Returning to work after childbirth
Women are choosing to have children later in life, deciding first to pursue and establish a career. The number of women aged 35 - 39 having a baby doubled in the 1980s and 1990s. It's not surprising then that they should, for their own personal and career reasons, want to balance work and family life.
Women make up about 47% of the UK workforce.
Our lifestyles and financial pressures mean that in more and more families both partners are working either full or part-time. More than two-thirds of families with children now have two working parents.
In about 20% of families, the woman now earns more than her husband or partner.
Employer attitude and flexibility towards working mothers is changing since the introduction of Employment Laws making returning to work either part or full-time possible.
When to return
Your holiday leave accrues whilst you are on maternity. You could use this either to extend the period you are off at the end of maternity or on your return use it to take a day off a week until it runs out.
Some employers, mostly in the public service sector, offer mothers career breaks where you can take up to five years unpaid leave before returning to work.
When you decide to return to work is an individual decision, and dependent on you, your family and your child.
Know your rights
Maternity leave
Each employer will have their own policies on maternity leave, pay and your rights at work during pregnancy and whilst on maternity leave. At the very least your employer must offer the statutory minimum as set out in Government guidelines.
Any woman who is an employee is entitled to 18 weeks leave from work, with a right to return to her job. You can start this leave from 11 weeks before the baby is due. However, if you have worked for your employer for 1 year and 11 weeks by the week your baby is due, you will qualify for Additional Maternity Leave. This means that you have the option to take up to 29 weeks off after the birth of your baby.
For up-to-date information about your maternity rights, the following web sites can provide you with all the help and information you need:
The Maternity Alliance www.maternityalliance.org.uk
Parents at work www.parentsatwork.org.uk
Some things to think about...
Returning when your child is under six months old
It you want to go back to work before your baby is six months old and you want to continue breast feeding (using expressed milk from a bottle) you will have to make feeding plans, expressing milk and freezing it.
Your options may be more limited if you want to go back to work before your baby is four months old and you may need to rely on a nanny or family member for help.
Some nurseries without an on site kitchen may need you to bring your own pureed food for your baby.
Positive Steps Nurseries all have on site kitchens and will provide this service.
Returning when your child is between one and three years old
Some nurseries do not accept children under the age of one. Positive Steps Nurseries have special facilities or babies.
Some pre-school nurseries may require your child to be out of nappies and/or able to feed themselves.
By six months your baby will probably have found some routine in sleeping and eating. Make sure the nursery staff are aware of this routine and stick to it whilst your child is with them. Positive Steps uses a key carer system so that we can ensure that your child's needs are catered for an individual basis.
Returning when your child is over three years old
Nursery Education Grant - The Government has introduced a scheme under which all four-year-olds and many three-year-olds will get five two-and-a-half-hour sessions per week of early education free. The local authority pays the grant directly to your early education provider up to a maximum of £1160 for three terms. If you use a nursery for full day care the grant will pay for part of the day and you will continue to pay for the rest.
Nursery Education Grants are available to all four-year olds for the three terms before they reach compulsory school age. The Government is currently in the process of extending this to include three-year-olds. The provision to three-year-olds depends on where you live so you need to check with your local education authority.
Coping with the emotional feelings
Coping with the feelings and attitudes of others close to you
Whilst social attitudes towards working mothers are changing, there is still adverse pressure from some parts of society.
Coping with and being prepared to challenge unfavourable views will be difficult. You may be fortunate enough to get the full support of your friends and family in your decision to return to work, but just in case, here are some tips to help cope with challenging those possible negative reactions:
- Be objective in your reasons for wanting to return to work
- Try not to use subjective or emotional reasons
- Challenge their preconceptions and explain the benefits of good childcare
- The best way to start getting on top of these emotions is to find good childcare, as soon as possible, in preparation for your return to work.