Sports Biz Mom

Developing, Supporting, and Encouraging Moms Working in Sports

You are here: Home / Archives for Pumping

Pumping

What To Pack When You’re Pumping

by

I stared at the intimidating, pale yellow, contraption before me.   Tubes, cones, cords – this was supposed to do what to where? Did people actually, REALLY, use these things? It looked like a torture device. Nope.  Not doing that today.  Back in the closet it goes.

For the first 4 to 6 weeks of my maternity leave, this was the conversation I had with myself on a regular basis.  I eyed my pump, sitting in the same box it shipped in.   There were too many rules, too many pieces, and I was too tired.   But, as I approached the halfway mark of my time at home, I knew we had to become acquainted.  Little did I know, that other than my child, Ms. Medela would become my most constant companion for the next few months.  Our relationship lasted approximately a year, and while we parted ways amicably (for which I am forever grateful), I was not sorry to see her go.   

Pumping – while valuable – SUCKED.  I don’t think I was prepared for how truly awful it could be.  WHY DID NO ONE MENTION THIS TO ME!?!

It was noisy, messy, and an extraordinary logistical feat to manage throughout the workday.   Did you pack all the pieces? How early do I have to leave for my meeting so I have time to pump on the way and clean up in the parking lot? What random stranger will I talk to about my boobs today? Will anyone on this conference call notice my wheezing friend, Ms. Medela, if I have to unmute myself and say something? (The answer is yes by the way…)

Seriously.  Did I mention pumping SUCKS? Honestly, if it was an appropriate interview question, I’d definitely give a job candidate bonus points in the “attention to detail and managing their time wisely” category if I knew they pumped for any time at all after maternity leave.   There’s no question that the event planning and project timelines I’ve learned to do in sports and events helped prepare me for balancing work and the milk guzzling little creature I left a daycare every day.

You’re probably wondering, “Abby, if you hated it so much, why did you do for so long?”

Here’s the deal, while I hated pumping, once the small human and I got the hang of it, I truly enjoyed the experience of breastfeeding. Yes, it’s sometimes annoying to be the primary food source for another human being; but, at the end of the day, I appreciated the one-on-one time with my son and was proud of the fact that I was the only one that could provide what he needed at that moment.  I strapped myself in to my least favorite contraption on a daily basis so that I could still have that opportunity when I came home every day.

In full transparency, I was also incredibly fortunate to have a relatively easy time breastfeeding and top-notch resources at my beckon call.  I did not experience many of the common issues new Moms have (except for cluster feeding – also something NOBODY told me about), plus my sister is a Certified Lactation Consultant (Fraser’s Dairy God Mother) and my Mom birthed six babies. So, I had two experts on speed dial.   I am absolutely aware that so many women out there would gladly pump the day away to be able to breastfeed their child.   At the end of the day, a well-fed and well-loved baby is most important.  This is what worked for me and my family THIS time.  I know I may have to take a different approach should we be blessed with another child in the future.

I also know that a lot of the success I had in pumping was due to the fact that I have a job that affords me a lot of autonomy.  I didn’t have to explain to someone where I was going when I needed to pump.  I could shut the door of my office or take care of business in the car between meetings. It would have been much more difficult to keep this up in a traditional office environment, when everyone could have seen my comings and goings.  If you’re able to make this work, I have so much respect for you AND your employer, and I want to hear about it – email me!

So, anyway, this long-winded rambling was my attempt to provide some background on my experience with the topic at hand – What to Pack When You’re Pumping.  I always feel more calm and ready for a challenge when I can create an actionable list, so if I haven’t scared you off yet, here’s a handy checklist to help prepare you for your adventures with Ms. Medela – or whatever torture device is your baby’s flavor.  

Packing for a picnic? Scuba diving lessons? Nope. Just Tuesday morning.

WHAT TO PACK WHEN YOU’RE PUMPING: 

This list is specifically created with the Medela Pump In-Style model in mind. Most other major pump brands have similar accessories available.  

