Learning you're pregnant is exciting. Telling your boss about it is not. For a working mom-to-be, this inevitable discussion can become equally as anxiety inducing as the baby itself. But talking about your pregnancy at work -- not just with your boss, but with your whole team, and in fact, your whole office -- can set the stage for your life as a working mom. So start talking.
To help frame your discussions we turned to Allyson Downey, founder of Weespring and author of HERE'S THE PLAN: Your Practical, Tactical Guide to Advancing Your Career During Pregnancy and Parenthood. With more than 50 interviews with working moms to draw from, Allyson's created the ultimate tomb to help career gals navigate the world of office politics during pregnancy and postpartum.
Starting, she says, with the dreaded pregnancy reveal to your boss. On the bright side, her interviews revealed that while 77% of women were worried about the conversation, only 3% of them actually went badly (sorry, ladies). Nonetheless, here's Allyson's practical tips on how to ace that discussion, and 5 others you'll be having around your office when you're pregnant.
- Share with only the most trusted confidants before your boss. If your direct manager isn't the first person you tell (you may want to talk to your Human Resources (HR) first, or you talk to a colleague to get advice), be crystal clear that they're not say a word to anyone else. If you do talk to Human Resources, let them know you want to be the one to break it to your boss. And if it's a friend, find a trustworthy one.
Prepping to be a working mom? We're partnering with Weespring to give away nearly $5,000 in working mom gear! Enter here.
More from Well Rounded NY:
Pregnancy Legal-Ease
Leaving Maternity Leave
How to Commute with a Baby
This piece was originally published by Jessica Pallay on Well Rounded NY. Jessica Pallay is Co-Founder and Editor of Well Rounded NY. She is a Brooklyn mama to Libby and Elsie, and writes about all things pregnancy and new motherhood.
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