I'd love advice. I'm newly pregnant and in a frustrating space with work. I've been told that I'm important to the agency, do great work but when I push for the next position or a raise to reflect my experience, I'm told to be patient, we will discuss, etc. I'd love to look for a new job but with pregnancy & COVID, I'm freaked. Do I keep coasting where I'm at for 2 years while I have a baby? I've built up trust, PTO and support at this agency. Or do I start the job hunt, which may mean moving?

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First of all- Congratulations! That’s so exciting! I don’t think it ever hurts to look for a new position. If anything, you’ll expand your network and sharpen your interview skills. That said, there are certain realities- FMLA doesn’t kick in until you’ve been with an employer for at least 12 months, and many agencies have tenure requirements for mat leave. It doesn’t mean you should stay, but do your research on the other options before you do decide to move.

Also, come join us in the moms in advertising bowl. We welcome expectant moms too, and it’s a good resource on this topic. https://joinfishbowl.com/bowl_k1lcc

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Agree with all the above and would just add: interviewing can take some time, and post-offer, the right company will work with you on maternity leave no matter how long you’d be there before your baby is due. Agencies do have tenure requirements but they’re arbitrary and you can negotiate these things just like any other part of an offer. (Can’t negotiate FMLA or other govt provided leave, but definitely can negotiate agency-provided options.)

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Congratulations!
It never hurts to look for a job but this economy and what may happen in Q4 will likely result in many months of a job hunt. That said, as a mom of a 4 year old if you like who you work with, feel there’s a good life balance and support for parents I’d hang tight (but always always keep your ears open for a new role). Keep pushing up and don’t give up on your ambition... if anything I’m saying don’t go too hard at a job search bc of corona not being pregnant.
Enjoy this time! I actually miss being pregnant sometimes :)

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Thanks! Good points. And good to hear its possible to enjoy the pregnancy journey as I'm in the thick of morning sickness. :)

As a mom of a toddler and 3 month old, I can tell you that work/life balance is very important, especially in the early days, but really, from here on out, forever. Haha. Starting a new job while pregnant, especially in the midst of Covid just sounds like a lot of undue stress. Obviously, it’s your personal preference, but if it were me, I’d hang tight.

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I totally agree. Figuring out your new life and how to mom a little one AND working at an existing job is hard. Adding a brand new job on top is a LOT. Everyone’s baby and work situation is different of course, and the right situation could come along when you least expect it, so it’s good to be prepared. If you know your current gig is horrible for work / life balance, that’s a good cue to look for something else, or at least put irons in the fire.

It’s also ok if you realize that staying put for a while is the right choice for you as you figure out new priorities. My little guy was the WORST sleeper and had health issues, so I would’ve fully crumbled under the pressure of figuring new momhood if I also had to navigate a new job on top of it. But that’s totally anecdotal and personal to each individual.

TLDR: it never hurts to look for something new, but there is zero problem in staying put for a while as you get on your feet if that’s what you choose! There are no guarantees for anything, so do what is right for YOU. Good luck! ☺️

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Congratulations!! Echoing previous posters - I have two small kids and the stress of COVID and related work pressures has me barely keeping it together with a familiar team, account and agency structure. Even though there are many things I’ve grown increasingly dissatisfied with at my agency (especially lately), finding a new gig and learning a new environment, remotely, is a level of stress I can’t even imagine taking on right now. Especially voluntarily!!

I have definitely heard the other side though - people who moved while pregnant or with small kids, and thrived. So I think it really depends on your risk and stress tolerance.

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What you're saying makes so much sense. Thank you!

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Congratulations! If I were you, I would stick around for a while. Instead I would focus on building a strong support system for the time a baby arrives. For the first few years, being a mom and working full time made me lose my mind even though I have a husband who is a true equal partner. I didn’t have a strategy or long view to drive my life as a mom. I wish I did. I figured it out eventually but it was very very hard. With your ambition, I think you can strategize when to go after exiting work or apply for a new opportunity. It might not be now. And that’s ok because you are going through a very special life changing experience. I think that’s worth it to deprioritize work for a while. I mean it emotionally. You should still continue asking for more money and promotion if you believe that you deserved.

Do you have a partner who wants to take the main caretaker role? But do you want to miss the experience of raising your first baby? For some women, that’s ok. The key thing is to have a strategy with a plan and stop worrying. Allow yourself to relax now :)

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This is important for me to hear, so thank you! I really appreciate your thoughtful answer. As this is our first, I have no real idea of what life will be like, so it's good to learn about what other women have experienced. Thank you!

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Hi! Congrats! I’m in a similar boat and am pregnant with my second, and have been with my current place long enough where I’m getting like 8 months of maternity leave and also have enough “clout” to be able to have the freedom to work from home as needed. I have a son who has some medical issues and my current place, while shitty at times, allows me the flexibility to take off time to care for him/take him to dr appts. I was debating leaving but knew I wanted to get pregnant again and wasn’t sure if we would have similar medical issues with this second kid...so I opted to stay because I didn’t want to risk it. If all goes well with the second kid, I plan to take my leave and then come back and look for a new job. But I’m keeping the option open because while the pay could be better, the work life balance her is doable for my family needs. Just something to consider as well.

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Congrats to you too! I'm feeling so grateful for all of these responses. It also helps me feel like I'm not alone knowing other women are where I'm at too.

Congratulations! I’d work on getting your resume & book together, look around. Stay where you are through your maternity leave. If you still feel the same way once you have the baby, then you can leave. But, you may feel differently after you have your child, and being in a place where you don’t constantly have to prove your worth and give you some flexibility might mean more to you. Also, I bet your promotion/raise is about money, not your performance.

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Great advice, thank you.

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Congratulations!!! And it never hurts to look around! Just evaluate the work-life situation wherever you go - the MOST important person in managing my life when I had a baby was my super trustworthy and empathetic copywriter partner. (He was a slightly more experienced new dad). It helped so much.

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Thanks! I do have good relationships where I'm at and do feel like I'm given flexibility and trust. Good to hear what matters when priorities change. Just wish my compensation was appropriate.

OMG I’m in the same exact position!! Thanks for all this helpful advice. I was really leaning towards staying and letting the company that I feel has underpaid/promoted me pay for my mat leave and then go grab my dream job. But then again this is my first child so I have no idea what could be coming my way once he/she is born. :/

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It's so hard to know what to do! I'm leaning that way too. I keep trying to tell myself that another 1.5-2 years is doable...

I’m also in the same boat. Thanks for posting this. My biggest consideration is the PTO I have saved up at my current job and also that FMLA doesn’t kick in until a year at a job like the first response said. So I am sticking it out.

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Ohh ok gotcha. I was using them interchangeably. I have a lot to learn on this subject- much appreciated.

I am so grateful to everyone who has posted! I had been stewing on this mostly alone (though I did talk to my husband and mom). I didn't feel like I had people in my network I could be candid with as many of my industry contacts are current coworkers, clients or men. Having you wonderful people share your thoughts means a lot to me!

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Move forward don’t stay still. I’m done with thinking it’s more secure to stay in the meh job to get the cumulative effects of security, comfort, familiarity. This is a creative business. We have to produce ideas to feel alive (and prove ourselves). Also if you found a job that rejected you for being prego than you don’t wanna work for them anyway. We women need to normalize being ambitious no matter what our bodies are doing right at that moment.

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