  • Pumping Bag: I just used diaper bag, but some pumps come with their own bag, or you can find a specialty case that is specifically created to make pumping on the go easier.
  • The Pump: This seems like a no brainer, but may be an easy thing to forget when you’re first figuring out the schedule to get yourself and your small human out the door. The Affordable Care Act requires that private health insurance plans cover the cost of your breast pump, so be sure to contact your insurance company about the ordering process. My son was born in March and I ordered my pump in January.
  • Pump Pieces: These are the items that generally come with the pump and are essential to making that milk move! You don’t necessarily need to purchase any of these items separately, but I’d recommend having spare valves and membranes in your bag just in case one of the membranes tears.
    • Power Cord/AC Adapter
  • Quick-Clean Steaming Bags: If you have access to a microwave and water you can steam and clean your parts throughout the day.  Each bag can be used up to 20 times.   These are handy if you’re on the road or in hotels and won’t be home to wash things by hand
  • Quick Clean Breast Pump and Accessory Wipes: If you’re like me and pumping on the go, these are a must have.  If you don’t have immediate access to water/microwave, use these wipes to clean your pump between sessions.
  • Zip Lock Bags:  I typically transported all of my various parts in a gallon zip-lock bag.  It’s helpful to have a few extras on hand in case you’re not able to clean your parts and want to keep the clean away from the dirty.
  • Car Adapter:  I used this on a daily basis.  Even if you don’t travel for work, I’d recommend having one on hand in case you’re ever in a bind and need to give the girls some relief on the go.
  • Battery Pack:  I only used this 3 or 4 times total, but was a great back-up in case you don’t have access to an outlet.  Unfortunately, using this likely meant I was in a bathroom somewhere that didn’t have a space for nursing mothers (looking at you DTW). 
  • Cooler/Ice Pack: Most breast pumps come with a cooler and ice pack to keep your liquid gold at an acceptable storage/serving temperature throughout the day.   This is especially important if you won’t have access to a refrigerator.  More information on breastmilk storage can be found here.  Also, my husband was very proud to discover the Medela cooler + ice pack can also fit exactly four beers. It’s the perfect party pack! You’re welcome.
  • Nursing Cover: I travel by car a lot throughout the day for work, so I pumped while driving (shhhh) at least once a day.  I used the nursing cover to keep the contraption and my flesh colored pumping bra out of the line of site of anyone at traffic lights or in parking lots.  They may have never noticed, but it made me feel like I had at least a little dignity.  If I wasn’t in the car, I sometimes put this on my lap in the office or car in case of any drips/leaks.
  • Hands Free Pumping Bra: This is a must have if you’re a car pumper. I also used my pumping time to catch-up on email – multitasking at its best!
  • Storage Bottles + Lids: This should seem obvious, but is an easy one to forget (see below).  I have more bottles than I know what to do with because I would forget the lids at home and have to buy full new sets over lunch. 
  • Manual Breast Pump: I know, what you’re thinking, I need TWO breast pumps in my bag? Perhaps not every day, but this is something to think about if you’ll be on the run and you’re not sure when and where you’ll be able to pump (big events, unfamiliar venues, tight flight connections, etc.). The manual breast pump can allow you to squeeze in a quick session without a tangle of cords.  Personally, I didn’t feel it was as efficient as its noiser cousin; but, it provided some relief, and as my breastfeeding class instructor liked to say, “it places the order at the bakery”, so your body continues to produce more milk for your baby later.
  • Milk Storage Bags:  Yes, I had these at home already for my freezer stash, but I initially didn’t carry these with me to work.  However, I took an extended business trip and some ended up buried in my bag, and they ended up being a life/milk saver.  If you someday forget to bring the caps to your pumping bottles (yup, did that twice) or the bottles (I think I only did that once…) You can MacGyver a solution using the bags and a hair tie.
No bottles or lids? No problem! Pump straight into your storage bags! Photo from the last ever business trip I took with my pump. You think I would have known better by then…
  • Hair Tie: For reasons that I hope are now obvious…
  • Sharpie Marker: If you’re storing milk in bags, be sure to mark the date/time of your session on the bag BEFORE you start pumping.
  • Mamava App:  I used this extensively while traveling for work.  It’s super handy in airports and other public places.   The app will provide you geo-specific locations of Mamava Nursing Pods or other Mothers’ Rooms near you.   If you’re reading this and work for a team or venue that does not have a nursing room, please share the Mamava page with your leadership team immediately.  Not only is it the right thing to do for your fans, it’s possible sponsorship inventory.
  • Sprout App: Sprout is the app I used to track feeding and pumping sessions until my son was about a year old.  It tracks how much you pump, how long you pumped, and can push you a reminder when it’s time to get back at it.  I also used this while breastfeeding, and in those early weeks, it was much needed record of when my son needed to eat and which side was most in need of action. 

