5 Steps to Prepare for Parental Leave

Given the choice between reading a book and diving into an activity, I choose the book. Before investing my money - Smart Women Finish Rich. Before going out for a run - Your First Sprint Triathlon. Before college games as the marching band’s drum major - Football for Dummies.

Before expanding our family - What to Expect Before You’re Expecting. 

After years of actively preventing pregnancy, and observing close friends’ IVF journeys, I was convinced that getting pregnant would take planning, tracking, and time.  I started taking vitamins. Had the IUD removed. Tracked my cycles and cut down on alcohol. 

Boom. Positive pregnancy test. Easy peasy. Great news, right? 

Except that the timing for my job was terrible - if all went well (it did), I’d have our baby a month before the culmination of 2 large projects I was leading. 

I was terrified to tell my boss that I was pregnant.

I felt guilty about sticking my colleagues with an immense amount of work. And I felt bad - because this was a wanted pregnancy that I should feel excited about; and because I literally felt bad - nausea eliminated all food options except Saltine crackers. 

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 opportunity, preparing for maternity leave is daunting. (Even when making and tracking lists is your job).

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.

Since having my own babies, I’ve worked with colleagues and clients to prepare for theirs.

Regardless of role, I recommend breaking parental leave preparation into 5 sections.

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! 

Looking for more guidance & detail? 

Download our Free Guide, Sign up for our Parental Leave Planning course or schedule a call to start your concierge experience.