Council members Gemma and Phil share their experiences of balancing parenthood and working in equine practice.
Gemma on being pregnant in equine practice
“I felt very lucky as I was supported throughout both my pregnancies. However really, the support I had is what every vet or vet nurse should expect from their workplace.
Initially I sat down with one of the partners and did a risk assessment. We discussed what I was happy doing and what I shouldn’t be doing. We then had regular catch ups, often over the phone, to change the risk assessment as my pregnancy progressed.
I initially worked as normal but avoided radiography and didn’t go into theatre for long periods of time for equine anaesthesia. As I became less physically able I took one of our new graduates out in the car with me. They did a lot of the physical work and I did the clinical assessment, communication with clients and note taking. The vet who came with me said it was a great experience and she continued to cover me on maternity leave.
I stayed on the oncall rota until I was six months pregnant. I enjoyed working whilst pregnant, I felt being an equine vet was a nice job to have, not too much standing up or sitting down and remaining active throughout. I only struggled as my bump got bigger and then I really struggled sitting in the car for long periods. As I was becoming more involved in management at that time I was more office-bound but I periodically would ask to be sent out on the odd visit, just so I could get outside!
I was really lucky in pregnancy, every pregnancy is different and some women can really struggle. The key is that everyone will need different support, but there is no reason why our varied vocation cannot be adapted so that everyone can be happy, after all it is such a short time in someone’s working life.
I was surprised how hard I found it going back to work. Life was so different compared to what it had been like before. I now had a small human that took up a lot of my brain capacity and when I finished work I went home to start again with my other job of being a mum.
Not only was I really tired, as I was still getting up for night feeds, but I felt as though I had lost my clinical skills and I wasn’t very good anymore. Things I could previously do with my eyes shut became much bigger tasks that I had to concentrate on. It really knocked my confidence.
Your career and how you work will change but you adapt. If you are struggling during pregnancy or on your return to work, ask for help. It’s not a sign of weakness but actually a strength, you will be surprised by the support you will get. Your team will want to help you as they know they may be in your position one day.”
Phil on balancing parenthood with being an equine vet
“I have found parenthood a good thing to be honest as it makes me stop, delegate and find the time to do things with the children.
Time is always tight, running a business, being an equine vet and being on call as a surgeon on a 1:1 then a 1:2 rota with a young family is hard. There is not enough time in the day for any of those things on their own let alone combined and I think that sharing that with my wife has been hard. There is a scramble to get out of the door in the morning or get back in time to collect them. There is no hiding that fact but it has made me prioritise my time more effectively.
I don’t think that there is a right balance, I always feel guilty about one part of it or another but I have a great team at work which allows me to delegate and I have a great family. I do think that having a good relationship with work and working hard is a very positive influence on your children. I enjoy my work and even though I might leave them during a sports match or be away when they wake up in the morning it is all part of a positive experience and I think it sets a good example. I work hard to see them as much as I can and they know that. It is also fortunate that there are very few true emergencies in equine veterinary, so it is nice to be able to control your own diary to some extent. For example, an emergency comes in but I can arrange to see it a few hours later and finish what I am doing with the family first.”
Phil’s maternity policies at Hambleton
“We’ve always been pro-family, it’s a good thing and has allowed our practice to grow.
We put a lot of emphasis on supporting parents when they come back to work and achieving an enjoyable work and family life. At the end of the day it is a vocational career and therefore the two are intertwined.
There is a lot of jargon and rubbish out there but I would treat everyone as individuals because people feel so differently about their work/family life so a one-size fits all policy is unlikely to work. One of the advantages of our profession is that it is inherently flexible so make the most of that.”
Access our pregnancy and parenting resources to get advice on working whilst pregnant and as a parent, and how to support your staff.
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