Best advice on planning maternity leave

[greatpotential]

My husband and I are ready to start trying for our first baby: married for a year, have just bought a place and we're doing just about well enough financially etc. We're not likely to get to a better place in the next few years and we're both broody!

Only thing holding me back is my work. I don't feel 100% secure in my job and don't feel that I am valued. I def. need to return to work after pregnancy as we can't do without the income and am terrified by the idea of managing mat. leave and returning to work in a workplace where I'm unsure of my standing. I want to speak to someone outside my work about 'tactics' - what, if anything, I can do to shore up my position before I go on mat. leave and how to manage my time off and return to work.

Am I looking for a life coach? Or a mentor?? Anyone else get help with thinking through the work side of things before a baby?

This is going to sound horribly cynical, but will it matter? I have just returned to work and although was v valued before I went, am now written off as part time and not worth giving the interesting work. That is despite using all my KIT days and some during my leave.

It might not be such an issue if you returned full time. I am planning mat leave No 2 in the not too distant future but when I return from that I am going to ask for a mentor.

Don't worry too much about it. They aren't likely to get rid of you when you are pregnant or on maternity leave. I was also sidelined on return despite returning full time at 7 months. It matters not a jot because the expectation would be you taking a second maternity leave at least. In the end they got rid of me when the redundancy rounds came. Together with lots of other females. I'm sure it is the easy decision to start with the mothers first. I found another job before garden leave was over and higher paid too. So it turned out ok for me.

As long as you have a job to return to and worry about that later. Unless you really don't want children.

Sorry to be the voice of doom but I think the same thing. I was being fast-tracked for senior management until I took 6 months of mat leave. Was put at risk while on mat leave and only through some serious negotiation and screw ups by my company was I able to hang onto my job.

If you got married a year ago, your boss male or female will be expecting you to announce a pregnancy any day now. You will be on the mummy track until you finish having kids at which point you will probably need to move to a new company in order to be taken seriously.

Sorry to be so cynical. I did a lot of shoring including KIT days, working up until I went into labour at 39 weeks as my cover couldn't start until 39+3. None of it did me any favours, including taking on a serious amount of overseas work on my return.

How difficult would it be to find another job if you had to? If no more than average, I'd get on with it.

Hate to hear from both of you about your returns to work. Grrr! makes me crazy! Thanks for responding- what youve said does help me. confirms the risk and shows that there's not always anything even the most valued worker can do about it! Makes me want to go for it.
Still keen for as much advice as poss on managing the lead up to mat leave and the return...

Some firms offer training workshops on managing your maternity leave.

This workshop is designed to cover:

Planning a good handover
Changing perceptions - self and others
Communication contracts
Communicating with and managing your line manager
Your working strengths
Preparing for your return
Discuss possible working arrangements for your return
Planning your final performance review

What do I need to do before my employee goes on maternity leave how to ensure a successful handover, agreeing contact contract, responding to discussions about return and conducting a final performance review
What do I need to do while my employee is on maternity leave - communicating according to their communication plan, responding to discussions about their return to work and consider any requests for flexible work arrangements through the proper processes
What do I need to do prior to their return - ensuring that the team and office is ready for their return to work, reverse-handover has been discussed and their re-integration to the department is considered
What do I need to do upon their return from maternity leave - considering their workload, building their confidence and get them involved, increase your understanding of company policies and procedures

www.face2facehr.com/news/article/my-guide-to-managing-maternity-leave-effectively.html This might be useful
I'd add ensuring your CV and Linked in profiles are up to date before going on maternity leave. If you work in an industry that uses LinkedIn a lot, then get some recommendations on there in case colleagues have moved on when you return.

To support anyone who is returning to work.

Some of the key topics covered include:

Changing perceptions - self and others
Actual changes at work
Managing dual roles: the latest research
Playing to your strengths
Setting objectives & action planning
Balancing your work/life challenges
Forming a support network