Welcome to the UK chapter of the Mindful Return Maternity 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.

What goes through your mind as you sit in your newborn’s nursery at 2 am?

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How hard will it be to be apart from my new baby (possibly while everyone is at home thanks to Covid-19) when I go to work for the first time?

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Will I be able to fall back into the same rhythm at work after being out on maternity leave?

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What if I’m working from home with my child, and my co-workers hear or see my baby? What will people think of me?

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Will my baby feel abandoned, and will we lose out on this bonding time together after I go back to work?

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Am I really cut out to do this whole working mum thing?

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 mums, you have some (or a lot of) anxiety over what the future holds.

Know that you are not alone, mama. The secret to silencing these fears and gearing up to return to the office lies in how you prepare for your new role as a working mum. We’re here to help.

Introducing: Mindful Return

Mindful Return is a programme designed specifically for career-minded 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 new journey. You’ll learn how to negotiate for flexibility at work, plan complex logistics and find real balance between both demanding roles. Throughout it all, you’ll be surrounded by a community of other working mums ready to offer insight and answer questions.

This Mindful Return UK Chapter is tailored for working mums based in the UK.

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.

“As I complete the course modules, from one day to the next, I feel more empowered and confident.  I started this course feeling very much out of the loop work-wise.  I felt like I would be out of my depth on my return to work.  I genuinely am in a very different head space now.” 

-Aneesa, first-time-mum, lawyer

Some employers count taking the course as a keep-in-touch (KIT) day! You take the Mindful Return course, and you get paid for it!

Speak to your HR to ask if they would approve Mindful Return as a KIT day activity.  To help you make the case, we put together this letter you can share with your HR.

“I took the course because I was worried about how my return to work would affect my six-month old baby and how I would cope with both home and office work. I am happy to say that the course was (and continues to be) super helpful: The course content, pace and questions are truly well thought out.

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 mum to a six-month old)

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 mums

 

Mindful Return UK was created by two working mums, Lori Mihalich-Levin and Anya Smirnova. 

Lori, a Washington, DC-based lawyer and mum 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 Anya “e-met” during the 2020 pandemic year, thanks to an alumna of the course telling Anya about it at a London nursery drop-off.  The idea of creating a dedicated course for the UK community felt like the obvious next step.

Anya is a London-based transformational coach, a mum of two herself and a former lawyer.  Using her personal and professional experience of working motherhood, Anya adapted the course for the UK and now leads Mindful Return UK.

The UK chapter launched in January 2021 and has received amazing reviews right from the first cohort and has a growing UK community.

A community of support

In addition to receiving expert guidance from Anya and Lori, you’ll also be inspired by the community of other mums who have walked or are walking in your shoes. Ask private questions. Get real answers. Having other working mums to lean on for support will leave you feeling like it’s possible to lead, grow and thrive in your new role!

What you get

 

Mindful Return is a four-week online class that you can take in your yoga trackies and while nursing your newborn. 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:

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Get into the right state-of-mind to have a calm, peaceful experience when returning to work

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Brainstorm practical solutions to all those worrisome logistics

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Turn your maternity leave into a leadership opportunity at work

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Enter a supportive community of new mamas who are returning to work around the same time as you

In addition, here are the classes you’ll get access to:

1. How to Return to Work with Confidence

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

11. Using Your Leave as a Leadership Tool

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 – UK course

To join the global course, 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, mum of a four-month-old and a six-year-old, hotelier executive)

 

Details, details

At £329/person, the 4-week Mindful Return programme costs about the same as a spa day, and the results last much, much longer. Participation includes:

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Indefinite access to (1) all the course materials, and (2) private Facebook and LinkedIn Mindful Return Alumnae groups.

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A 15% coupon for your partner to sign up for this UK course for working mums or the global course for working dads.  Or, use it for a friend and buy a second Mindful Return course at a discount, perhaps to give as a baby shower gift?

Many employers cover the cost of the Mindful Return coursesAsk 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 Anya Smirnova at anya@mindfulreturn.com.

“I learned how to view my maternity leave as an opportunity to learn new skills as a mother and apply them to my job.”

Lori wrote the book on returning to work after maternity leave

This book is available for you to read while waiting for your baby to arrive or during a marathon nursing session.

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?

