144. What nobody tells you about going back to work after maternity leave — Andrea Giacomelli
There's a phase of working motherhood that is underrepresented, everyone talks about the birth announcement, the first day back, but no one talks about all the messy stuff in between.
We're talking about finding out you're pregnant three months into a new job. Being diagnosed with HELLP syndrome at 38 weeks and having your baby under general anesthesia in the span of 12 hours. Going off your ADHD medication during pregnancy. Taking nine months of mat leave. And returning to work while simultaneously moving cities, starting daycare, doing a renovation, and your husband switching jobs.
It's a lot. We get into all of it — and the joy and complexities that threads through every single part.
In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Intro
(01:21) The working mom phase nobody's talking about
(03:35) Career, Australia, and falling for an Australian
(05:18) Getting pregnant 3 months into a new job
(12:45) Going off ADHD meds and working through pregnancy
(14:09) Miles comes early
(14:48) HELLP syndrome: what it is and why nobody warns you
(19:33) "He just appeared"
(20:35) The guilt of no handover — and did it actually matter?
(25:09) ADHD and new motherhood
(27:36) The 9-month mat leave decision
(33:45) The September of everything
(38:08) Leaving at 4pm and the guilt that follows
(39:48) What would actually fix this
(46:43) Baby number two?
(51:35) "I thank my ADHD for that" — and the EI plot twist nobody told her about
(53:12) ADHD meds in pregnancy: what to know
(54:25) The HELLP syndrome PSA + closing thoughts
KEY TAKEAWAY
The guilt is almost never warranted. The plan almost never goes as planned. And somehow, you figure it out anyway.
ABOUT ANDREA GIACOMELLI
Andrea Giacomelli is a communications professional whose career has taken her from tech to infrastructure to financial services across Toronto and Sydney.
Currently working in corporate communications for a major institutional investor, she's built her expertise helping organizations communicate clearly during moments that matter.
Andrea is a self-described chaos-embracer with ADHD. She brings the same storytelling instincts she's honed professionally to every corner of her life, including motherhood—which began with an unexpected plot twist: a HELLP syndrome diagnosis, an emergency delivery at 38 weeks, and zero time for a proper handover at work.
She's also a natural light photographer on the side, with a talent for capturing the candid, in-between moments that make up a life.
Andrea lives in Mississauga with her husband Curtis, their son Miles, and a deep appreciation for having grandparents just 300 metres down the road.
CONNECT WITH ANDREA
Website | https://www.andreareneephoto.com/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/andreareneephoto
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/giacomelliandrea/
