When I found out I was pregnant with our first baby, I was terrified to tell my boss. But when I shared my news with my boss, a dad of two and all around great human, he responded with a heartfelt “congratulations.” 

It was the right response. Humans have babies…and most other humans get that. 

Even knowing that having a baby is a once in a lifetime event, preparing for maternity leave was daunting.

The second time around a couple years later, I got a little wiser. Instead of panicked over-documentation, I approached preparing for maternity leave like an opportunity. 

• Recurring meetings were freshly evaluated – some were transitioned to others to manage during my leave, some paused, and some eliminated. 
• Work I’d been covering “until someone else got up to speed” or “because it was easier to do it myself” was reviewed & transitioned to someone else (in many cases, someone better suited for the particular item). 
• Hiring on the “should list” accelerated with a biologically imposed due date. 

And when I returned to work? Team members had stepped up, learned new skills, figured out some ways of doing things that ranged from “good enough” to “wow, that’s great.” Some of those task eliminations or transitions provided buffer for me to ramp back into work, and to tackle fresh projects that I didn’t have capacity for prior to baby.

If you’re planning for parental leave, here are 5 steps to break it down:

1. Set the Framework: Understand Your Rights & Benefits

Ensure you are well-informed about your parental leave rights, company policies & benefits. Clearly define (& document!) the duration, paid & unpaid aspects, and your return plan. Start looking at childcare & postpartum support options.

2. Build & Review Your Parental Leave Plan

Developing a maternity leave (or paternity leave) plan is crucial for organization & effective communication. Your plan should outline responsibilities, deadlines, & communication preferences.  Collaborate with your manager to identify appropriate backups & define goals for specific tasks. And, plan to update your plan! New things come up, you’ll remember something that needs to be added, business priorities shift.

3. Socialize & Engage

Make sure the colleagues & clients you interact with know that you have an upcoming leave. Clearly communicate your plans (who your backup is, key details). Start to engage your backups by including them in communications & meetings to ensure a smooth transition.

4. Exfoliate Your Calendar & Cover Your Dependents

Actively transition responsibilities to backups (so they are in the lead). This allows for a smooth handover, boosting their confidence & highlighting any gaps in your plan.

Exfoliate your calendar – cancel or reschedule meetings in line with your planned leave dates. Set a check-in with your manager for during your leave, prior to your return to work.

If you have other kids or pets, detail out who will care for them during delivery. 

5. Tidy Up & Be a Lame Duck

Say thanks to your backups, and if you are working on “baby watch” look for short term ways to help out. Tidy up your physical workspace & get your parental leave auto-reply queued up!