The mamas who have taken this course say the best time to take it is when you are out on leave, three to six months before your planned return dateThat said, anytime is a great time to dive in. The course helps pregnant women, and women who are in the thick of the adoption process, to prepare, and it helps mamas who are already back at work to survive the chaos. When in doubt, sign up for the earliest session you think makes sense, and you can always take a later session at no additional cost.

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?

Yes. Both the book and the course cover similar material and focus on the same four themes: mindful mindset, logistics, leadership, and community. There are important differences, though.  Key features of the online course that are not found in the book are: (1) writing and journaling prompts at the end of each lesson, to encourage you to dig deep into the material; (2) the amazingly supportive community of other new working mamas who you’ll meet during the course; and (3) the UK course contains revised and additional materials specific to the UK that are not mentioned in the book. There is also additional reading material in the book that is not included in the course.

Does it matter how long my maternity leave was?

No. The lessons in this course will be helpful, whether you took six weeks off, six months, or a year.

What is the difference between the UK course and the global course? Which one shall I take? Can I change between the UK and global courses?

We very much believe that both courses are universally applicable.  The Global course has mums joining the course from all over. Lori Mihalich-Levin (the course founder) and a course alumna moderate the course from the US.  The UK course is co-authored and co-moderated by Lori from Washington DC and Anya from London, UK. Closely following the structure and wisdom of the global course, the UK course reflects the legal and practical aspects of being a working mum in the UK (eg parental leave, flexible working or breastfeeding at work), it refers to UK-based resources and creates a UK-wide community. So if you are based in the UK or are moving to the UK soon, or your leave’s policies are closer to the UK approach of statutory parental leave, the UK Chapter is for you. Otherwise, register for the global course.

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 or Anya at anya@mindfulreturn.com .

This isn’t my first return to work after maternity leave. Will I still get anything out of this course?

Absolutely. Every return is different, and perhaps there  things that could go better for you the second time around. Case in point: After Lori had her first baby, her return went relatively smoothly; after her second, she had the feeling that 1 child + 1 child = 85 children…and that’s when she thought she was drowning.

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?

Once the course starts, it’s recommended that you spend about 15-30 minutes a day reviewing the course material and answering the prompts. You can easily spend more time reading your fellow mamas responses and responding to their comments, but about 20 minutes will ground you in the material. That said, this course is for you – to do at your own pace, and work as you are able. The more you put into the course, the more you get out.

Is there a particular time of day I need to log in to the course? And can I participate from a mobile device?

Any time of day is a good time to log in, read the lessons, and see what other mamas are writing. And yes, the private and secure online platform used for the course (Ruzuku) is accessible via mobile devices. Whether you log in during your commute at the beginning of the day, while your newborn is napping, or while you’re feeding your little one in a rocking chair at 3am, chances are, another mama will be following along with you, posting comments at the same time!

Will I hear from anyone else during the course?

Lori is the author of the majority of the course content.  Anya adapted the course for the UK and authored several lessons. You will also have several brilliant opportunities along the way to hear from some fantastic guest teachers who bring decades of expertise as mothers and professionals.

The following inspiring women graciously share their writing and advice in the course:

My schedule is so unpredictable – what if I fall behind with the lessons?

This course is designed with the chaos of a working mum’s life in mind. It’s easy to pick up where you left off and go at your own pace. The weekends are always good times to get caught up, too, because there are no new lessons on weekends.

Will I have access to the course materials after the course is over?

Yes! You will have indefinite access to the course materials, on our course’s private Ruzuku page. There will also be an opportunity to stay in touch with your fellow returning mamas after the course is over.

How much does the course cost, and what methods of payment do you accept?

Joining one of the UK sessions of the four-week, 20 lesson course costs £329. All major credit cards are accepted for payment (in all currencies) through the Ruzuku course website using Stripe (like PayPal, only easier to use).  If you know the course would help you, but find yourself struggling financially, contact Anya at anya@mindfulreturn.com to discuss financial assistance options, or complete the Mindful Return Financial Assistance Application to receive a full or partial course scholarship.

 

Do you have a question that wasn’t answered here? E-mail Anya directly at anya@mindfulreturn.com.

Choose your session – UK course

To join the global course, register via the global course page.

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 mum, and receive regular tips, guidance, and support from Lori Mihalich-Levin.

Our Gift To You

At Mindful Return, we know that calm, thoughtful planning, and time for reflection, are keys to success in working parent life. Our FREE guide, 99 Questions to Ask Yourself Before, During, and After Maternity Leave, is our gift to you and your new bundle of joy.

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