The Crossroads: A Career Shift She Didn’t Choose
Lauren had just returned to work after her maternity leave—exhausted but determined to balance her career and motherhood.
✔ She loved her job and was ready to jump back in.
✔ She was only 2.5 months postpartum.
✔ She didn’t expect what would come next.
That morning, an 8 AM meeting invite from HR popped up on her calendar.
"I thought it was a check-in, maybe a welcome back conversation. Instead, they told me my position had been terminated. Just like that."
She was devastated.
✔ How was this even legal?
✔ How was she supposed to process this while running on no sleep?
✔ How could a company she gave so much to just cut her loose like that?
She didn’t have a plan—because she never expected to need one.
But slowly, a new path started to reveal itself.
✔ She got more time with her daughter than she ever imagined.
✔ She used unemployment to bridge the gap and figure out what came next.
✔ By the time her daughter turned one, she realized—she never wanted to leave her in the first place.
"It was the worst thing that ever happened to me—and somehow, the best thing too."
The Challenges: More Than Just Career Loss
- Sleep Deprivation & The Reality of Being the Default Parent
"I was up every night with her so my husband could focus on his job. I was beyond exhausted." - Balancing Nursing, Pumping, & a Lack of Personal Time
"The time commitment to feeding was massive. It felt like my whole life revolved around it." - Processing Her Own Trauma While Becoming a Mother
"Losing my own mother earlier in life made becoming a mom that much harder. It brought up a lot I wasn’t ready to face." - Feeling Like She Had No Control Over What Came Next
"I didn’t leave my job. It was taken from me. That loss of control was really tough to sit with."
But eventually, she stopped thinking about what she lost and started thinking about what she gained.
What Worked (and What She’d Do Differently)
✔ Having a Strong Support System
"My mom’s group, my mentors, my therapist—they were all lifelines during this transition."
✔ Giving Herself Permission to Slow Down
"Once we added more help, I finally got some perspective. And I realized—I never wanted to leave her anyway."
✔ Using the Time to Rethink Her Career
"I met with past mentors, reconnected with my holistic coach, and thought about what I actually wanted next."
Would she do anything differently?
✔ Regroup With Her Partner Sooner
"We could have financially adjusted things earlier to make the transition smoother."
✔ Take Maternity Leave Planning More Seriously
"I never thought I’d be laid off. If I had known, I might have planned differently."
The Tools & Resources That Helped
📌 Prospera – Gave her guidance and support as she figured out what came next.
📌 Therapy – Helped her process job loss, motherhood, and personal trauma all at once.
📌 Pelvic Floor Therapy – Reminded her that healing physically mattered too.
📌 Mom’s Group (Online & In-Person) – Helped her connect with women in the same boat.
📌 Career Mentors – Showed her that her career wasn’t over—it was just shifting.
"Losing my job made me rethink everything. But it also allowed me to build a career that actually works for my life now."
Lauren’s Advice: If You Can Stay Home That First Year—Do It
✔ If Your Heart Is Telling You to Stay Home, Listen
"Even if you only stay home that first year, you will never regret it."
✔ Regroup With Your Partner to See If It’s Financially Possible
"You might be able to make small adjustments to make it work—you just have to sit down and figure it out together."
✔ Find Moms Who Feel the Same Way You Do
"It’s so validating to meet other women who say, ‘Oh wait—I didn’t realize how much I’d want to stay with my baby!’ You are not alone in that."
✔ Know That Job Loss Can Be a Beginning, Not Just an End
"It felt like the worst thing at first. But in hindsight? I see it as a blessing."
Lauren’s Both& Moment: Career Loss & Career Freedom
Lauren’s story is a perfect example of a Both& moment.
✔ She was both heartbroken to lose her job and grateful to be home with her baby.
✔ She felt both lost in the beginning and found clarity as time passed.
✔ She learned she could both mourn the career she had and build something better for her family.
Sometimes, what feels like a door slamming shut is actually a new path opening.
Why This Story Matters for Both&
- Highlights the Reality of Being Let Go Post-Maternity Leave – It happens more than people realize.
- Encourages Parents to Prepare Financially & Mentally for the Unexpected – You never think it’ll happen to you—until it does.
- Proves That Career Transitions Aren’t Always a Choice—But Can Still Lead to Something Better – Sometimes the worst-case scenario leads to the best-case outcome.
Challenges the Idea That Career Always Comes First – Staying home can be just as valuable as climbing the ladder.
