The Countdown to the Big Day and How to Ease the Stress of Preparing for Maternity Leave  

The countdown to being at home with the baby begins the moment you receive the big news that you’re bringing new life into the world. You want to be sure you’ve covered everything, so you can fully focus on giving all your love and attention to your baby — especially if your little one decides to show up early. You need a plan, and this maternity leave prep guide will help you get everything in order, from covering your responsibilities at work to updating current projects and clients daily before Day Zero arrives.

Right Now: Check the Company Maternity Leave Policy

The first thing you should do is read the fine print of the company maternity leave policy. You need to know employers are not legally required to grant maternity leave unless the company employs 50 people within 75 miles of your work site. If these rules apply to your company, you automatically get 12 weeks of unpaid leave, according to the Family Medical Leave Act, giving you peace of mind when it comes to keeping your job and health benefits. However, the government doesn’t guarantee any benefit payments — that’s up to your employer.

If you’re not familiar with the ins and outs of your company’s maternity leave policy, open the employee benefits handbook and do your homework. You may feel uneasy about letting HR and your supervisor know about your pregnancy, but reading the policy guidelines will answer some of your questions. If there are aspects of the policy you don’t understand, the best time to ask is when you inform HR of your pregnancy — preferably within the first trimester.

The Announcement: Be Open to Negotiation

Your health is of primary concern as you welcome a new life into this world. You may be reluctant to “push your luck,” but if you’re not satisfied with your company’s maternity leave policy, don’t be afraid to negotiate for what you need. If you need more leave or pay while you’re on leave, ask for it — come armed with information regarding your contribution to the company and research what other game-changing companies are doing.

Keep in mind, some companies that offer “paid leave” are really offering short-term disability insurance payments — which makes pregnancy a disabling condition and includes postpartum recovery and childbirth. To be eligible for benefits, you must have the policy in place before you conceive. Some short-term disability policies will pay 100 percent of your salary, while others make the employee take care of the bill before you get pregnant — paying out only a small portion of your salary, too.

The Months Ahead: Create a Maternity Leave Plan for Your Position

Work closely with your supervisor, co-workers, and HR to create a maternity leave plan that addresses how your responsibilities will be covered and for how long. Will the company have co-workers share your responsibilities, or hire a temp worker? Will you have to train the temp worker and for how long? If co-workers are filling in for you, it may be helpful to suggest specific people who are familiar enough with your day-to-day duties that you feel confident in their ability to pick up the slack.

Your plan should include a guidebook that outlines your duties and current projects. List who will cover what responsibilities, with step-by-step instructions, as well as specific notes or deadlines associated with each project or client. Make notes with pertinent information regarding changes leading up to Day Zero.

Address how you will transition back into work. Include when you expect to resume your duties. At the end of your maternity leave, will you immediately return to full-time office hours, or will you ease back into work with a flexible schedule? The date you return to work will depend both on personal preference and finances.

Keep in mind that if you work part-time in an unofficial and uncompensated capacity, this should not affect your short-term disability payments. However, if you work officially during your leave, your short-term disability payments may be affected, as the “disability” caused by your pregnancy means you’re no longer eligible to work. Outline the transition process specifically.

The Weeks Ahead: Touch Base With Clients

In the weeks before you take maternity leave, let your clients know the big news, if you haven’t already. Now is a good time to introduce whoever will be temporarily assuming your responsibilities, making sure everyone knows who their point of contact will be during the weeks you’re home with your new baby. In an initial announcement email, your tone will differ depending on your number of clients — for a handful, you can be more personal, but for hundreds, keep your message to the point as you cover:

• The amount of time you’ll be unavailable.
• The tentative start and end dates of your maternity leave.
• Who their short-term point of contact will be, with contact information.

Inform your clients that you have overseen the training for whoever is filling your shoes, have left helpful materials for the person, and feel confident in his or her ability to do the job well.

Your clients will also need to know when to expect you back at work, and how your transition will progress. Take any special requests from your clients now, and make note of future deadlines or projects that may arise.

The Days Ahead: See to the Details 

In the final weeks of your pregnancy, as you know the baby could arrive anytime, update existing projects at the end of the day as needed, and fine-tune any areas of your responsibilities that might seem confusing to co-workers or a temp stepping in to help. Send personal notes to your clients reminding them that you’re taking maternity leave, and remind them who is taking over which project. It’s a good idea to CC the relevant co-worker or temp on these emails so that everyone is in the loop.

Keep your desk neat and tidy, so it’s easy for others to find the right supplies and information. When Day Zero arrives, leave a little surprise for your co-workers or temp, such as coffee and a special mug with a thank-you note and message of confidence.

Just as you make a birth plan, you should also make a maternity leave plan to give everyone — especially yourself — peace of mind before the big day comes. With the details in place, there will be less fuss and more fun as you await the birth of your little one!