Babies on the Brain
Jessa1404
member
Newbie Intro & Need Advice on Work/Baby Balance
Jessa1404
member
Hi Everyone!
Longtime lurker here...Now that DH and I are seriously talking about TTTC, thought I should introduce myself. I'm 29, DH is 30. We live in the greater NYC area, and we've been married about a year, together for 9. I'm looking to make some friends on the board and get some advice.
DH has a very demanding job (like 80 hours a week), but we expect his schedule to get much better in about 3 years. I also work long hours, and I love my industry, but I'm becoming increasingly restless at my job and am thinking about finding something new. On the other hand, we have babies on the brain! Does anyone have any advice about job hunting while TTTC? Do you think it's too much all at once? Should I give myself a few months to try to find a new position before TTTC? Also, do you think it's unfair to future employers to take a new job knowing I may go on maternity leave in a year or so? I also know it could take a healthy couple up to a year (or longer) to conceive, so maternity leave may be far in the future. I guess I'm just feeling lost and could use some advice 
Thanks in advance for any help!
Thanks in advance for any help!This discussion has been closed.
Re: Newbie Intro & Need Advice on Work/Baby Balance
i think if you want a change in career, you should strat looking ASAP. You don't know when you'd actually concieve, and everywhere i've ever worked, Short Term Disability doesn't kick in until you've been there for a year - that's the insurance that pays (all or part of) your salary while you're on maternity leave. So you might find yourself in a new job and wanting to wait 3-4 months before TTC so that you don't have to miss out on income when you are on leave.
Additionally, while it is illegal for people to ask you if you are pregnant, or are planning to become pregnant, on a job interview, it would potentially be difficult to get a job if you are obviously pregnant at the time of an interview. Most hiring managers would find any way around hiring someone who was just going to work for a short amount of time and then leave for 3 months (this is why it's illegal to ask about this in an interview - it is discriminatory, but that doesn't mean it doens't happen. If they're making a decision between two candidates, and they have equal qualifications but one is 6 months pregnant, it's pretty clear who they're going to choose).
I wouldn't delay TTC because you're searching for a job (though as i said above, if you do move jobs and decide to delay for insurance purposes, that would make sense). But i'd advise to start the job search as soon as you can. If both you and your H work long hours, day care is going to be difficult for you (most of them have very inflexible drop off/pick up times), so before TTC i'd probably start researching the cost of a nanny or what the day care options are in your area to make sure one would work for you if you were to both keep your current positions.
You go girl!