Welcome to the SA chapter of the Mindful Return Maternity (Parental) Leave Course
You don’t have to choose between being a good mother and building your career
The Mindful Return Maternity Leave Course sets you up for success and gives you the tools to confidently navigate going back to work after baby. (Yes, even in this post-pandemic world.)
What goes through your mind as you sit in your new-born’s nursery / your bed (for co-sleeping parents) at 2 am?
These thoughts are completely normal.
After all, you have just been through the single biggest life-changing experience. You created life. And now, you’re tasked with figuring out how to balance your old patterns with caring for a new bundle of joy.
This is a beautiful time, but if you’re like most moms, you have some (or a lot of) anxiety over what the future holds.
Know that you are not alone, mama. The secret to facing or silencing these fears and gearing up to return to the office lies in how you prepare for your new role as a working mom. We’re here to help.
Introducing: Mindful Return
Mindful Return is a programme designed specifically for working (inside or outside the home) parents who have gone through the transformative experience of having a child. Sound like you?
This programme will leave you feeling calmer, empowered and more connected than ever before. Through it you’ll feel encouraged and inspired to start this exciting new journey. You’ll learn how to negotiate for flexibility at work, plan complex logistics and manage the anxiety that comes with juggling your different roles. Throughout it all, you’ll be surrounded by a community of other working moms ready to offer insight and answer questions.
This Mindful Return SA Chapter is tailored for working moms based in SA.
To join the global course, go to the global course page. Check out the FAQ below to help you decide which course suits you best.
It’s a powerful experience you can’t get anywhere else.
It starts here!
Sign up for the Mindful Return weekly email list and get our free guide, 99 Questions to Ask Yourself Before, During, and After Maternity Leave.
-Aneesa, first-time-mom, lawyer
So much more than an online class
Mindful Return is more than just an e-course. Yes, we help you iron out the inevitable wrinkles that go along with returning from parental leave, but there’s so much more here.
Created by working moms
Mindful Return SA was created by three working moms, Lori Mihalich-Levin, Stormme Hobson, and Noloyiso (“Nolo”) Tlali.
Lori, a Washington, DC-based lawyer, and mom of two, founded Mindful Return in 2014 after her first-hand experience of the challenges that come with returning to work after maternity leave.
Lori and Stormme “e-met” while Stormme was on her own journey to find resources dedicated to supporting working mothers. Stormme and Nolo have known each other since completing legal articles together and reconnected as mothers balancing parenting and work life as employees and subsequently as entrepreneurs. The idea of creating a dedicated course for the SA community felt like the obvious next step.
Stormme and Nolo are Johannesburg-based legal professionals who run their own businesses. Stormme is a mother of two energetic boys, and Nolo is a mother to an independent little girl.
Using their personal and professional experience of working motherhood, Stormme and Nolo adapted the course for SA, and they now lead Mindful Return SA.
The SA chapter launched in May 2022.
A community of support
In addition to receiving expert guidance from Stormme, Nolo, and Lori, you’ll also be inspired by the community of other moms who have walked or are walking in your shoes. Ask private questions. Get real answers. Having other working moms to lean on for support will leave you feeling like it’s possible to lead, grow and thrive in your new role!
Professionally, I’ve gained so much insight on the valuable transferable skills motherhood is equipping me with, so I feel empowered and more confident about returning to work as an improved worker (not liability). I also greatly value the long-term strategies I’ve picked up for navigating the complexities of returning to work after maternity leave.
Personally the awareness that I’m not alone (thank you fellow Mindful Return Mamas!) has been hugely helpful. The opportunities to interact via the thoughtful questions and/or calls to action after each lesson have helped me make more decisive actions and stay motivated throughout the four-week course – as opposed to solo/self-paced online tutorials.
I feel like this course should be more widely advertised to ensure that more returning-to-work mothers are aware of it. It’s really valuable. Thank you so much Lori and Anya!”
(Chibi T., Research Scientist, and first-time mom to a six-month old)
What you get
Mindful Return is a four-week online class that you can take in your athleisure wear or robe and while nursing your new-born. It’s designed for your lifestyle during maternity leave, which means we keep things casual, comfortable, and convenient while helping you build your confidence and maintain a calm mindset.
