Even though women will need to work hard to put food on the table, that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t have time to rest and recuperate. Sure, the weekends might be good times to rest. Still, there will be times that they’ll need to rest for an extended amount of time, whether it’s because of health conditions, quarantine, or simply relaxing after traveling. There are most employees can avail of a variety of benefits from the company. Most private businesses and institutions will offer maternity leave that falls under certain laws.
Naturally, there will come the point that pregnant women will go into labor, and they’ll need to rest for a month or two to ensure that they won’t get stressed out and so that they can stay in the right facilities that can take care of their baby.
But right after you’ve given birth and given a sufficient amount of time to rest, heal, and recuperate, you’ll eventually need to start preparing your mind and body for work. When you’re taking care of your newborn baby, it’s easier to think that days will go by fast, but there’s still a lot of things that you will need to consider after giving birth.
So how do you prepare yourself when you have to go back to the office? Here’s what you can do.
What Is Maternity Leave?
Right before we can enumerate different ways of preparing ourselves for work, we’ll need to understand the mechanics and technicalities when it comes to maternity leaves since it’s known for being situational, especially in terms of the location you’re in.
Maternity leaves are known for being essential types of leaves for pregnant women since their bodies will need to rest as they inch closer to labor and childbirth. Working women that are pregnant will be able to apply for this benefit. In most cases, this is 30 days before the date of the delivery.
According to statistics, the laws in most states in the US, it is the only OECD country that doesn’t have a national statutory paid maternity (or parental) leave. The FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) will allow employees to have 12 weeks of maternity leave but are unpaid. In most cases, only 60% of workers are eligible for such a grant.
Most of the time, it will vary depending on the state and the nation that you’re living in. In the United States, each state will have its own independent governing laws that are different from other states. For instance, New York, The Washington States, Massachusetts, Oregon, and few other states have their own paid family leave laws.
Since the situation will vary regarding maternity leaves, you’ll need to consult with a legal professional who is well-versed in labor laws. You don’t necessarily have to reach far for someone who’s only concerned with labor laws. Someone like a child support attorney can help ensure that you’ll know all the things that need to be covered regarding your maternity leave and if there’s anything that should be disputed.
What Can You Do?
Fortunately, there are a variety of ways of mentally and emotionally setting your mind for work. Here’s what you can do:
Don’t Stress Yourself Out Too Much
When you’re at work, stress is only a natural response when facing a lot of workloads. The best thing you can do is keeping a mental footnote that stressing yourself out can be detrimental to your health. It’s also counter-intuitive since this can also affect both productivity and your motivation to work.
It’s best to take it easy for a bit and take things little by little. If you’re too overwhelmed with tasks, there’s no hurt in taking a few minutes of break in between.
Do a Dry Run
One of the best ways of knowing if you’re mentally and emotionally fit for work is knowing how you would react if you were away from your child for a few hours. It’s quite natural that a mother will have a bit of anxiety when they’re separated from their child, especially when they’ve already developed a strong bond. But when you have to work, you might not be there for them all the time.
Sometimes, you might not be able to work because of your anxiety. Having your husband or a babysitter look after your child will help relieve a good amount of your anxiety. Once you’ve done your dry run, assess and make necessary adjustments so you’ll be able to handle your emotional state while at work.
Preparing Yourself Mentally and Physically
Most mothers that have just given birth won’t have the same strength that they once had. In most cases, you’ll also be emotional most of the time because of different drastic changes to your body chemistry that prepared you for pregnancy. One of the best ways of easing your worries is by checking in on your babysitter or your husband taking care of the baby from time-to-time.
We understand that you might feel a bit “rusty” right after spending months off work, and you might need some time to adapt and get back on your feet when it comes to productivity; you don’t necessarily have to be too hard on yourself. At the end of the day, you want to ensure that your baby is safe, snuggled in, and comfortable; knowing that your child is safe should bring you the solace that you need.
