I recently had a beautiful baby boy and took 12 weeks of maternity leave to begin adjusting to this radical life shift. I’m grateful to have had any paid time off (still a rarity in the U.S.), though in many comparable countries, at least six months of paid leave is considered standard. Twelve weeks simply isn’t enough time to truly bond with your newborn or recover from childbirth. On top of the physical recovery, you’re also mentally preparing to be this new person trying to re-enter the working world you once occupied.
On my second day back at work, a well-meaning person asked, “How was your vacation?” when I mentioned I’d just returned from maternity leave. I nearly brushed it off, but instead, I replied, “Maternity leave is not a vacation. Welcoming my son into this world was exhausting, rewarding, exciting, boring, challenging, humbling, transformative and everything in between.” I didn’t have the words to truly describe what I’d experienced.
I couldn’t explain wanting to spend every waking moment with my baby, while also needing breaks to be my best self. Some days, I couldn’t wait to leave the house, only to want to return the moment I stepped out. Or how I had cried myself to sleep multiple nights before coming back to work, even though I couldn’t imagine not working. My career is vital to my identity and mental well-being.
The duality of being a working mother is something I’m not sure can be fully understood unless you’ve lived it. My son inspires me to give him the best life possible, and for us, that means both parents work. Yet working mothers often find themselves caught in a no-win narrative. If you return to work, then you’re neglecting your child. If you’re a stay-at-home mom, then how are you going to provide a good life for your child? And if you’re a working mom, you’re somehow expected to parent as if you don’t have a job and work as if you don’t have children.
I was asked countless times if I planned on going back to work. My husband was only ever asked when. In today’s environment, it can feel like the only acceptable “choice” for women is to step back professionally to raise children. Recently, I accepted a new role as CEO of WasteLess Solutions, a nonprofit that diverts edible food waste from landfills and distributes it to those facing food insecurity. I had dreamed of leading a nonprofit that is doing meaningful work in my community. And yet, I almost turned it down. I worried about how I’d be perceived for taking on a leadership role so soon after giving birth. But I knew that if my husband had received a similar offer, no one would question his ability to lead and parent simultaneously.
We live in a world that too often asks women to choose between their careers and caregiving, as if the two cannot coexist. But these roles strengthen each other. Becoming a mother didn’t diminish my ambition; it deepened it. I’m still a devoted parent, and I’m just as dedicated to leading WasteLess Solutions.
About Alexx Goeller, CEO, WasteLess Solutions
Alexx is a seasoned nonprofit professional who is currently working as the CEO of WasteLess Solutions. She has worked for healthcare nonprofits, government agencies, and, prior to her current role, she worked as the Director of Philanthropy at the Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum.
In 2018, she graduated with a Masters of Arts in Nonprofit Management and Global Community Leadership. In addition to early childhood STEAM education, Alexx also passionately volunteers in the areas of refugee resettlement, female empowerment, and animal welfare. In her free time, Alexx enjoys spending time hiking, backpacking, and camping outside with her husband, Leo, and their dog Betty White.
*Any reference obtained from this blog to a specific initiative, issue or topic does not constitute or imply an endorsement by the Salt Lake Chamber. The views and opinions expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect those of the Salt Lake Chamber.
