The Fifth Trimester

Working Mom

I’m officially in the fifth trimester!

You might be wondering: What exactly is that? You are probably familiar with all the trimesters of pregnancy and you may have heard of the fourth trimester (postpartum) but the fifth trimester is mom returning to work! I love this concept and after reading the book I truly believe this period is worth acknowledging and celebrating!

My Story

When my daughter turned 2 months old, I started thinking about my return to work and I wondered what exactly it would look like. I started to reflect on my return from maternity leave with my son, and honestly it felt like a blur. To prepare for this transition I started searching the internet for advice, and I came across The Fifth Trimester by Lauren Smith Brody. The title was intriguing, the Amazon reviews were good, the author herself was a working-mom, I made the quick decision to order itshareasale.com/u.cfm?d=865653&m=17025&u=2413162&afftrack=!

The fifth trimester is the return of mom to the workforce! My first impression of this book is that it is so relatable, and the tone of the book feels like I’m listening to my best friend tell me a story. There is a ton of research and advice from other moms, across so many different industries as well as experts in the field.

I took away so much information from the book, hence all my post-it notes! Since I was read it while I was still on leave, I used her advice to help guide our childcare decision. Lauren covers all options and breaks it down, pros and cons of each scenario. Ultimately we made the best decision for our family, at this time, however the book gave me peace knowing that if it didn’t work out we could always go to plan b. 

My favorite takeaway was going back to work feeling confident. I immediately booked myself a haircut and bought myself some new outfits. I loved the idea of going back to work feeling good about my physical appearance. She also covers pumping at work, a topic I was dreading. I decided to invest in the Elvie and I couldn’t be happier with how discrete it is (more on that later). Since I work in the pharmacy in close quarters with my coworkers I knew I was going to have to have a chat with them around pumping. This book helped me navigate those conversations and I felt comfortable with my decision to pump.

What stuck most with me was that the first three months back to work should be a period where you “float” and take it one day at a time. Lauren talks about not taking on additional responsibilities, or making any drastic changes. Literally do the best you can and just float on by, and also to ask for help when you need it. This was such a freeing concept, considering I tend to be an overachiever and I’m always the first to throw up my hand to volunteer.

I’ve been back to work for a month already, how?!?!? And I can say that while it was an emotionally difficult transition (I missed my baby), I felt really prepared for it after reading this book! For all my new working-moms friends, this book is a must read!