You know you work hard all day – childcare, housekeeping, and maybe even paid employment on top of it all. It’s not easy, and it’s often thankless. While motherhood does come with its own rewards, what if you were rewarded in terms of a paycheck?

Here’s the median annual salary (in 2014 US dollars) for a number of jobs moms routinely perform (taken from a recent survey by salary.com):

• CEO     $167,900
• Psychologist     $81,000
• Facilities Manager     $65,800
• IT / Computer Tech     $34,200
• Cook     $29,200
• Van Driver     $28,400
• Day Care Teacher     $26,700
• Housekeeper     $21,200
• Janitor     $21,100
• Laundry Operator     $21,000

If you calculate the number of hours at each of these jobs during a regular work week (including overtime pay), stay-at-home moms would earn an average of US$118,000 annually, and working moms would earn an average of US$70,000 annually in addition to their pay from their out-of-home employment. Add to that other family jobs you might do – nurse, accountant, administrative assistant, logistics supervisor – and you would probably make even more!

Studies about how moms work have found that stay-at-home moms work about 90 hours each week, mainly doing the tasks for the jobs listed above. For moms who are employed outside the home, 50 hours per week is still devoted to their “mom jobs” in addition to their paid employment.

In the US, 70% of women with children work outside the home, and many of these women are the main breadwinners for their families. While partners are doing more, a disproportionate share of the housekeeping and childcare still falls on moms.

While the pay scale may be different around the world, the fact that moms put in many hours of skilled labor without a paycheck is true nearly everywhere. Take a moment to appreciate yourself and all the work you do. Remind other moms that they are doing a great job, and call your own mom to thank her for the time she put in at all the odd jobs without pay.

Then, remind yourself of the rewards you do get – watching your children learn and grow is sometimes payment enough.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Talk to 10 different women, and you’ll likely hear 10 different opinions on returning to work after having a baby. For some women, doing so is a necessity, though not something they are excited about. For others, going back to a job they love is something they’re actually looking forward to. But for those women who do re-enter the working force after baby, no matter where they fall in terms of their desire to do so, those first few days back can still be an adjustment.

Thankfully, there are ways to make that returning to work adjustment easier—for both you and your little one.

1. Find Childcare You Trust: The biggest key to reducing anxiety as you prepare to return to work is finding childcare options you feel good about. Some families are lucky enough to have grandparents nearby who are willing to take on that task, but if you don’t have that option, start looking into local daycares sooner rather than later. Ask friends for recommendations, conduct tours, and get on waiting lists whenever necessary. Feeling comfortable with where you are leaving your baby (and who you are leaving him or her with) is half the battle.
2. Ease In: It’s silly to go from weeks (or months) on end at home with your little one, to diving right back into a full-time work schedule. Instead, talk to your manager or HR supervisor about easing back into the work world. Maybe you could work half-days for the first few weeks, or just Tuesdays and Thursdays at first. Easing back in will make your whole transition less traumatic.
3. Break for Facetime: The beauty of our current technological landscape is that it allows you to stay connected, so use that! Talk to your childcare providers about sending you photos and updates throughout the day, and take advantage of Facetime or Skype when you find yourself really missing your little bug.
4. Look for Positives: If you’re truly struggling with returning to work, it can be hard to find silver linings, but they do exist. Think of this as your opportunity to talk to other adults throughout the day; as your excuse to take care of yourself and get some Mommy time! Sure, that time is probably less enjoyable when spent at work than it might be doing something you really love, but you may find you come to appreciate it more than you ever thought you would.
5. Savor Pickup Time: There is nothing better than the way little ones light up when they see Mommy or Daddy at the end of a long daycare day. Soak those gleeful smiles and hugs up; they are the reminder of how very loved you are!

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Let’s face it – all mothers work. Women don’t make the decision to return-to-work or to stay-at-home lightly. And neither choice is right or wrong – it all depends on your family’s needs. You’re the best judge of what’s right for you.

If you’re on the fence about returning to work, here are some points to consider:

• Your finances: First and foremost, can your budget adjust to a decrease in income for your family? If you want to stay home and just can’t figure out how to do it, sit down and take a good look at where all of your money goes each month. See if there are ways to make changes that would make staying at home an option.

• Childcare choices: Consider the cost of childcare when working on your budget. Will your working cause you to spend more than you make, effectively negating your salary? Are there waiting lists at the day care you most want to use? Would it be less cost to employ someone in your home? Do you have a flexible job that will let you bring baby along for the first few months?

• Work options: Does your employer offer telecommuting, so you can work at least part of your hours from home? Could you return to work part time rather than full time? Is job sharing (where two people split the hours and duties for one job) an option? Is your employer willing to let you work flexible hours (four nine-hour days, for example, with three days off each week)?

• Career advancement: How will not working affect your advancement in your profession? Some women consider “sequencing,” dropping out of the paid workforce while their children are young, and re-entering later when the demands of motherhood are less.

• Breastfeeding: Many women successfully combine working and breastfeeding. But consider what you will need in order to do this. Do you have a breast pump? Have you considered where and when you will pump at work? Have you discussed it with your supervisor ahead of your maternity leave, or is this a topic you still need to broach?

While some women are able to take a long paid maternity leave, the reality in the US is that most mothers are back to work very soon after the birth of their baby. And for some families, this is just fine. Maybe before the birth, you had every intention to return to your job; but now that your baby is here, you can’t imagine leaving him every day. Or maybe your job’s demands aren’t compatible with having a family, and you need to either find a different position or stay home. Or maybe you decided even before birth that you wanted to stay at home. Whatever your situation, the decision-making needs to be planned for your family’s well being.

How did you decide whether or not to return to work outside the home?

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids 

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.