After the four weeks, you’ll be able to:
In addition, here are the classes you’ll get access to:
2. Working with a Mindset of Gratitude
3. Adopting a New Perspective
4. Coping with Overwhelm & Anxiety
5. Baby Steps Toward Self-Care
6. Building Good Relationships with Your Childcare Provider
7. Understanding Work Flexibility
8. Sick Days, Snow Days, and the Land of the Unexpected
9. Nourishing Your Baby – Breastfeeding, Expressing, Formula and Beyond
10. Putting Food on the Table
12. Grow Your Team
13. Focus on Your New Skills
14. Set an Example
15. Avoiding Isolation
16. Creating and Living in Community
17. Build Your Community: In-Person and Online Options
18. Your Village: Partners and Parents and In-Laws
19. Sharing Good News
20. Keeping the Course Alive
Choose your session – SA course
[Also: To join the global course, rather than the South Africa Chapter, register via the global course page.]
“It’s no secret new parents are pushed for time. But if you’re wanting to get started on your job successfully after you come back from maternity leave, then Anya and Lori will help you. Taking this course is a great option for every parent. It gives you confidence and provides recommendation for any problem you might come across during your new life with a baby. I took this course during my second maternity and it was also very helpful. I wish I had known about this course before.” (Alina, mom of a four-month-old and a six-year-old, hotelier executive)
Details, details
At R3000/person, Mindful Return costs about the same as a 90-minute massage or an hour of therapy, and the results last much, much longer. Participation includes:
Many employers cover the cost of the Mindful Return courses! Ask yours if Mindful Return is part of your employee benefit package. (And if it isn’t, ask if it can be added. We can help you make the case.)
Know you’d benefit from this course but have financial hardship? Please fill out and submit the Mindful Return Financial Assistance Application to be considered for a full or partial scholarship for our upcoming programs.
If you have any additional questions, please e-mail Stormme Hobson at stormme@mindfulreturn.com and/or Noloyiso Tlali at noloyiso@mindfulreturn.com.
Lori wrote the book on returning to work after maternity leave
Dig into the pages to learn more about the intricacies of life as a working parent, so you can feel better prepared and more confident in your new role.
FAQ
When should I take this course? When I’m pregnant or in the process of adopting? On parental leave? Back at work?
If you are currently pregnant or getting ready to adopt a baby, learning and getting ready now will help you plan ahead and give you a support network to make your return less daunting. If you are already on leave – but perhaps trying to avoid thinking about going back – now is the time to get some reassurance that you can do this in a peaceful, radiant way. And if you’re already back, you could probably use some extra positive voices helping you get through the day. This course is for all of you. Check out the course testimonials to see how mamas at each stage describe their experience with the course.
What if I’ve already read Lori’s book, Back to Work After Baby: How to Plan and Navigate a Mindful Return from Maternity Leave? Will I still get anything out of the course?
Does it matter how long my maternity leave was?
What is the difference between the U course and the global course? Which one shall I take? Can I change between the SA and global courses?
If you are joining the course through your employer, you can choose whichever course is more suitable for you, irrespective of where your employer is headquartered. If you are moving countries through employment, you can switch at any time. If in doubt or if you have already signed up for one course and want to move to the other one, contact Lori at lori@mindfulreturn.com, Stormme at stormme@mindfulreturn.com, or Nolo at noloyiso@mindfulreturn.com.
This isn’t my first return to work after maternity leave. Will I still get anything out of this course?
It was her second return that inspired her to create this course. If this isn’t your first return, you’re invited to join the community as a voice of experience – you will have great tips to add to those in the lessons. Find out what second-time-around mamas have to say about the course here.
How much time should I plan to spend per day on the course?
Is there a particular time of day I need to log in to the course? And can I participate from a mobile device?
Will I hear from anyone else during the course?
The following inspiring women graciously share their writing and advice in the course:
- Sarah Rudell Beach, Executive Director of Brilliant Mindfulness LLC and author of the Left Brain Buddha Blog
- Shawn Fink, founder of The Abundant Mama Project
- Dr Megan Hughes-Feltenberger, clinical psychologist
- Alexandra Hughes, Life and Leadership Coach for Mothers
- Amy Jacobsohn, leadership coach
- Dr Coleen Kivlahan, family medicine physician and Professor in the Department of Family Community Medicine at UCSF School of Medicine
- Kristin Lane, Assistant Director at KinderHaus Child Development Center
- Dr Kerry O’Brien, biology teacher at St. Albans School
My schedule is so unpredictable – what if I fall behind with the lessons?
Will I have access to the course materials after the course is over?
How much does the course cost, and what methods of payment do you accept?
Do you have a question that wasn’t answered here? E-mail Stormme and/or Nolo directly at stormme@mindfulreturn.com and noloyiso@mindfulreturn.com.
Stay in touch
Even if you’re not ready to sign up for Mindful Return yet, we want to keep in touch with you. Sign up to learn more about what it takes to be successful as a working mom, and receive regular tips, guidance, and support from Lori Mihalich-Levin.