The baby game
careers,pregnancy,health,your life
baby in briefcase
Being pregnant is challenging as well as exciting, especially if you\'re holding down a demanding job. As head of human resources for business consultancy Accenture, Sue Rice has 15 years\' experience in supporting expectant women in the workplace and as they return to the office after having their baby. Read her tips for successfully negotiating the maternity maze
Work together with your employer
careers,pregnancy,health,your life
work colleagues
Tell your boss the good news as soon as you feel comfortable, but definitely by the 15th week before your baby is due. It\'s important to confirm this in writing. Good employers want to be supportive, so be open about any challenges you\'re facing and deal with them together to find a solution that works for both of you
Know your rights
careers,pregnancy,health,your life
pregnant woman and doctor
By law your employer has to give you paid maternity leave and time off for antenatal checks, but many companies offer extra benefits for expectant parents. Speak with your HR representative to find out what these are. Don\'t forget to ask whether you\'ll still be covered by corporate healthcare during your maternity leave, and how your pension will be affected
Do your paperwork
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woman reading document
To claim maternity pay you\'ll need to get a form called MATB1 from your doctor or midwife; your partner will need to obtain an SC3 from the Inland Revenue in order to claim paternity pay. This is a good time to consider updating the nominated beneficiaries of your life assurance or accident insurance to cover the new arrival
Get practical
careers,pregnancy,health,your life
career business woman computer
Your employer must provide a safe, healthy environment for you and your baby. A supportive chair and a footrest are a must, and if necessary your workstation should be adapted to give you more space. Arrangements should be made so that you\'re not required to stand or sit in one position for more than two to three hours at a time
Beat the third trimester blues
careers,pregnancy,health,your life,mental health
pregnant woman
As your pregnancy progresses your needs will change, particularly when you move into the more tiring third trimester. Talk regularly with your manager to ensure that your workload is manageable, you are not under undue stress and can work flexibly to avoid traveling during the rush-hour
Build a support network
careers,pregnancy,health,your life
pregnant women at work
Pregnancy can be a demanding time, especially if it\'s your first baby, and it\'s helpful to share your experiences with other mums-to-be. Perhaps there are other women in your office or your antenatal class who are juggling the demands of pregnancy and work.
Stay contactable
careers,pregnancy,health,your life
woman on phone
Before you begin your maternity leave, speak to your boss or HR representative about how you\'re going to keep the lines of communication open while you\'re away. Check in regularly via telephone or email to stay abreast of what\'s going on at work and keep your manager up-to-date about your evolving plans to return to the office
Keep your hand in
careers,pregnancy,health,your life
woman working at home
As your maternity leave draws to an end, you might try to ease your way back into professional life by negotiating some part-time work that you can do from home. This will make your return to the office less of a shock to the system, and the extra money should come in handy too
Plan your re-entry
careers,pregnancy,health,your life
career business woman work
Be open with your employer about the type of role you want to return to and any changes you would like to make in your working conditions. Think about specific issues such as cutting down on business travel, as well as the more general question of whether you\'d prefer to work part-time. Perhaps job sharing or home-enabled working would make life easier
Find the balance
careers,pregnancy,health,your life
career business woman work women friends
Being a working parent is a constant juggling act and it can be hard to find the time for important \'extras\' such as work socialising, mentoring or going on training courses. You may find you need to cut back, but it\'s better to participate in these things on a smaller scale than not at all
Find the balance
balance
Woman enthusiastic
Read our other features on achieving a good work/life balance. Get back on track with a
career plan. Make space for some
quality time with your kids and check out these
celebrity mums who also juggle work and family
