Pregnancy is often considered a significant career interruption or a complete career diversion for many women. And yes, it’s easy to mentally clock off from work when you’ve got a bun in the oven and you know you’ll be taking leave in a few months time. But pregnancy doesn’t need to signal the start of a career break. In fact pregnancy is a crucial time to consider your values and your worth and stay engaged with your career.
We see it all the time. Women that are pregnant or trying to become pregnant clock off from their career before they’ve even told their manager the news. They’ll take an inferior package if they are negotiating salary or fail to grab career opportunities that come their way. The anxiety and excitement of starting or building on their family disrupts career momentum and impacts on reward and recognition expectations. But it shouldn’t. Pregnancy and motherhood does not make you any less value to your employer. In fact the growth and skills you develop during parental leave are a great addition to your CV.