The moment when you need to leave your child in the care of other people and go back to work raises a lot of problems, but most of them are easy to solve. What to do to make returning to work after maternity leave as less stressful for you and your baby as possible?

Even ifworkgave you satisfaction and you felt that you were fulfilling yourself in it, after having a babyreturning to workwill cost you a lot stresses. And even more so when you work mainly for earnings. And it is not only about the stress resulting from the difficult situation on the labor market of a young mother. It turns out that the biggest problem is psychological - most of the surveyed young mothersconsider the longing for a child to be the greatest difficulty.

Returning to work after maternity leave: you are not degenerate

Are you afraid that you will still be thinking aboutbabyinstead of your job responsibilities? Worry about how he's doing without you? Do you think that you are a bad mother because you want to work and you will not devote all your time to your child? If you answer yes to these questions, don't worry - it's perfectly normal. This is how it usually is at the beginning. Separation from a baby is unpleasant, and reconciling work and being a mother - tiring and difficult organizationally. But possible! Millions of women have found out about it. And you will do it, if you approach it wisely, organize yourself well and look after your baby well.

When to return to work after maternity leave?

Research shows that most mothers believe that the best time to return to work is when the child turns two years old. However, in fact, most young mothers return to the company after 12 months, and almost a quarter (25%) - right after the maternity leave. Each of these situations has pros and cons. They all have to be considered. For example, long contact with the mother (until the age of 2 or 3) is beneficial for the child's development, but it must also be taken into account that most of this time, the woman does not receive any remuneration, so the family may suffer a lot financially. Also, returning to the labor market after a long break is much more difficult than after a few months or a year. In addition, a few-month-old child (up to 7 months of age) will endure separation easier because it is at such a stage of emotional development that it will accept the new one sooner.situation and new people than a two- or three-year-old toddler. So before you decide when to come back, think about all the pros and cons and choose what's best for your family.

Childcare after maternity leave - nanny or nursery?

It is absolutely essential to give your child good care. If you are sure that you entrust your greatest treasure to a trustworthy person who is able to empathize with the situation and needs of the child, if you notice after some time that the child likes this person and willingly stays with them - the source of tremendous stress will disappear. After all, the most important thing is that the child should be well, not necessarily with the mother. A loving and devoted babysitter is surely your own grandmother - if you have such an opportunity, you can be envied. And if your mother and mother-in-law are far away - look for a nursery or a babysitter. Today's nurseries, even the public ones, are not unfriendly to children as they were 20 years ago. However, it is often difficult to sign up for them, so be interested in them much earlier, so as not to miss the deadline. Private nurseries are an alternative - unfortunately, much more expensive. A great convenience for young mothers would be nurseries operating in the workplace. The first such facilities have already been established, but only in a few, usually large, mother-friendly companies. It is worth spreading this good practice. The Ministry of Labor even wants such company nurseries to be co-financed by the state budget. Before that happens, find out how many women in your company would be interested in it and try to convince the employer together that it is a good idea and that it will pay off. Contrary to popular belief, young mothers are very good workers. They care about work, so they are responsible, loyal and well-organized. Note: if you want to hire a babysitter or place your baby in a nursery, familiarize him with the new person or environment gradually. Be with your child at least the first few days so that they don't experience the shock of abandonment.

Important

You have the right

  • Immediately after the maternity leave, you can take the leave you are en titled to - the employer is obliged to grant it.
  • If you are breastfeeding and working full-time (8 hours a day), you are en titled to two half-hour breaks from work. You can decide that you want to combine these breaks and leave home an hour early.
  • You should not be sent on business trips or overtime until your child is 4 years old.

What awaits you at work

Research shows that over a quarter (27%) of young mothers on vacationmaternity or parental child is afraid of dismissal. One in six (16%) actually loses their job. Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done then - our labor code does not guarantee a protection period after returning from vacation. Often, reorganization is cited as the reason for dismissal, although this is usually a ruse and the real reason is that your duties are already being performed by someone else. If you can prove it - file a claim to an employment tribunal (it does not require any fees). Most of the women who return to work hold the same position as before. In a few cases (12%) this position is comparable, and occasionally - lower (2%). Most often, relationships with superiors and colleagues do not change, so at least when it comes to that - you have nothing to fear. Unfortunately, the salary also remains the same. This is not good news as it is usually de facto lower. If there are raises in the company during pregnancy or maternity leave, it is almost a rule that the expectant (or new) mom is left out, even if all other employees got them. This is a form of discrimination (a measurable pen alty for having a child!) Against which we are powerless. The raise is only a decision of the boss who makes it discretionary. While, for example, in France, the law obliges the employer to give a woman returning from maternity leave a raise so that she does not lose because of the birth of a child. In Poland, only 12 percent get a higher salary. women returning from vacation.

Partner family

More and more young fathers want to look after their children. Some even take parental leave. It happens, however, that the women themselves are reluctant to give way to them, believing that a man is not able to take good care of a child. This effectively discourages the partner. And if from the very beginning, from the arrival of the baby, you will openly count on your husband's help, encourage him, praise him that he is doing great - you will find great support in him, which you will appreciate especially when it is time to return to work. It can also be a source of pride and satisfaction for a man that he is a real father and a reliable partner. After all, there is nothing to prevent dad from taking a leave of absence when a child is sick, or from picking him up from the nursery. Only the dissemination of such partnership relations can make women with small children cease to be perceived as "mother and father in one" and will no longer be discriminated against on the labor market. The child has two parents and they should both look after him. Such a family model will be good for everyone, especially for the child, as it will deepen his bond with his dad, who until now was the less present parent. It's reallyis possible.

Important

The research conducted under the project "Flexible employee, partner family" shows that the mother's professional work has a positive impact on the aspirations and attitudes of children. It turns out, for example, that in the families where the mother works, more children get secondary and higher education.

Law and life

The labor code gives parents of young children many rights. Get to know them to know what your owed (see box above). However, it is sometimes difficult to enforce this because it depends on the individual - your boss. So it's best to make an appointment with him 2-3 weeks before the end of your vacation. Tell him about your expectations of returning to work and ask him what he thinks about it.

  • If you are breastfeeding, say that you would like to take your one-hour nursing break and leave work early.
  • You may be planning to work part-time - half or 3/4 time. Or you would like to have flexible working hours - not from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, but eg from 12.00 am to 8.00 pm. Or full time, but 4 days a week. Such possibilities are provided for in the Labor Code, but it all depends on the good will of the boss (and the nature of the work).
  • If the specificity of work is such that you can do it at home and connect to the company via the Internet - try to negotiate it. It would be perfect if you could spend more time with your baby.
  • To give credibility to yourself and convince your boss that you take your work seriously, you can come with a ready-made schedule of your duties.
  • Make sure you care about your job and make sure the company feels as little as possible that you have a young child - and do so. But don't make any promises that you won't be able to keep, such as being fully available.

The whole undertaking of resuming work will be much easier if you can count on specific help from your man.

Research on the situation of mothers at work was carried out by the Millward-Brown SMG / KRC Institute for the needs of the "Mom at work" social campaign. The survey was conducted among 504 women who had a child aged 12-48 months.

You must do it

Work on your opinion

You have been working on your position in the company and your opinion from the very beginning of your professional career. It is easier for a woman who previously was a valued employee and performed her duties well, and also worked during pregnancy - if the pregnancy was uneventful. Unfortunately, there are women who, from the beginning of their altered state, ask their doctor for a sick leave, although there is no reason to do so - just to avoid work. It challengesthe employer's trust and reduces the chances of having something to come back to after maternity leave.

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