4 Ways To Ease The Transition to Working Mom

Motherhood -

Many mothers will share that those first few weeks of motherhood are a blur.  Between the lack of sleep, the barrage of intense emotions, and for most moms, the physical recovery from giving birth, it is a moment in your life that stretches you beyond your imagination, and may not exactly meet your expectations.
The freedom they once enjoyed during their pre-baby days has been replaced with round the clock feedings and diaper changes. But don’t forget that You are still the person you were before giving birth. And as a new mother, you bring recently acquired skills, strengths, and experience that according to TendLab CEO & Co-founder, Amy Henderson, makes you better at work.

Here are four things you can do to help thwart an identity crisis while merging career and motherhood:

  1. Find your tribe.After running several working mom support groups, I can attest that there is no better comfort than other empathetic working moms. Not even husbands or partners come close to understanding the nuances, issues, and guilt that working moms face.  It is worth the time and a little bit of research to find a group of women, whether it’s in person or online, where you can connect with other ambitious working moms.
  2. Ask for help. Whether you receive support from family or you hire someone or download an app, you’ll benefit greatly from handing the baby off and finding some time to check in with yourself to evaluate where you’re at on your journey. Take time for yourself to establish a self-care routine that includes any of the following: exercise, mental health counseling, career coaching, meditation or even journaling. All of which will help you connect with your pre-baby self.
  3. Be patient.Give yourself the time and grace you deserve to adjust to your new normal. Just because your child is your main priority doesn’t mean mothering is your only priority. But your work and career deserve the time it takes to adjust and acclimate to this new way of life. And with the right support at the office and home, you’ll be on a path to success in no time.
  4. Remember your goals.  If after a few months, you still feel as though you’re experiencing an identity crisis, step back and reevaluate your professional and personal goals to determine if they still align now that you’re a parent. It’s okay if it’s different and if your goals have changed.  What’s critical is that you identify what is important to you and your family and set up the support in order for you to reach those new goals.

Having a child is one of the most significant milestones in life. It’s no wonder we feel disheveled and perhaps a bit confused about our lives after giving birth. Everything in our world has shifted, but that doesn’t mean we’re lost. And if we dive deep and take our time, we’ll eventually reconnect with our ambition and work better & harder than ever before.