Double Duty. One Paycheck.
Double duty. One paycheck
I hadn’t always planned on working outside the home after I became a mom. Of course that was the eighties and times were a little different back then. In the nineties I realized that I was surrounded by amazing women who had awesome careers and were loving mothers to boot. It was then that I started to think about college and what I wanted to be when I grew up.
Long after college and far into my years of having a real job I married The King. And like most of those crazy couples out there, we decided to have a baby. Since we live in Seattle, where it costs like a bazillion dollars for a house, we never even discussed me quitting my job and staying home with our Sweet Babboo. It just wasn’t in the stars.
Plus, dude, Seattle ain’t free.
When I was pregnant I realized being a mom while working in my very male-dominated-field was going to be a little…hard. Just seeing my pregnant belly made all my (male) coworkers so freakin’ nervous. They never mentioned my impending motherhood or the baby in my belly. Never ever.
When I got closer to my due date I had to gently inform the guy in the cubicle next to me that if I went into premature labor he was in charge of getting me to the hospital. It was also at this time that I showed him the towel I kept in my desk drawer, you know, in case my water broke.
Yummy.
Nothing compromises your abilities at the office like a towel for bodily fluids hidden in your desk drawer.
It’s been over eighteen months and he still won’t look me in the eyes. I hate to imagine what would have happened if I would have gone into labor at the office.
Isabel is a pseudonym for this Seattle-based blogger. She’s been working since the day she realized soda and lip gloss weren’t free. Isabel became a mom in 2006 and continues to work full time, outside the home, since diapers and mortgages aren’t free either. You can read far too much about her personal life at hola,isabel.
If you have questions, anecdotes, or topics for “Double duty. One paycheck.”, email Isabel at holaisabel@gmail.com.
I deeply love the mental picture of this poor guy, h0rrified at the thought of having to deal with a pregnant woman going into labor. OH the games you could play with him. “Ooh… I feel a contraction. Did my water just break?… JUST KIDDING!”
Want to hear something funny, and something that will quite possible make all of us feel better? Suze Ormond (sp?) was counselling a financially messed up couple from California on The Oprah Show last week and part of her plan included moving their family to Seattle because she said the economy is thriving and the housing market is HOT!
So, how does she explain the homes that have been on the market for 9 months? I’d die! But, it made me laugh!
I’m sure your co-worker is thankful every day that you did not go into premature labor.
Great post!
I’m no Susie Ormund, but I think you should move your family to Baltimore. It’s practically free here!
I work in a very male-dominated field as well and I know that this is exactly how they will approach any potential future pregnancy. Ignore, ignore, ignore.
I am almost certain that I will never be a stay at home mom. Surprisingly, Minneapolis isn’t free either. I love reading your take on working outside the home and having a baby. It’s reassuring to know that it can be done with humor and grace.
We don’t have any kids yet, so it’s not an issue at the moment, but I think I’ll always work at least part-time when we have kids (especially if my husband’s job situation remains the same where he works exclusively from home). I just got into a professional graduate program and I think I’d hate having spent so much energy on a program and then never use my skills.
Anyway, great post. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
You totally should have snapped a pic of that guy’s face when you told him about the towel!!!
Crazy!