Why Carlie chose BubbaDesk over traditional daycare or a nanny
Introducing Carlie, a lawyer, working remotely from BubbaDesk at our St Leonards location. Carlie is a mother Alexander, who’s almost 1 year old.
Can you share a bit about your journey returning to work as a lawyer and how you felt about balancing work with caring for your baby boy?
After being on maternity leave for 10 months I was feeling a real mix of emotions – dreading leaving Alexander for long periods of time given he was still so young, grieving my days solely spent with him, excited to use my brain like I had before having Alexander, happy to feel like the ‘old me’ again, overwhelmed at the thought of juggling work life and mum life, and unsure how to continue breastfeeding Alexander while working.
In the month leading up to returning to work, I started doing a few half days a week at BubbaDesk to ease the transition for both Alex and I. By the time I started back at work, Alex was quite familiar with the space and the educators, and we had a routine in place.
The transition was still a difficult one for the two of us (we still have good days and bad days!) but being able to see Alex during the day when he needs a nap, is sad or just needs a cuddle means I can calm my child immediately and limit my anxiety being away from him.
How did you initially hear about BubbaDesk, and what drew you to try coworking with childcare over traditional daycare options?
I heard about BubbaDesk on Instagram! It popped up as a suggested post and I was intrigued immediately! As I worked remotely prior to having Alexander, working from home while Alexander was at daycare didn’t feel right to me, particularly as Alexander is only 10 months old and is breastfed.
I loved the idea of being able to leave the house to “go to work” at the coworking space so I wasn’t stuck at home all day, while also being close to my baby all day. As a breastfeeding mother, I didn’t want to give that up prematurely or heavily rely on pumping and bottles. It was so relieving to find a childcare option that allowed me to continue to be near and feed my baby.
What were your main concerns about returning to work with a young baby, and how has BubbaDesk helped address these?
I had two main concerns – not being able to continue to breastfeed my son without needing to rely on pumping and bottles; and being away from him so much while he was still so little.
At BubbaDesk, we have gotten into a great routine where I can personally feed Alexander on our usual schedule, be part of his nap time routine, play with him throughout the day and be there within minutes if he is sad or unsettled.
The educators have been so incredible and have taught Alexander and I so much. They stick to our usual schedule, suggest things that may make our days easier, and have worked closely with me to tweak our schedule to make days smoother and calmer for Alexander.
Could you describe a typical day at BubbaDesk? How has the setup supported your work-life balance?
Alexander at I arrive at BubbaDesk at 8:30am, which allows us some time to play together in the space and chat to the educators about how Alexander is going before my workday begins. I head down to the coworking space for the morning, set up my workspace, make a coffee and do urgent morning tasks before heading back upstairs to see Alexander for his first nap. I breastfeed Alex in one of the sleep rooms and give him a big cuddle before one of the educators puts him down for his nap (more successfully than me I must add!). The team let me know how Alex has slept and I continue my workday. I like to visit Alex again at lunchtime to give him his lunch and have a play. Sometimes we stay indoors and other times we go out for a walk and fresh air. If I have meetings or calls, I book one of the many meeting rooms for privacy and to not disturb the other parents. In the afternoon the educators let me know when Alexander is getting tired and I visit him again for another feed and cuddle before his nap. Alex then has his last play before I collect him at 4:30.
I love that I can visit Alex as many times as he or I need throughout the day. I feel so much more connected to him getting to see him throughout the day, and he is much more settled for it.
With your employer covering a % of the cost, how did you approach that conversation, and what advice would you give to other mums considering a similar benefit?
I’m very lucky to work for a very supportive, flexible and inclusive workplace. My firm trusts our team to get the work done and does not micromanage anyone. As I work remotely, I discussed BubbaDesk with my firm as a way to help me feel more supported in my return to work, and provide me with a structured working environment that allowed me to network and socialise with others and host client meetings.
My advice would be to have an honest conversation with your employer as to your feelings and needs returning to work.
If you could share a message with other new mums considering their childcare options, what would you say about BubbaDesk and a flexible return to work?
BubbaDesk has been a godsend for our young family! I don’t have the stress and anxiety associated with leaving my young baby all day while I work. I can focus on my career again after maternity leave without feeling like I’m missing out things with my son.
Check out the Return To Work Guide here >
