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Nowadays, it’s common for most women to be in the workforce before they embark on motherhood. Once they have decided to expand their families, maternity leave is something that enters their minds. How much time will she have off? How much will be paid or unpaid? What should she prepare for to have a smooth maternity leave? There are a lot of questions, so we had to “chick chat” with Dr. Jessica Madden, a mom of four, a board-certified pediatrician and neonatologist, and an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), her recommendations on how to prepare for maternity leave and what to mothers should add to their maternity leave checklist.
Who is Dr. Jessica Madden?
Dr. Jessica Madden has been a board-certified pediatrician and neonatologist for over 15 years. She’s currently on staff in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, OH. She previously worked in the Boston and Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospitals. In 2018 she started Primrose Newborn Care to provide in-home newborn medicine and lactation support. Dr. Madden is currently the Medical Director at Aeroflow Breastpumps. She also enjoys traveling, yoga, reading, and spending time with her four children.
What Did We Discuss?
In this episode, we chat with Dr. Madden about the ideal maternity leave checklist for expectant mothers, such as what to discuss with employers and insurance companies, what resources are available during and post-delivery, including lactation support, and more. Here are several of the questions that we covered in our conversation:
- What is the current landscape of maternity leave in the U.S.?
- How important is it for mothers to plan for maternity leave? When should they start?
- What are the most important things to take into consideration when preparing for maternity leave? And what needs to be on every maternity leave checklist?
- Can you please explain to us the consequences of limited access to paid or partially paid maternity leave for expecting mothers?
- Can you provide an overview of resources available for expecting mothers, such as lactation support services, community and online support groups, and educational classes on childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care?
- How can women involve partners, family members, and even employers in the maternity leave planning process?
- What are your top recommendations to expectant mothers as they start to plan for their maternity leave and beyond?
Dr. Jessica Madden gave us some incredible insights in this episode, and we are including all of them here in this maternity leave checklist. Be sure to download it to prepare for your maternity leave successfully!
Download Checklist Here
Dr. Madden’s Resources
Mentioned in the Episode:
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