Flourishing in Every Way

It’s been four weeks since I returned to work, and I’m genuinely happy about it. Spending seven months with my newborn was absolutely wonderful. There are many reasons why that length of leave worked well for me, but seven months isn’t the magical number. It’s actually less about the number and more about feeling ready.

Our Family Context

My husband and I are a dual-income household. He works in government/nonprofit, and I work in corporate tech. We spend, save, and invest while living in a cozy three-bedroom townhome. We are currently living the infamous one-car life (we both work from home). We enjoy staying home, we enjoy traveling, and we do all the ordinary things in between.

One thing that might make us stand out from the average crowd is that we both love our jobs. I love my job. I love what I do (trust me, it took me years to get here). I love the people I work with. I have an awesome manager, and over the years, I’ve made friends in the workplace, not just coworkers. I’m proud to say that I have job satisfaction.

Welcoming Our Son

Our son arrived at 39 weeks, and at the time, I had no idea that I would be on leave for seven months. I imagined I would take the 4.5 months available to me—6 weeks through short-term disability and 12 weeks from my company—and return to work with no questions asked. But the reality was that I wanted more time—so I sought it out.

As my original return date approached, I felt sad thinking about not being with my baby. How could I leave him behind? I was low-key planning my stay-at-home-forever plan. Though we’d found some sort of day-to-day rhythm, it was still a lot. I wasn’t mentally or emotionally ready. I clearly desired more time with my baby, and our childcare plans weren’t fully in place yet. Extending my leave felt less like avoiding work (because returning to work wasn’t the problem—leaving my baby behind was) and more like recognizing my desires and honoring what our family needed at the time.

Seven Months Felt Perfect

My baby no longer felt like a tiny newborn. He was sitting, crawling, and holding his own bottle. Going from five to six months felt like a big jump. From six to seven months felt even bigger. All of these newly unlocked motor skills contributed to his growing independence. He simply didn’t need my help as much as before. That surprisingly felt good. 

We had the right family support. My mom had just returned from a trip to Korea and was available and willing to watch my baby while we worked full-time (the first week was rough due to jet lag, but she absolutely loves and adores her grandkid). He spent four days a week with my mom and one day with my in-laws, and that remains our current rhythm. We are incredibly thankful for their ongoing support because we weren’t—and still aren’t—ready to start daycare.

Financially, it made the most sense. With a mix of PTOs, other company-provided paid leaves, and a leave of absence (unpaid leave), we extended my maternity leave by another 2.5 months—five of those weeks were unpaid. At first, we contemplated whether the unpaid leave was worth it. For our family, it absolutely was. Money comes and goes. This part was the going, and we chose to let it go.

As a mom, I felt unhurried and increasingly ready. It was a prayerful and reflective decision, and I felt at peace (after all, seven signifies completion). I even had a God-given mission for those extra weeks (maybe one to share in another post). On multiple occasions leading up to my return to work, my husband would ask, are you ready to go back? How do you feel? Each time, I told him that I felt good and that I was more ready than ever before.

My Return to Work

Upon returning to work, it didn’t feel premature—there were no feelings of being rushed or forced. Though the first week was mostly spent calling Help Desk and setting up my account, reconnecting with my coworkers felt great. It was as if I had never left. They even requested regular baby picture updates (lol).

Surprisingly, I was very receptive to the change. It was still an adjustment—especially an emotional one. I shed tears while blending my blueberry smoothie because my baby was always with me, but this time, I found myself doing it alone. By week two, I was blending as if nothing had happened.

I’m happy to report that it was a smooth and delightful return.

How Long Should Maternity Leave Be?

Your maternity leave isn’t a specific number of months. It’s the intersection where your family circumstances and your readiness as a mom align.

Your readiness, your relationship with your job, family support, and financial situation will all influence your decision. There may also be personal convictions that shape it. Consider each of them, and you may be surprised where you end up.

Seven months wasn’t the magical number. It was simply the point where our childcare plans, finances, love for my job, and my mind and heart readiness finally aligned. For another family, that number might be three months, six months, a year, or maybe even a decision to stay home fully. For us, it was seven—and I have no regrets.