Ed.: We’re happy to have Alisa Ahlstone Lewis, a modern mom blogger, share her advice on things working women can do now to make the decision to have children down the line a little easier.
You’re blazing full steam ahead on your career and working hard for your next promotion. In the back of your head you are thinking about children. Someday you know you want to be a mom, and you know you want to continue working your way to the top. There are a number of important topics to consider before you find out you are pregnant.
1. Flex time & working from home: Look around the office and see if anyone is currently working with a flexible schedule. You may want to dip your toe in the water now. Ask your boss about working from home one day a week and see if she is open to it. If you are able to prove to her now that you can be highly productive, she may be more open to an even more flexible schedule in the future. It is good to gauge and know what sort of boundaries there are in your current company, so you can better understand your options later.
2. Direct reports: If you think you may want to work from home once your child is born, think about the number of direct reports you have. The more direct management of personnel that is required in your position, the harder it is to work remotely. You may want to move into a position where you are an individual contributor or have fewer direct reports, as it is often easier to “sell” a flexible work arrangement in those situations.
3. Breast-feeding: Are you planning to nurse your child after you go back to work? There are actually a number of logistics to figure out. Start looking around to see if your office provides a room for you to do this. My best friend had to tape up paper on her office window and have a lock installed on her door. I bought a second pump that I left at the office so I wouldn’t need to carry it along with my computer at night. If you travel a lot, you may not be able to bring your breast milk through airport security without your child with you.
4. Childcare: Most of us don’t have jobs where we are in the office from 8am to 5pm on a set schedule everyday. Your schedule may be even more erratic if you travel to client meetings or sales calls. It costs more but you may want to explore hiring a nanny, rather than using traditional day care. It can save you valuable time in the morning because you will not need to take your baby anywhere. If you prefer the day care option, in many cities you need to sign up with the best day care facilities as soon as you find out you are pregnant. I know it sounds crazy, but it is true.
5. Money money money: Children are expensive! You need to start saving now. Consider how much time you want to take off on maternity leave. You may not be paid your full salary the whole time so you will need extra money to cover those weeks or months of expenses. Evaluate the impact that childcare expenses will have on your monthly income. If there are other major purchases you need, consider taking care of them before you get pregnant. Pay off your car, get the roof on the house and take one more fabulous vacation. Once your child arrives, you will have less money left over each month for these big ticket items.
Alisa Ahlstone Lewis is the founder and editor-in-chief of Sweet Peas & Stilettos.
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