Wednesday 13 November 2013

Maternity leave...

As you may have seen on my Twitter feed this morning (@BumpMoirs for those not following!), in one month l will go off on maternity leave (using holiday from this, and a little from next year I'm able to finish a little early)

Whilst I'm still young (28) I have been working a good few years, with little rest.

No sooner had I left Birmingham University (one day to be precise) I was a firm member of a graduate programme at a top London PR agency.

Quite the transition I recall. Late nights, lectures and a busy shared house suddenly became late nights (I was a young PR girl!), a flat in London with a friend and pretty early mornings (I was the paper girl so had to get in early to scan all the mornings newspapers for coverage of any of our clients)




That time was pretty invaluable, not only did it teach me my craft, but it taught me how to 'work'. It sounds silly, but entering the workforce can be tricky especially after 3 years (let's face it) dossing around at University. Starting my career at a very 'straight' agency taught me how to behave at work and what was, and wasn't (I learned this the hard way at times!!) acceptable.



After three and a half great years at my first PR home I moved on (reluctantly) for the sake of my career.


My first agency was a very traditional, by the book PR agency.


My second was more on the 'creative' side filled with big personalities and even bigger ideas.


After a year at this established, I moved to my current home (a very similar place to my first agency) where I've been for just under three years.

I'm on the Senior team at this agency running campaigns for some of the worlds biggest brands. It's a busy, sometimes stressful job but my friends (or colleagues as their more commonly known) get me through it. 

I was 21 when I left University, and 7 and a half years later I'm taking my first proper break. The honeymoon was a decent 3 week holiday but in 7 years I've not really stopped. Most of my peers travelled before or after University (including the Hubs who took a year off after Uni to travel the world) and some are taking sabbaticals as we speak (whilst I am thrilled for them, I could do without the constant Facebook reminders)



Not me. 



I was always entirely focused on my career and being the best I could possibly be.

Slowing down 'a bit' when pregnant is common. For me, slowing down has hit me hard. The slower I go, the more tired I get!

Whilst I can't wait to properly slow down a month from today and get my body (and house I admit!) into the best possible state before the arrival of Baby J, I can't help but feel a little daunted by what lays ahead.


I'm such a control freak and someone who likes to know exactly what their doing at all times. The foreseeable future for me is full of uncertainties and new experiences. On the one hand that excites me immensely, on the other, it terrifies me entirely!!


Whilst my new life won't mean lying in each morning, taking a leisurely breakfast and dashing off to a spa before lunch with the girls every day (Baby J will see to that I'm sure!) it has a whole new purpose.






To put things into PR terms (it's weird, but comforting to me on some levels) Baby J is my new client and it's him I want to impress, satisfy and do all that I can for (how cheesy is this post!!)

Whilst I can't wait for this month to fly by, (as it inevitably will) I am a little anxious to know what my new life will look like.

Yes the Hubs' life is going to change too but not in the same way… He'll still go to work each morning and be around grown up people.

I'll be home, starting to raise our little baby boy who I imagine, based on his lively and frequent kicks, is going to be quite a handful! (wow, a rush of excitement just passed through me, and it's not just because I won't have to face the morning commute anymore!!!)

4 comments:

  1. how many weeks will you be when you go on maternity leave? Are you returning to work?
    xx

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  2. I will be 30 weeks :-)

    I am planning to go back to work yes x

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  3. Enjoy the time off with your little one. It will go fast.

    It will be a whole different kettle of fish to what you are used to but you will love it!

    Thank you for linking up with the Weekend Blog Hop

    Laura x x x

    ReplyDelete