8 First-Time Mom Parenting Lessons I’m Bringing to Work

Life is funny. One day, you’re sitting at your desk planning after-work cocktails with friends. The next, you’re referring to a combination of BioGaia probiotics and a syringe of Mylicon as a “Mai Tai,” as if that’ll somehow make it more appealing to your screaming newborn.

As you can imagine, my life has changed a bit since becoming a parent this past November. In addition to inventing exciting new “cocktails,” I’ve also found that parenthood has helped me unlock changes to how I approach my job.

In honor of Mother’s Day this year – my first official one as a new mom – I’ve decided to share some of the lessons I’ve taken away from mom life thus far and how I’m applying them to work life.

Whether you’re a parent, early in your career, or at an entirely different phase of life, I hope these lessons can help you in your own career journey. And if you’re a parent who can relate to what I’ve written…why are you reading this?(????) Go take a nap or watch some bad TV!(!!!!!!) You’ve earned it.

Lesson #1: Become Unflappable

Babies – especially newborns – are kind of like those creatures in A Quiet Place: if you move a muscle or have the slightest reaction to anything, they’ll pounce. The key to surviving? Become unflappable. Since having a baby, I’d say I’m getting closer to being in that state. Now, if a client is upset, while I of course want to remedy things ASAP, I don’t panic nearly as much. My head’s clearer on what needs to get done. After all, an angry email feels a lot better than a 100-decibel scream at 3 a.m. that seems to stem from having the audacity to hold the bottle at the wrong angle.

Lesson #2: Details Matter, But It’s Important to Remember the Bigger Picture

My baby doesn’t care if I’ve brushed all six of her hairs perfectly: she just cares that she’s dry, fed, and – if the time calls for it – asleep. Similarly, while my clients definitely care about the little details, ultimately, their number one goal is that we’re thinking strategically about what they need, where they need to show up, and ways that Prosek can help elevate their work to key internal and external stakeholders.

Lesson #3: Just Because Something Worked Once, Doesn’t Necessarily Mean It’ll Work Again

There were days during my maternity leave where I really felt like I knew my baby. (Example: if I bounce on the yoga ball for [insert nonsense math equation here], then baby will invariably calm down.) But sure enough, by the next day – or sometimes just hours later – I’d learn how wrong I was. Similarly, just because you managed to stop a story from hitting by calling a reporter off-the-record one time, it doesn’t mean it’s going to work every time. In fact, it might’ve just been a one-time thing. Motherhood is truly a humbling reminder of the fact that past results don’t guarantee future success; and often, you just need to keep troubleshooting.

Lesson #4: Problem Solving Often Boils Down to a Process of Elimination

And speaking of troubleshooting…oftentimes, to figure out what’s wrong, you need to try a bunch of different things and figure out what isn’t wrong. You have to check the baby’s diaper; if it’s clean, try feeding them; if they’re not hungry, try putting them down for a nap; etc. At work, when it feels like all hell is breaking loose, what’s often the best approach is to address each possible issue, one by one. Eventually, you’ll get the fix.

Lesson #5: While New Tools Can Be Great, Sometimes Old School Methods Work Best

There are so many gadgets out there for babies. Some work, and some are downright predatory — especially for the price they’re charging. While certain new tools – like the diaper change spatula – are truly wonderful gamechangers, other times, there’s just no better tool than the tried-and-true fixes that have been used for generations: rocking your baby in a chair, pacing around the apartment with them until your feet feel like they’re going to detach from your body, etc. At work, and specifically in PR, there are plenty of new tools and ways of working that seem like they might help; and sometimes, they do! But other times, a simple phone call or press release really is the solution.

Lesson #6: Sometimes, “Touch Grass” Really is the Answer

Between all of the parenting books I read and TikToks and Reels I watched, one common piece of advice for calming an upset baby or child is to change their environment. If they’re in meltdown mode and it isn’t an extreme temperature outside, it’s often a smart move to take them outside and let them “touch grass.” The same can be said with work. If I’m getting worked up about something, stepping out into nature for a moment – or even just watching scenes of it on my phone – really can make the difference.

Lesson #7: Having a Sense of Humor About Things is Crucial

Much like working, being a parent is HARD; and it’s easy to get caught up in the chaos and let it weigh you down. After a difficult appointment one day, my husband and I were reading the notes the clinician left, which included an insignificant typo. For whatever reason, that typo stood out to us, and it quickly became a go-to inside joke when talking about that tricky topic for the baby. Having a sense of humor when things go wrong – at home or at work – can make all the difference, and I try to remember to laugh even in the hardest of moments.

Lesson #8: There are Some Things You Just Can’t Ever Prepare For

You can create the most gorgeous media strategy for a big client announcement and secure the perfect exclusive, and then it can all become irrelevant with just one leak. The same can be said with babies—and that leak metaphor holds! Motherhood has served as a great reminder that while I can do my best to prep the essentials and plan for different scenarios, ultimately, things are going to unfold in ways I could never expect…and that’s okay!