Taking the judgement out of a personal decision

The decision of when and whether or not you will go back to work after maternity leave is a very personal one. Everyone has an opinion on whether you should or shouldn’t return to work.

You will be bombarded with warnings about what a child needs most in their formative years...and the list of reasons to stay or go is seemingly endless. Understandably, many women agonize over returning to work. For most, it is a personal and often financial decision, best left to themselves.

Teresa Eaton is a mother of two from Whitby who made that decision herself. Eaton holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from The University of Toronto and a diploma in Nuclear Medicine Technology. She too struggled with the decision of when to return to work.

In her recent book: Labour Pains, Conversations About Your Work and Stay-at-Home Choices, Eaton speaks candidly with 24 mothers about what factors ultimately led them to make their decision. Her goal in writing the book: to allow for the decision to be made without judgement.

Did the women in her book put their careers on hold, did they return to their careers or find something in the middle? Find out by reading it. Labour Pains is easy to read and captures honestly the struggle every woman goes through — from your pre-baby perspectives to dealing with the withdrawal of not working full-time. One thing is sure, reading Labour Pains will assure you that you are not alone.

To purchase the book, visit www.labourpains.ca or visit Teresa at her booth at the Durham Parent Baby & Kids Show, see section for details.