Challenging Times Call for Adequate Support

As of today, I am 39 weeks and 5 days pregnant. I’m due to have my little girl this Wednesday. I had actually planned to go to work right up until I went into labor, but my boss, seeing my discomfort and genuinely caring about my well being, suggested I begin working from home in an attempt to make life just a little bit easier for me during these last days of pregnancy. You can imagine both the surprise and gratitude I felt when he gave me this option; most people have to ask for it, and even fewer are afforded it.

My good fortune began long before this suggestion, however. Since I announced my pregnancy, but especially in the later months, the entire office has been extremely supportive of me- always offering to help me, always inquiring as to how I am feeling, available to listen when I am worried or anxious, and understanding if I have days where I just don’t seem like myself. The frequent appointments I had with my midwife (which increased as the size of my belly did) were never made an issue, and I have never had to apologize for making this choice for myself. If anything, I feel it has been very respected, even celebrated. And perhaps the most important thing, and what I appreciate the most, is that they never assumed I wasn’t capable of still doing my job. I may have been a little less mobile and a little more awkward, but their faith in my ability to continue to be the efficient and reliable co-worker and employee they had hired was unwavering. It was exactly the kind of support system I needed, and they were exactly the right people to provide it.

I’m sure there are pregnant women in the workplace who have had good experiences, but based on the people I’ve spoken with to date, I have quite an extraordinary situation. I work with all men, of many different ages, who spend their days fighting for the rights of and livelihoods of our struggling clients. They are warriors by nature and by trade, but they treated me with the perfect mixture of kindness and respect and were a major part of my getting through this pregnancy with the confidence I needed to succeed. This isn’t just a physical change, it’s a life change. It will forever re-define the person that I have come to know as myself. That kind of transition requires a strong and loving foundation, and my boss and co-workers are right up there with my family and my husband as far as I’m concerned when it comes to getting behind me. I cannot express how thankful I am to have them.

While the transitions associated with a debt workout are certainly not identical to those experienced in a pregnancy, they are similar in a number of ways. Someone undergoing our process, much like a woman in her first pregnancy, may experience uncertainty about what lies ahead, anxiety about how the changes being made will affect their lives (in both the personal and business areas), the need for guidance through uncharted territory, the need for a voice of reason when there seems to be a loss of control, and the need for a friend when things become overwhelming. Our clients, if they are not already aware, should know how fortunate they are to have the opportunity to represented by such outstanding individuals. If ever there were a team ready to offer a solid support system, one that can be counted on at all costs, this is it. These are the men you want on your side.