Announcing you are pregnant can be a joyful moment, but at the workplace it may need to be planned out or at the very least thought of rather than being blurted out on a whim. Save the excitement and celebratory feelings to when you tell your family and friends, and take a moment to think about your work place and employer and figure out when would be best to share this type of news.

How far along into the pregnancy should you be when you tell your employer is entirely up to you, unless the type of work you do involves potential hazards materials or a medical condition is involved.  Otherwise, your pregnancy is legally irrelevant to your work. If you can do your work, keep doing it.

Learn about your rights in regards to your employment and how your pregnancy may affect it. Contact the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and your state civil rights commission for information specific to your state.

Check your pay stab to see if your work place deducts state disability insurance (not all states have this), which means you are eligible for a paid maternity leave (check with state disability insurance for more information). Also review your company’s employee manual for their take on maternity leave, or if they do not have this type of policy, read about short term disability, as well as pregnancy Disability Leave.

When you have researched the topics above make sure to document your questions, so when you are ready for that announcement at the workplace, you will be ready to ask human resources the questions you have. Remember – knowledge is power.

Going back to work is tough – especially if you were lucky enough to get a full 12 weeks of maternity leave to spend with your new little angle.  Unfortunately, time flies by quickly – especially when you are sleep deprived and trying desperately to adjust to a new schedule with new parenting responsibilities.  You might be left feeling a little overwhelmed by yet another obligation of ‘work’. So now what?

Although you may have thought about going back to work while you were pregnant – you may find it difficult to do when you are suddenly faced with the realities of leaving your child with a sitter.  In fact, you may find it harder to do than you had originally anticipated.  Or you may be one of those mothers who is anxiously awaiting a much needed break from all the chaos of becoming a new parent and getting back into your old routine may sound refreshing.  Whichever side of the coin you fall – these feelings do not reflect on your connection and / or love to your baby what-so-ever. These feelings associate with change and need to be dealt with and addressed.

Before return to work you need to decide what to do with your baby during our absence. Your choices are between leaving your child with a family member, if that is a possibility, hire a babysitter or consider a daycare . All options have pros and cons, but only you can determine what you feel most comfortable with.

If you choose to hire a babysitter, you can check your local YMCA for infant & child CPR certified listings, get referrals from friends and family, and learn what to ask a potential sitter and how to choose one.

When looking for a daycare you first want to see what is available in your area. Ask family members and friends with young babies / children if they can recommend a daycare. A recommendation may put you at ease in selecting a facility for your loved one.  When looking, you want to check what ages they accept and what their cost is. After you have narrowed down the options you can choose the one you feel most confident will provide the best environment for your little bundle of joy.

There are different options out there, and you want to be comfortable with the one you choose. Take the time to do the research ahead of time if possible, so you can find the best fit for you and your baby.

It used to be common for Mothers to stay home with their kids, take care of the house and everyone’s needs, while Dad went to work to earn money and support the family. Things were very cut and dry and everyone knew their role. But, times have changed. The women’s liberation movement of the 60’s was the start of women taking a stand – burning their bras in their fight for equality, and more importantly choice.

Well, we sure know how to shoot ourselves in the foot and feel like we won, don’t we?… We now doubled our responsibilities and are torn between a carrier and a family, or at least some of us may be. There certainly are solutions for each, but you have to plan ahead before actually becoming a Mom. Or at least think of your options if you are a carrier woman and are planning on returning to work once your maternity leave is over.

Returning to work after having your first child can bring up different feelings, and your reaction is very personal to your lifestyle, goals and whether you control the decision to return to work (which many woman don’t), as well as your still out-of-whack after birth hormones.

Even if you chose to return to work, it may be harder than you expected in the beginning.  You may find that as the return to work date approaches you wish you could extend your stay at home longer. Also, the first week may be hard and you may find yourself on the phone with the babysitter most the time or thinking of your baby and what he/she may be doing at that moment. These feelings are normal, and believe it or not, it WILL get better.

Some women are ready to return to work, and may even welcome the return to a routine that is familiar and involves adults… As special as your baby is, you still need a break from feeding, cleaning, changing diapers and all that comes with caring for a baby, even if that break happens to be work.

As a new Mom, be ready for anything. If you were a carrier driven woman before, you will find that you get excited about work again eventually if not right away. Just give yourself time to adjust to the new situation. After all, this is all new, and it only makes sense that you want to be with your child.

Give yourself time, and it’ll all fall into place eventually.