Mothering and the Corporate World

Mothering in the Corporate World

You know we really don't get or give enough credit to working moms. It's an extremely hard job to do and it seems everything goes in the opposite direction you need it to. 

This is the experience for some:

FIRST TRIMESTER:

First get pregnant

Then worry about when and how to tell the boss

Pretend morning sickness isn't happening and keep producing

Pretend that not having coffee in the am makes no difference while falling asleep in cubicle

Will this affect any chance of promotion?

SECOND TRIMESTER:

Ok go tell boss before getting written up

If it's the first pregnancy people may be excited at first, if it's the 2nd or 3rd you may hear "Oh not again!" in the breakroom

Go through pregnancy and work as if  unaffected.

"Oh office clothes are no problem!"

"Sure I'm comfortable"

"Going to the Dr during lunch break" (OMG I'm starving)

"Want to show husband/family new ultrsound pics. Guess it will have to wait until 7pm when the day is done"

Have to pee again during big meeting. What to do? (and OMG I'm starving)

THIRD TRIMESTER:

Getting big  hearing comments like the ones posted in "Advice I never asked for" 

and "Hey you're still here? Didn't have that baby yet huh? When are you coming back? Wow you're big!" (wearing flats doesn't help)

BABY COMES:

Moving on "Yay Maternity Leave"

But once you have your precious little one..your job is calling expecting you back 6-9 weeks later. 

"What am I supposed to do with my newborn? Leave him in a dresser drawer until I come home?"

"Or pay for daycare at $800 per month?" 

Figure it out

"Ok back to work."

GO BACK TO WORK:

NOW the Mommy Guilt kicks in..."What if a milestone happens?, Baby can't say how the day went, what if it was bad?

Baby was up all night but the office still opens at 9am sharp. So exhausted don't know how to make it through the day and still have co workers respect.

Then "Is there a room for pumping milk, What everyone uses the supply closet!?, Do moms have to tell their boss every time? Will people think nursing moms just take a lot of breaks?"

What if baby is sick and leaving early is the only option? Are mothers valued as employees here or seen as a liability?"
 

Working moms deserve extra pay for the extra job they do (and stay at home moms have a job that is harder than it looks. They deserve ANY pay since they get $0 for a 168 hour workweek) 

It's a tough job (but rewarding..motherhood anyway) and I would love to see a male CEO try even half of this one day.