The Journey of Parental Leave

The journey of motherhood is beautiful and stressful as a new mom, and the planning process can be even more strenuous — from preparing for the arrival of the baby, to providing notice to your employer. The decision-making process to plan a maternity leave has many factors to consider.

Joyce, an Alberta-based biologist and most recently a new mother to a 14-month-old baby girl. Married to her high-school sweetheart, Joyce and her husband was looking forward to start a family. After months of trying, she was confirmed pregnant last summer, and with excitement also came a moment of anxiety.

During her pregnancy, the company she worked for was facing adversities due to the economic downturn. Working in a male-dominant field, she found herself pondering her maternity leave and timing her request. “…There were some concerns that I would be a target for layoffs, because I would be going on mat leave”.

With the Christmas holidays arriving shortly after the start of Joyce’s maternity leave, the uncertainty of her employment status still lingered at the back of her mind. “…I was still concerned whether I would still have a job when I got back, or [if I] should start looking for a job while I was taking care of the baby.”

Weeks before her due date, she met with her supervisor for, who gave her assurance as a valued employee. “My supervisor, who was a mother as well, assured me that there was nothing to worry about — I feel [that] because she had similar experiences, she was able to be more empathetic about it.”

With the feeling of assurance, Joyce began her transition from a full-time employee to a new full-time mother in January 2017, where her 62-week journey officially began. “It was stressful in the beginning, but my mom was very helpful the whole time,” recalling the earlier days of her leave.

Although Joyce would experience moments of stress, her new role as a stay-at-home mom provided her with a new sense of enjoyment. “I actually really liked it [with] no schedule or particular place to be. [There were] lots of visits with friends and play dates. I miss it, [but] it did get boring on some days.”

Joyce has since returned to work after finishing her parental leave. After being away from her job for over a year, she had to adjust again, this time from home to work life.“I was definitely getting nervous from trying to get everything done at home and work…because of the job market, I wasn’t sure if I would still have a job. I heard some ladies who come back from mat leave almost have to prove themselves again, so it was definitely stressful [coming back].”

It has now been 3 months since Joyce returned to her full-time job. She notes the ability to ask for help as the key to her transition. “One thing I can suggest is having a good talk with your partner (if that applies to you) about roles in the house. Agree on splitting chores ahead of time before you go back. We tend to bare the [heavier] mental load, even if a partner does half the chores.”

At the beginning, the journey of becoming a new parent can be overwhelming. From bonding with your baby, to regaining your sense of belonging in the workplace; the journey towards the unknown can be challenging and unpredictable, but if you were to take Joyce for example, the key to success is being prepared. While planning for your pregnancy, consider mapping out your maternity leave as part of your planning process, helping to ease at least some foreseeable questions that may arise. Budget out your wants and needs prior to applying for EI and distribution of time between chores and rest, because you’re going to need it!

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