I wish I had anticipated better how long it could take for my provider to fill out and return all needed Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and maternity leave paperwork. I don’t remember it being a concern with my first child, but with my second child, it took significantly longer than I would have expected.
I also wasn’t anticipating needing to be “released back” before I could start working again, so having a better understanding of the full process prior to having the baby and a plan to complete all paperwork at my prenatal appointments would have been better foresight.
Read more: Ask a Recruiter: How Can I Ease My Transition Back to Work After Taking a Leave of Absence?
I also recommend working on a transition doc if someone is covering your work and doing it early. I had a doc, which helped, but I didn’t have everything I wanted on it by the time the baby came. You never know if those babies are going to make a surprise early entrance or if other complications will come up, and it just adds unnecessary stress trying to pass things off while dealing with a newborn!
I also wish I had nailed down the plan for childcare sooner with both of my children. It always worked out, but that was the most stressful part and the hardest piece in deciding to come back not being 100 percent sure what we were doing for childcare before I went on leave. Daycares have long waitlists, and my family has a nanny, but it can be hard to hire one with a three- or four-month lead time before you need them to start.
Exploring those options and nailing them down as soon as possible would have reduced my stress levels during both leaves.
—Dayia Shurtleff is Senior Director or Marketing at iFIT
Read more: 10 Benefits Questions to Ask HR When You’re Expecting
