with vigour, an old debate on ‘how long should a maternity break ideally be?’ We are talking about a well known dotcom’s CEO Marissa Mayer, who got back to work full time just two weeks after giving birth to her first child.
    You need to ask yourself some questions to decide when you can return to work, some of these may help:
YOUR EMOTIONAL QUOTIENT
    Some new mommies can’t bear the thought of parting with their baby. Well, then you know that it’s going to be a long sabbatical. Ask yourself how comfortable are you with the idea of someone else caring for your baby, how important is it to you to pursue your career, and are you okay to get a little of both worlds — work and your baby’s life, rather than one of the two?
RESOURCES AT HAND
    Do you have a good family support system; someone who can take care of your baby while you are at work? If the baby’s grandmothers are up to it, you can arrange of an additional help, and you’re sorted, well almost. Schedules often go awry with a baby at home, no matter how much help you have, so you need to be sure if your workplace will allow for flexibility. A lot also depends on how far your workplace is from home, especially if you are breast feeding.
MONEY MATTERS
    This often is the ultimate determining factor for the duration of your maternity sabbatical. Make a budget on how your finances stand if you take a longer break and figure out how different it will be if you resume work after your official maternity leave is over. While expenses like rent, loan payments, insurance etc. may be constant, consider expenses for childcare, domestic help, travelling expenses to work, takeaway meals (for when you are exhausted to cook) etc. If these expenses don’t leave much of your income, you could consider taking a sabbatical and spending quality time with the baby.
    These days, many professions have scope for freelance assignments, which working mothers can consider. This will bring in the flow of money and also help you keep in touch with your career.
TIPS FOR A SWIFT TRANSITION TO WORK
Explore options with your employers to get back to work on a part-time basis for a few weeks or initial months. A week before you resume work, leave home for an hour or two without your baby. It’ll help you be more comfortable with the idea of leaving the baby at home, and also help you assess how you can do it best. Resume work mid-week so that you get a short first week at work. It’ll be good for your nerves and also easy for the baby to adjust to child care. Make arrangements for short mid-day breaks where you can take your feet up and relax. It’ll charge you up to juggle efficiently. GOOD TO KNOW
DOC SPEAK
    Doctors insist that post delivery, women should not exert themselves for at least four week. Says gynaecologist Dr Bindu Ballani, “Heavy work, lifting weights, travelling in rush-hour local buses and trains must be avoided for the first four weeks.”
    Newborns need their mothers around for six to eight weeks, says Dr Ballani. “Ideally, for the first three months the baby has to be breastfed. The child recognises its mother by her smell, and having the mother around gives the baby a sense of security and comfort.”
    After six to eight weeks, when you resume work, you could express your breast milk with a pump and bottle feed your baby.
MATERNITY RIGHTS
    As per law, you are entitled to 12 weeks full pay maternity leave. This is applicable to every industry, government as well as private employment. The Maternity Act of 1961, which provides for this, was passed to protect against discrimination. According to the Act you can’t be sacked because you are pregnant or, in course of your maternity leave. So, you are assured of a three-month sabbatical, which can be taken during the time immediately preceding a pregnancy and immediately after. For example: You can take three weeks before you due date and nine weeks after, to nurse. A woman is entitled to an additional leave of one extra month to recover, in case of illness and complications. However, a medical certificate will have to be submitted to the employer regarding it.
    You are also entitled to two nursing breaks after you’ve returned to work until the child reaches 15 months of age.

Saadia S Dhailey BT 130118