A personal piece...
When should I have a baby?… When should I return
to work?… How many days should I work?… What do I do about an exclusively
breastfed baby who refuses a bottle of expressed breastmilk??
I am a Chiropractor, I am a business owner, I
am a writer (for 3 magazines), I am a mother, I am a wife, I am a daughter, I
am a sister and I am a friend. I am busy! Before having a baby and then
choosing to return to work I had the same questions that every other female
chiropractor has…
How do I balance work and mother-hood? The fact is that you
can’t plan this because each baby is different and you will only ‘know-when-you-know’
how you will feel and think about being a working mother. Jackson was 5.5mth
old when I returned to work for a 2hr shift. My husband would bring him to the
clinic for that time and I would feed him in between patients. When it was
almost feed time I would have a ‘let down’ and start leaking (ohh the fun of
being a breastfeeding chiropractor!).
He would sleep in the pram and cuddle
patients when he was awake. I loved this time at work, but it wasn’t so easy. By
the time Jackson was 13mth or 14mth he dropped his day feeds and no longer
‘needed’ me during the day. The child loves coconut water (the most expensive
brand of course!), so my husband gives him a drink before he puts him to sleep.
My mother anxiety dropped, I got my life back a little and everything with work
became a whole lot easier (thankfully because I needed a day to myself as a
chiropractor by this stage). I now choose to work every Monday and every second
Saturday. I also have a home practice and see people here and there. I write
for 3 different magazines (one national) and that all keeps me very, very busy.
As for when is the right time to start a family…
Well the simple answer is that there is never a right time, you just have to
bite the bullet. I purchased a clinic in December 2011, was married in March 2012
and I fell pregnant in July 2013 (this was planned). Our clients are very loyal
and they were comfortable with me (no one likes change!)…
My practice certainly
suffered with about 30 patients not even trying my associate. This loss you just have to swallow when you are a
female chiropractor, and just trust and know that it doesn’t matter because
before you know it your patients will love your fill-in, you will generate new
business and you will be back at work before they know it. As for baby number
2… I have no idea!! We are going to wait till Jackson is in kindergarten!
It is so important to not put pressure on
yourself. You are doing a great job and need to listen to your inner instinct.
As a working mother, if you can’t call a patient, text them... Be clear with
your reception staff about what you need; for instance I run out of the door
the moment the last patient leaves to get home to feed Jackson at night… Be
grateful for the help you receive with your baby/ children (my husband and the
two grandmas are amazing!)
… Let it go; if you have a patient who doesn’t quite
understand your goal of a healthier lifestyle for them, then move on to the
next person who is happy to embrace your advice… Try not to bring your stress
home… Laugh a little… Love a lot and communicate all the time with those people
close to you…