——————————————————————————————————————

Did I scare you into not pumping? Are you immediately running to the store to buy formula? If you think pumping may be for you, I hope the What to Pack When You’re Pumping list helps you feel more prepared to make the best decision possible when the time comes.

Are you a past pumper or already pumping? Did I miss anything? I’d love to hear from you about what was in your bag and what kept you motivated while pumping.   This was honestly one of the most difficult parts of my first year of motherhood, and I have so much respect for anyone who is willing to take it on – but also applaud any of you who decide keeping up with the circus is not for you.  No matter how you feed your baby, know that you are not alone in your struggle, and it can be hard to adjust to your family’s new routines those first few weeks/months back at work.   I am serious when I say I would be happy to talk about pumping and how you can make it work for you, where you work.   Please email me at sportsbizmom@gmail.com if you’d like to chat! 

Sports Biz Mom: Amy Weinstein Flynn, CertifiKID

by

I was (and am) excited to share my latest interview with Amy Weinstein Flynn.   She contacted me right after Sports Biz Mom launched in June, and while I recognized her name from my graduate program’s alumni directory, we had never previously spoken.  Amy has an extensive background in sponsorship sales, and she’s also incredibly funny and creative.  In fact, I now have some great ideas for future crowd sourced blog posts (Funny pumping story? Please, hit me up!).  I appreciated her openness about her experience as one of the only Moms within her company when she had her first child, and it really drove home how important it is for all managers – no matter their gender or family status – to be educated and comfortable talking about family life with their employees.

After 15+ years in the traditional sports business world, Amy Weinstein Flynn joined CertifiKID in October 2017 as a National Account Executive, helping the team bring on new major partnerships and offers.  CertifiKID is a trusted resource for over 1 million moms, bringing them exclusive local and national offers on family entertainment, attractions, products, services, and experiences.  She came to CertifiKID after nearly 5 years as the Director of Sales for Inside Lacrosse, managing all advertising and event sponsorship sales for the largest media outlet in the sport.  

Prior to that, she held senior sales positions with IMG College/ISP Sports as General Manager at George Washington University and Assistant General Manager at Villanova.  She got her start in the sports industry on the agency side, with both Octagon and Velocity Sports & Entertainment (now part of MKTG), on accounts such as AT&T, FedEx, P&G, The Home Depot, and AutoTrader.com.   

Amy is a 2005 graduate of Ohio University’s Sports Administration program, with a dual Masters in Business Administration and Sports Administration.  She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 2001, where she also served as a captain and 4-year starter for the Women’s Lacrosse team.  She resides in Columbia, Maryland, with her husband Dan, daughter Hannah (4.5 years), and son Bennett (2.5 years). Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Can you describe a typical day in the life for you and your family?  For the first time ever in my career, for almost a year now, I’ve been working from home – which is fantastic.  I’ve had some miserable commutes in past jobs. Traffic in the Washington/Baltimore area is horrendous, no matter where you need to go, so that has opened up so much time for me personally and professionally.

We have an au pair living in our home, which seems so extravagant, but it’s actually extremely affordable.  She’s been with us since shortly before our second child was born and it’s about half the cost of having two non-school aged kids in full-time daycare.

