A Difficult Situation
Many careers offer maternity leave; in some situations that’s a requirement legally. However, that’s not always the case. Maybe you’ve got a private business. Maybe you run a floral shop, or maybe you work online as a freelancer.
Today’s moms work a lot. At one time there was a convenience factor involved, and a means of increasing or supplementing family income. However, in modernity, this tends to be something of a requirement.
In the wake of the 2020 health crisis, businesses were forced into a remote work model. That means they had to spend money making the transition. So they saved where they could otherwise. Things like office rent went out the window. Decentralized infrastructure cuts costs in terms of rent, maintenance, parking, taxes, incidentals, water, electricity, and more.
Why pay $80k a month for one floor in a downtown office building when you can decentralize and run everybody remotely for $10k? And why keep employees on full-time when you can outsource cheaper and more satisfactorily for all involved? Some jobs today have no maternity benefits, you’ve just got to “figure it out”. We’ll discuss strategies here.
1. Take Nine Months to Prepare for the Newborn
The moment you know you’ve got a bun in the oven, it’s time to prepare. Pick up extra shifts where you can, prepare a place in the home for the baby, and telegraph the need for a little time off with your work in the future.
With some decentralized work, it’s a matter of how much workload you want to take on a given day. With others, disappearing for two or three months is a deal-breaker. Fine then. If your employer won’t work with you, seek out new employers—here’s a list of quite a few businesses hiring “Work From Home” (WFH) personnel in 2022.
2. Seek External Consultation From Experts
Sometimes you’ve got to have a work/life balance because you’re a new mom, and you’re single. You need trusted resources in whom you can rely when things get difficult; and they likely will. Postpartum depression is real, and it can be stimulated by issues involving milk production. Find resources like this one for postpartum lactation consultation.
3. Support Groups, Family, and Spouses
Support groups help you define and organize your duties as a mom, family can also help you handle things when emergencies happen. Your most important resource should be your spouse; but the problem is, not all mothers have a spouse to rely on. That’s one reason support groups and family are so important.
Finding Your Balance in Work and Motherhood
Find support groups, work with family as possible, divvy up duties with spouses, find external support from experts, and use the time while your baby grows inside you to prepare. It might not be easy, but if you’re mentally prepared, this transition period can be manageable, and you can overcome.