Planning for a baby is an exciting time for moms-to-be, whether they are expecting their first child or transitioning to two or more. Yet making arrangements for maternity leave, and the subsequent return to work are often stressful, last-minute ordeals that can leave working mothers feeling overwhelmed and even guilty. In this guest post, Mom Corps CEO Allison O’Kelly provides suggestions for planning a flexible career before having your first (or second, or third) child, and gives advice on how to advocate for your family and yourself.

Planning a career for a family (before having children, or when transitioning from one child to more), so you can have flexibility when you need it.

By Allison O’Kelly, founder and CEO of Mom Corps                          

Working women today are thinking about flexibility, work/life alignment and how it will all fit together much earlier in life than even a few years ago. I know that as a novice professional the thought never crossed my mind that I wouldn’t work—I would take maternity leave when I had children, then get back at it. In fact, many of us didn’t figure it out until we went back to work for a bit and thought, “There just has to be a better way.” The obstacles and challenges I faced as a working mother were the impetus for launching my company, Mom Corps.

Now, in context, there weren’t many options then and people weren’t talking about flexibility like they are now. Today, professionals and companies are evolving their thinking to better align the personal and professional aspects of our lives so that we are at our most productive. So, what is the best approach to planning work for a family that will give you flexibility when you need it? Two ideas to remember: 1) support teams at home and at work are critical to long-term success, and 2) flexibility won’t come to you—you must go out and get it.

The objective for attaining work/life alignment is not to have a lighter workload, but to work smarter in a way that equalizes and stabilizes all aspects of your life.  Alignment maximizes your time for family obligations, work requirements and personal productivity. Sometimes that means that worlds collide and you literally have to be in two places at once. The first step in setting up a work and family plan is to put a support structure in place that allows you to focus your energies on key priorities.

Spouses, grandparents, neighbors and a stable of great sitters can be invaluable in a pinch, but have you approached each of them with “what-if” preparation? Do they have a key to the house? Do they know where the school or daycare is located? Do you have an emergency code word that will get you out of a meeting? And so forth. But your support system isn’t just for home.

Working mothers have a unique connection. Building a support system at work with fellow mothers can be critical to keeping the personal and professional aspects of our lives in sync. Start with a coffee get-together and talk about your mutual pain points and areas of work that cause the most stress. Then, brainstorm ideas where you all can support each other in ways that work best for your particular company. Attaining work-life balance sometimes does “take a village”; lean on those who best understand your circumstances and are willing to lend a reciprocal hand.

Secondly, a flexible schedule isn’t just going to find its way to you. Don’t be afraid to ask for it, thinking it may reflect negatively or make you seem less committed to the job. There are more than enough statistics available today that show otherwise. Before diving in headlong, educate yourself on the mutual benefits of flexible work options and be prepared to do the same for your manager.

Present your manager a plan that addresses reasons he or she might rebuff your request. Include how you propose to interact with or manage team members from outside the office, how you can be reached at all times during work hours, how you have set up a dedicated at-home office environment, what schedule you think works best for the team dynamic, etc. Ask for a trial period and give yourself a chance to prove that flexible work options can work.

What other plans have worked as you blueprint a flexible work schedule for your family?

Allison O'Kelly is the founder and CEO of Mom Corps (www.momcorps.com), a national flexible staffing firm dedicated to connecting progressive employers with professionals seeking flexible work options.