Our au pair gets the kids up in the morning, gets them dressed and gives them breakfast.  It’s amazing to just enjoy some time together in the morning, and I’m grateful we don’t have the stress and rush to get out the door.

Once my husband leaves for work, I go upstairs to my office.  The kids will go out on play dates or to school. Sometimes they’re around the house and doing things and its awesome to be able to join them for lunch when they’re home.

My office in the home is pretty secluded from their play/napping areas and they know when Mom’s working that she’s working.  We try to have family dinner every night and spend some time doing something fun together before everyone goes to bed.

You have 15+ years’ experience in the industry and in the past year decided to move to a role outside of traditional sports business world.  Can you tell us your thought process behind that decision? I had no intention of ever leaving the sports industry.  I always thought there was nothing I could be more passionate about in a career than sports and in particular, lacrosse. That’s why I thought I’d be in my spot at Inside Lacrosse for a very long time.

What I came to realize after having kids, was that I had changed a lot more professionally than I expected to.  Although I still loved my job (and couldn’t imagine doing anything else), I found myself starting to be less relevant, and less connected with the industry trends than I had been before.

Ever since my daughter was young, I’ve been a CertifiKID subscriber – most of the moms in our neighborhood are.  I’m very particular about spam in my Inbox, and delete and unsubscribe from just about everything, but I would always open my CertifiKID e-mails daily to see what that day’s deal was.  One night last year, I opened my daily CertifiKID e-mail, and instead of a local offer, it was an announcement that they were hiring full-time sales staff.  I remember reading that e-mail and thinking that the opportunity to work from home AND seek out local family deals sounded amazing – I mean, I was already spending much of my free time trying to find great deals on things to do with my own kids, so what could be better than doing that full-time?  It was the first time I’ve ever just blindly sent in a job application without having some kind of foot already in the door.  I didn’t even know where to find my résumé in my files, and I think it was in a version of Word that was so old I couldn’t even open it on my computer!  I honestly didn’t think it would lead to anything, and I didn’t know much about them as a company, other than being a customer myself.  After I received a response from my application and started to learn more, I knew I had to go all-out and give it a chance.  It was a leap of faith on many levels, but I’m so glad I made it.

What I’m really loving is that there is a ton of crossover into the sports and entertainment world.  I was just back and forth with some old friends at Octagon and the NFL this week because I’m trying to pitch a partnership with Home Depot for their kids’ workshops, and the NFL for their  Women’s Marketing Initiatives. I’ve also worked with a bunch of the local college and professional teams – some of our best-selling offers are for family ticket packages, sports camps, and other family events run in the sports facilities.  I probably have a more relevant and valuable partnership opportunity within the sports and entertainment industry now than I did at Inside Lacrosse. It’s the women and moms that make all the purchasing decisions for their families, so they’re a desirable target, and we have a super unique platform to reach them.

Do you or did you have other “Mom Mentors” or Moms working in sports to help guide  you through parenthood and professional life? I really didn’t, and I think that’s such a shame.  I’d be curious to hear what kind of answers you’re getting from other women you’re talking to.  I was with IMG when my daughter was born and it was kind of an office of one. I was running the property for George Washington. I was surrounded by co-workers in GW’s Athletic Department and none of them were Moms. Nor were there any in my immediate IMG division.  In fact, I remember when I first called to tell my boss I was pregnant, he was ecstatic and thrilled for me…but then told me that he had absolutely no clue what to tell me in terms of maternity leave policies, next steps, logistics, etc. He was an SVP and had been there since before ISP became IMG (probably 15 years), and this was the first time any of his employees had needed to take maternity leave.  At the time, with the seventy or so properties that IMG managed, I think there were maybe three female General Managers.

How has being a Mom positively impacted your career? Two things: I didn’t realize how capable I was of multitasking and being able to get a lot of shit done when I needed to until I became a Mom.  Over the course of the baby taking a short 20-minute nap, I could manage to feed myself, shower, put the laundry away, and unload the dishwasher.  When I returned to work after maternity leave, I think I was able to get through the daily, mundane tasks in about half the time it took me before.

