The Fifth Trimester summary

Most new moms would love to have a partner that they can depend on – someone who’ll both be there for them and take on half of the childcare duties. However, many first-time mothers don’t trust their partner to be able to care for the new baby.

In a survey of new moms, the author found that 49 percent believed their partner would need at least seven weeks before being up to the task. But she also found that these moms were underestimating their partner’s abilities.

When the end of your maternity leave arrives, your precious little bundle of joy will have spent much of the past months snuggled up against your chest. Separating yourself and putting your child into day care can be downright terrifying, and the only way you’ll be able to think about work is to make sure you’re dealing with a good facility.

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has a helpful summary of the top three concerns for making sure a potential day-care facility will have a positive impact on your child.

If you’re anything like the author, one of your primary concerns about returning to work is breastfeeding. Statistics show that around 83 percent of working moms return to their jobs while still breastfeeding.

A breast pump can solve the problem, but you’ll first have to consider what kind of equipment you’ll need and how much time and milk you’ll need to put aside.

Many first-time moms don’t look forward to their first day back at work. If you’re one of these, here’s a statistic you might find comforting: In 2015, a Harvard Business School study showed that children of working mothers grow up to be kinder and more ambitious.

Still, even this thought might not drown out the voice in your head that’s saying how much you’d rather be with your child than stuck at work Monday through Friday. So it’s a good idea to keep in mind the benefits your job provides.

So once you’ve made it back to work, you can expect to pick up right where you left off, right? If only it were that simple.

Even when the author polled working mothers, 30 percent admitted that, before they had their child, they resented coworkers who returned to work after having a baby.