My daughter, Gia

From Heather Stone, Senior Project Manager, Palio

I remember when I first found out I was pregnant, I was excited and, of course, a little nervous. Those feelings were only amplified when I started getting my first pieces of “advice.” You know the kind: “Enjoy your sleep now, because you won’t ever be rested again,” “You can forget about ever eating a hot meal again,”  “Get ready to do everything you do one-handed,”  “If you think pregnancy is bad, just wait!” and on and on… and on.

There was one piece of advice, however, that everyone neglected to share with me – specifically, how hard it would be to be a mom and have a career. When I think about it, maybe my friends and family were trying to spare me because they knew what I would be up against. Like childbirth itself, there’s nothing you can do to really prepare yourself for this set of circumstances. You just have to move through it, do it, and hopefully learn a thing or two along the way.

So what are the things I’ve learned so far?

1. Organization is the key to sanity. As a project manager, I’m an ultra-organized freak by nature. I’m convinced that this one skill has made my life exponentially easier since my daughter Gia was born. I always have extra bottles prepared and ready to go. Running out of diapers is simply not an option; we plan and buy ahead. Her bags are packed for daycare every night, so that each morning is relatively stress-free and I don’t have to take out my anxiety on my co-workers. (You’re welcome.)
2. Sleep is a nice activity, but I can live without it. Some people love to say, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” I never understood that until now. Used to be that when I dragged myself home after a long day of planning schedules and routing projects, I’d hit the couch for a little pre-dinner nap. I obviously can’t do that now, but I wouldn’t even if I could – the prospect of spending time with my child far outweighs the allure of catching up on some z’s. (Yes, even at 3 in the morning.)
3. In the grand scheme of things, there is nothing as important as my family. Recently it hit me: No matter how many kids I have, my time with them is going to fly – I can’t believe how fast Gia’s grown already. I work for a company that has a strong belief in work/life balance, and now I understand how important it really is to have that kind of support from my bosses.

It’s true what people say: Your children teach you as much as you teach them. But, I promise that when I see a pregnant friend or co-worker, I’m going to keep what I’ve learned (all that friendly “advice”) to myself. There are just some things you have to discover on your own.

Palio is a full-spectrum global pharmaceutical and consumer advertising, marketing, and communications agency that excels in brand creation and specializes in brand strategy, product launches, global marketing, and digital and integrated media.