Before having kids, we all work such long hours, have great coworkers and a fun energetic work environment, and aren’t in a rush to leave at the end of the day.  Now, I’m also more motivated to end work on time.  I was able to really compartmentalize work and focus more on my work-life balance.  Those of us that have chosen a career in sports, we’re so passionate about what we do, that we never stop working.  We get into bed and respond to emails, are constantly working on our phones and laptops, and find little time to focus on much else.  However, I realized in my first few months back from maternity leave, that once you get home and see that little smile on your baby’s face, all the stress from the day goes away and you realize what’s really important.  I’m now able to manage any stress from work much better, and be more present when I’m at home.

The sports industry is always going to have irregular hours that are difficult to manage with a family.  If you want to work in the industry, that’s just a fact.  What can we in the industry do to make it a more family-friendly place to work?  Education and support.  Before I was a mother, I had absolutely no clue what the early stages of motherhood entailed. When someone in the office came back from maternity leave, I just treated them like I did before they left, thinking they has been out for some glamourous, blissful extended vacation.  Now I know how far from the truth that is, and it infuriates me anytime maternity leave is compared to “vacation”.

I think we need to educate younger coworkers (or co-workers without children) about what new mothers returning to the workplace have been through and will continue to go through both physically and emotionally.  I also think breastfeeding education for managers is key.  We need to make it a welcoming environment for mothers to come back.

What advice do you have for women coming up in the industry, particularly in sponsorship sales, who also know they want to someday have a family? It can be done. It can be a harder transition coming back to work in sports as compared to other industries, but I feel that being a mom provides a unique and valuable perspective to your work once you do come back.

Because there are so few Moms in sponsorships sales, it almost gives you a professional edge in speaking to clients.   There are many female decision makers out there who are Moms, and it’s refreshing for them to speak with or work with someone who gets it.  Even men – whether they’re coworkers or clients – if they are dads themselves, they’re going to understand and appreciate what you’ve been through.  You’ll probably see a side of clients and coworkers that you didn’t before, which can definitely help strengthen your relationships with them both professionally and personally.

Do you have a funny or embarrassing Mom moment you’d be willing to share? While I was gone on maternity leave from IMG, the Athletic Department at GW got a new copier/printer – a huge monster of a machine – and they put it right smack in the middle of my (private/single) office. It was the hub for three different departments for printing, scanning, copying, faxing, etc.

My boss texted me a picture the week before maternity leave ended, saying “This is where Marketing put their new printer.  Welcome Back, Mom!”

So, every time I had to pump, I had to announce it to the entire office, to make sure no one had any immediate printing needs or needed to pick up anything from the printer  – it definitely was not a welcoming environment.  When I voiced concerns about the privacy/conflict, I was told that I should be using one of the GW lactation rooms that were spread across the campus.  The closest one to my office was at least 4 large city blocks away, and I was returning in the bitter cold of January, so that just wasn’t going to happen.

 

Maternity Leave Planning: Put Your Best Belly Forward

by

So, you’ve told your boss your pregnant.  Which probably means your family, friends and co-workers are now clued in to your big news as well, or will be very soon.  Inevitably, you’ll soon be setting up baby registries and trying to avoid the silly diapering or toilet paper-based games at your shower.  While you’re busy planning your nursery and picking out baby names, it’s also important that you’re preparing appropriately for your maternity leave at the office – and this can be a daunting task.

We all like to think that we are irreplaceable and that no one else can do the job that we do.   While it may be true that no one else can do the job just like you do, if you do it right, your co-workers SHOULD be able to bridge the gap for you during our leave with little disruption to their own roles.  As career driven women, who have spent years climbing the ranks, this may be hard idea to accept – I know it was a scary prospect for me.   You’ve spent how long building up your capital and respect at work and now you’re just going to hand it over for three-ish months to somebody else? What if they find out I’m a fraud or decide I’m not good enough? What if we lose a major client because I’m not there to steer the ship?  I’m due on Opening Day – my entire team is going to hate me – how will I make this work?

