Navigating Time Off & Partner Support for a Smooth Return to Work – Podcast Ep 179

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Navigating maternity leave can be super confusing, and it often leaves expecting mothers feeling overwhelmed. You’re already juggling the demands of pregnancy, work, and planning for your baby. Now you have to plan for postpartum, too, and what life will really be like once your little one is here? You sure do! The problem is that many women assume their employer will guide the way. The truth? Maternity leave planning really falls on the expecting parents’ shoulders. That’s why today’s episode is such an important one if you’re expecting and planning on returning back to work after baby.

In this episode, we’re diving deep into what it takes to co-plan your maternity leave with your partner, understand your legal rights, and return to work with confidence, while also setting realistic expectations with your partner. Whether you’re expecting your first baby or preparing for your next, this episode will help you feel informed, prepared, and supported!

Who is Daphne Delvaux?

Today’s incredible guest is Daphne Delvaux. Daphne is an award-winning employment attorney and the founder of Delvaux Law, the nation’s first and only law firm solely devoted to women’s rights at work. Known as The Mamattorney on social media, Daphne educates parents, especially mothers, on how to advocate for themselves in the workplace. After struggling to find accurate information about maternity leave during her own pregnancy, she made it her mission to make this vital knowledge widely accessible. Today, she’s breaking down what every working parent needs to know.

What Did We Discuss?

In this episode, Daphne and I dive into:

• Why Daphne became so passionate about protecting women’s rights at work
• How to start planning your maternity leave (and what to consider)
• How to understand and calculate your total paid leave
• Whether and how to negotiate better maternity leave terms
• Some key conversations you and your partner should have before baby arrives
• Partner rights for postpartum leave and how to combine time off
• Emotional and mental prep for returning to work
• Common challenges working parents face and how to overcome them

Final Thoughts

Maternity leave isn’t just a personal matter. It’s a legal, emotional, and logistical one. I’m so grateful for Daphne’s time because she reminds us that we deserve to know our rights, to advocate for our needs, and to be supported, not just by our workplace but by our partner and community, too. Daphne shares the truth about what’s often left out of HR conversations and how we can shift the narrative around working motherhood. It’s a fantastic episode, and we can’t wait to have her back for part 2! So, if you’re currently expecting or already navigating your return, this episode is for you!

Daphne’s Resources

Cheers to a smooth maternity leave! 

We hope you found this episode helpful. If you did and enjoyed it, please subscribe to our podcast, Chick Chat, and leave us an honest review. Links below!