In the United States, maternity leave is a patchwork of policies. Some are generous, but most are lacking in adequate time, pay, flexibility, or realistic expectations. Almost all are failing to account for one of the hardest parts of postpartum recovery: the return to work. It’s during the first four weeks back in the office after maternity leave—the “transition month”—that many new mothers struggle the most. From logistics involving pumping, newly established childcare, and shifting to a completely different daily routine—to the mental battle of actually leaving their baby for the first time combined with sleepless nights and surging hormones—it’s a very challenging and crucial time in the postpartum journey. It’s also the time when the pendulum swings and many decide they cannot continue, having to give up their career altogether. In fact, an average of 1 in 4 women exit the workforce during their first year of motherhood.
This is not because they don’t want to work. It’s because the system, which was never designed with mothers in mind, expects them to rapidly transform overnight. One day, they are entirely consumed with the demands of caring for a newborn: navigating feeding schedules, sleep routines, postpartum hormone surges and physical recuperation, a new family dynamic, and more changes that only new moms can understand. The next day, as soon as their leave is up—if they even have leave to begin with—it’s back to meetings, emails, and expectations that they perform at their pre-baby level, if not higher, without any period of adjustment.
A transition month offers a realistic compromise. Instead of forcing mothers to choose between quitting or returning at full speed, a structured, reduced-hours model allows them to reintegrate while reestablishing career momentum.
I’ve learned this from personal experience. During my first pregnancy, I thought I was prepared to return to work after maternity leave. I had built my career in high-pressure environments after all—starting in the White House Social Office during the Bush Administration, later moving to Dallas to lead global events for the George W. Bush Presidential Center, where I spent nearly a decade of my career. But it wasn’t until those early post-partum months that I was faced with the conflict of how my life as a mother and my career could co-exist.
When I had my first child, I planned to take just the “standard” 12 weeks of maternity leave and jump back into my role early and ahead of the game, as I had done so often in my career. I loved my job and was eager to return. I believed and trusted that the standard policy would give me enough time to adjust. But in reality, as 12 weeks passed, I was just starting to get into a routine with my baby. I hadn’t even begun to figure out logistics like pumping schedules and nap routines, or started to consider the emotional weight of leaving my newborn behind each day. It wasn’t just physically exhausting; it was mentally destabilizing.
It was even harder when I was diagnosed with postpartum OCD, which I had never even heard of. Fast forward to today, and nearly 75% of my full-time team has also experienced postpartum depression, anxiety, or OCD, which goes to show how commonly these struggles affect working mothers and how little support we receive in navigating them.
Once I gave myself permission to take our company’s full 16 weeks off, plus a transition month working at 50% capacity, I came to realize just how vital that time was to my mental health and my ability to return to work. It felt like the air I needed to survive. I eased back in with reduced hours, a flexible schedule, and remote work. It gave me the time and space to gradually adjust, troubleshoot childcare issues, and figure out how this new version of my life could work. I still struggled, of course. But I didn’t break.
Read More: The Heart-Shattering Feeling of Going Back to Work After Having a Baby
This concept of a phased return isn’t radical. Many European countries already have policies that allow for a gradual re-entry into the workforce after parental leave, recognizing that postpartum recovery isn’t just about physical healing—it’s about restructuring your entire life. Yet in America, where workplace culture has often prized productivity over personal well-being, even suggesting a transition period can feel like asking for too much, rather than advocating for a necessity.
This model also doesn’t just benefit mothers; it benefits employers, too. Studies done pre and post-pandemic show that workplace flexibility reduces turnover and increases employee engagement. When working parents are given the time and space to adjust, they are more likely to remain in their jobs and perform at a higher level. Something companies should pay attention to, as research shows that the highest-achieving, highest-earning women are often the most likely to leave their jobs after maternity leave.
We remain hopeful that federal mandates for fair, reasonable leave will one day become the new standard in the U.S. Until then, it’s up to employers to implement policies that protect the longevity of mothers in the workforce. And a transition month is a cost-effective solution where employee retention and company culture intersect.
For some companies, this could mean offering intentional career pauses or sabbaticals. For others, it could be hybrid models that allow phased returns, such as a 50% transition month where employees work reduced hours for part-time pay, or have the option to work remotely, reducing logistical burdens like commuting and childcare. Additional support could include dedicated lactation spaces, childcare stipends, or mentorship programs for returning parents. This kind of support isn’t just for large corporations with extensive resources either, it’s achievable for companies of all sizes.
My own experience running a company proves that. Despite launching just before the pandemic in 2019, navigating five team pregnancies within 13 months between 2020 and 2021, and having four core members—including myself—on maternity leave last year, our boutique event company has remained profitable and retained our talent each year since COVID.
At the end of the day, whatever it looks like, it’s a model that pays for itself. The investment in proper support is minimal compared to the high cost of losing, replacing, and re-training top talent. Because when we fail to provide adequate support for new mothers, we lose them.
America’s current workplace policies treat new mothers as if they should be grateful for having any leave at all. But survival is not the standard we should be striving for. The transition month is a small, reasonable adjustment with a massive impact—not just on individual families, but on workplace culture as a whole. A transition month is not an indulgence; it’s the missing piece of a system that was never designed with working mothers in mind.
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