Well ladies, I’m going to tell you a little secret – with proper preparation, NOTHING WILL BE IRREVERSIBLY DAMAGED WHILE YOU ARE HOME WITH YOUR BABY.  Yes, you are awesome and work your butt of every day, and they’ll be glad to have you back, but they WILL BE FINE WITHOUT YOU! In fact, planning for your maternity leave is an amazing opportunity to show your company just how much value you really bring to the table.   You can demonstrate your delegation skills, plan for the long-term, and put your rock star status on display.   Think about it – not only will you be forced to prioritize your time leading up to your leave, you’ll also have to think about projects three to six (or more) months past your due date and try to determine how to best prepare your team for success with that vision in mind.

Even though the few months leading up to the birth of my son were hectic (he was also born at the tail-end of our busiest time of year), I honestly enjoyed the opportunity to take a step back and take a look at the big picture.   So, I thought it would be helpful to share some of the key things I did to make sure I left my book of business in the best position possible. I wanted to spend my leave focused on my fresh, sweet, screaming small human – and not on my cell phone (this is also probably going to show just how much I like to plan, make lists, etc. – so I hope this isn’t overkill for any of you more “go-with-the-flow” gals).

This isn’t an all-inclusive checklist, more questions to ask or things to think about in the months after you announce your pregnancy.  Every company’s maternity leave policy is different and it’d be impossible to come up with a checklist that can be applied so broadly.  However, thinking about some of these things early in your pregnancy can help you build out your own checklist and make sure everyone on your team knows the plan during your time out of the office.

Do not take these bullet points as gospel.  I am by no means a FMLA expert (at least not yet – I hope it’s something that’s a by-product of this blog), so please be sure to confirm all of your company’s requirements with your Human Resources office.   These suggestions are based on my personal experience and conversations with other Sports Biz Moms.

