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“If everyone knows about a cowork-
er’s child care needs, they’ll be less likely to feel that person is receiving prefer- ential treatment when he or she gets to leave on time and they don’t. Having the support of your boss and coworkers is especially important.” “If you come back to work after hav- ing a baby and it feels like people are complaining because you’re not there all the time, that’s not going to create a long- term bond with the practice,” advises Jessica Quillivan, DVM, owner of Shady Brook Animal Hospital in Magnolia, Texas. “It’s going to create some nega- tive feelings because of the emotions that come with being a new mother and being concerned about that already.”
“If you intend to have a family and continue working, you should look for someone who has a family-comes-first attitude.”
— Jessica Quillivan, DVM
Find a family-friendly work environment After graduating from
veterinary
school, Quillivan left her first practice for another that was more family-friendly. “I told the doctor who interviewed me
that I was planning on getting pregnant and wanted to work part-time after hav- ing my baby,” she says. “He was very understanding, and we were able to work something out.” Before long, Quillivan wanted to work full-time and, with a 2-year-old in tow, started her own practice. Her new building included a playroom for her son, Conor. “It was very convenient,” she recalls.
“Since I started from scratch, at first, I only had a few clients a day and they got to know him. I think it helped him socialize better than day care because he became friends with such a diverse range of people.” Quillivan said her quest to be an
owner was largely driven by having the ability to set her own schedule. “Not just when your child is an infant,” she explains, “but when [he or she is] older and [is] involved in sports or events at school. If you’re an associate, you’re not always going to be able to get every single moment that you want off.” She reflects on her experience when
Trends magazine, September 2011
visiting with veterinary school graduates. “I tell them that you have to interview
your employer just as much as [your employer is] interviewing you. “If you intend to have a family and continue working, you should look for someone who has a family-comes- first attitude. “I believe there’s the right place for
everybody. Keep looking, and you’ll find a practice where you can be a good vet- erinarian and find time to have a family. “It may mean coming back part-time;
if your husband works days, maybe you work nights or you work a couple of emergency shifts while taking 2 other days off during the week. As they say, if there’s a will, there’s a way. “It’s hard work, yes, but it can be
extremely rewarding when you achieve that balance and feel comfortable with both aspects of your life.” n
Jack Sommars is an award-winning freelance writer based in Denver, Colo.
Editor’s note: Do you have an interest- ing or unusual personal experience about returning to work as a new mom? Tell us about it at
trendstoday@aahanet.org.
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