You're listening to Life Kit from NPR.

Hi there, I'm Mariel. I'll be onboarding you today.

Welcome to your unofficial orientation to working parenthood. Now lucky for you, I'm not going to send

you down to the front office to get your ID photo taken, and you don't have to get a laptop

set up with IT. But if you open your

welcome packet, you'll see that you have your work cut out for you. Going from worker to parent

to working parent is no small task, especially if you're making the transition soon after your

baby is born, as a lot of us in the U.S. do. What people are doing is they're learning two new roles really fast, under a lot of pressure,

with lack of sleep and zero guidance and zero support.

And it doesn't have to be that way.

It's a ridiculous way to do things.

Amy Beacom is the founder and CEO of the Center for Parental Leave Leadership.

It's a consulting firm that helps employers and working parents navigate parental leave.

And she says there are things you can do to set yourself up for success here.

For instance, before you even go on parental leave.

I often say the best way to prepare for leave is to plan your return.

You know when you're supposed to report back. So come up with a plan, even if it has to change

later.

Start to put in mind, where do you want to be?

What is your schedule look like for you?

So everyone is thinking about that reentry even before you go.

One tip here. You can ask for a brief check-in from your employer before you go. One tip here.

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