  • Tell your boss: Before you do anything else, go back, do not pass go, and read this post if you need help.
  • Talk to HR: Confirm your maternity leave benefits and filing requirements with your human resources department. If your leave is not entirely paid (which unfortunately in the United States, it’s probably not), you may be able to take vacation days concurrently with your leave.  This is important to think about, especially if you’re able to rollover vacation days from year-to-year. I found out I was pregnant in July and my son was due in March, so I purposefully banked a bunch of vacation days in the year prior so I could have more weeks paid during my leave.  I received six weeks paid through short-term-disability and then used my saved vacation time for another two weeks’ pay.
  • Short-Term Disability: Some of you may be wondering what the heck I was referencing in the previous bullet point. Many companies pay their employees during maternity leave through their short-term disability insurance policy.  The exact benefits vary, but in most cases the length of time paid depends on whether you delivered vaginally or via cesarean section.  I thought this article did a nice job at attempting to explain this exciting topic…
  • Technology: Talk to IT about their suggestions for prepping your technology for an extended absence. Does your computer need to be logged-in to your internal network/VPN every so often to make sure you’re not locked out of the system when you return?  I learned this the hard way and spent two and a half miserable days being able to only access email through a public desktop that had not been updated in several years.  The worst part of my first few days back at work was not being able to do actual work – it just made it that much easier to remember the small human I left with complete strangers at daycare.
  • Childcare: Talk to your boss about your childcare plan and how they would prefer you handle any emergencies. Your partner’s work flexibility will weigh heavily on your options here, but it’s important to consider should you need to pick-up you baby from day care during work or event hours.  Once you get to cold and flu seasons there will come a day when your sweet ball of germs isn’t allowed to be around other babies, and it’s going to be during the playoffs, big pitch meeting, opening day, etc.
  • Work Flexibility: On a related noted to the point above, be sure to discuss options for flexible work arrangements with your employer. Your baby’s doctor appointment schedule will put your own social calendar to shame and it sometimes may be more efficient for you to work from home in the morning/afternoon if your doctor’s office is not convenient to your commute.  You may also be able to consider creative ways to fit in time with your child during game nights or weekends when you don’t have direct work responsibilities.  Can you have them with you at the ballpark/arena/stadium if your partner or another family member is able to take over if an emergency pops-up?  On non-event or game days, can you come in early and leave early? Check out my interview with Tiffanne Ryan at the St. Louis Cardinals, as we touched on this topic. Everybody loves a baby in those cute noise-cancelling headphones…
  • Mom Network: Are there other Mom’s in your office? Talk to them. Get to know them well. They should be the best resource for you in navigating your company’s approach to working mothers. It’s so important to have an empathetic resource in the office and this can make such a huge difference on the day when you haven’t slept, your babysitter bailed, and you’re on week 3 of the world’s worst cold.  You’ll love your baby, I promise…
  • Breastfeeding/Pumping: If you plan to breastfeed, be sure to discuss pumping accommodations and schedules with human resources and your boss. It’s important that you are able to schedule this time throughout your day (in the beginning that life sucker – the pump, not your baby – will probably be attached to you every 3 hours) and that you have clean, private place to do so.  This DOES NOT mean the public restroom.  This means a room with a lock and shielded from the view of the rest of your office.  Ideally, it would also include a sink and a refrigerator.  This is actually a law, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, so please share this link if you need to lobby for real estate.  If you need help with this conversation, I am more than happy to chat at any time and I truly mean this.  Please email me.  I pumped at work for 13+ months and have grown far too comfortable talking about it with anyone who will listen.
  • Your Stand-ins:Think about who will cover for you while you’re out. Your boss may have a preference, but I would also recommend coming to this meeting with your own suggestions, particularly if you have a big project that you want in trusted hands. When I was leave, it was during a somewhat busy time of year, so I split my territory among three of my co-workers and that helped lighten their workload and make sure my partners received the best service possible in my absence.
  • Your To-Do List: Build a calendar working backwards from you due to date (mine started about 10 weeks out) that highlights important projects, deadlines, etc. and cross things off the list as they’re completed.   This will be help you prioritize your work before you are out of the office, and can also serve as a guide for your co-workers should baby arrive earlier than expected.
  • Looking Forward: After you create your plan of work to get done BEFORE you’re on leave, extend that calendar through your time off and your first four weeks back at work. This should highlight projects and deadlines your team needs to keep the ship afloat while you’re out and will help you focus once you get back to the office.
  • Status Updates: Schedule regular meetings with your co-worker(s) to discuss status updates and any outstanding issues once you near your due date. About six weeks prior to my due date, I began weekly status updates with my colleagues where I ran them through any major project updates and filled them in on the various idiosyncrasies of my partners.  Depending on the relationship with your supervisor, they may also want to be included in these meetings.
  • Back-up: Save all of your important files on a shared office drive. You don’t want to have to crack open your laptop during a precious nap time to send someone a spreadsheet.  I’d also suggest diving into these folders with your colleagues to explain your own system of organization in your weekly status meetings.
  • Go-Time: What is the communication plan for when you go into labor? Will you tell your boss and your co-workers when you go to the hospital or after the baby is born? If your experience is anything similar to mine, you’ll have 27+ hours to keep the team updated, but the constant barrage of nurses, doctors and husbands poking around (literally) will make you want to avoid all conversation – figure this out ahead of time.  I texted both my boss and my co-workers to let them know it was go-time and they all received an update after my son finally made his appearance.

There you go folks.  My over-planning tendencies for all the world to see.  If I had to sum up the maternity leave planning process simply, it would be OVERCOMMUNICATE.  You may think your co-worker knows that Mrs. James in Suite 42 likes her popcorn stale and beer served at room temperature, but it’s best not to make assumptions – both in planning for maternity leave and in considering the capacity of your infant’s diaper.

Please do reach out to me with any other suggestions or tips.   I’ve only birthed one human at one company, so I’m sure there’s some things I’ve missed that we can add to the list!