Maternity Leave: I'll Be Back
Sunday, July 25, 2010 at 05:58PM I start my maternity leave on Monday, July 26. This means that I will be taking a 10-12 week hiatus from Loaded, The 404, and my work with The CBS Early Show. For those of you who watch those broadcasts, first of all, thank you! Second of all, they are well covered so please continue to watch!
I am grateful for a small break in the daily grind. I love my job but life is more than work...or so I am told. A friend of mine said this when I told him that I was pregnant: "I just don't know what life is about if it isn't about family." It is time for me to find that out for myself and give my new baby my undivided attention for the next few months.
I am nervous that the news business will leave me behind. Or forget about me. I know that sounds silly but I have vested myself heavily in my career. For so long it was all that I had, living all the way out here in New York City, so far away from my family in San Francisco. It is only natural to have some separation anxiety.
I can admit that I am sometimes caught up in the publish-fast-publish-first world of technology news. If I read something and see that 5 people in my feed have already Tweeted that news, I feel woefully behind. How am I going to feel when I am a day or two behind a story because I am on an infant's sleep schedule!? I really don't know. But in my experience, when you let go of something you are obsessed about, you normally find its true value in a way that you had not anticipated.
So I'm letting go of Natali, the workhorse. Not forever. Just for a few weeks. I hereby dub myself Natali, the mommy. And that is forever so I want to start it off properly. I have been blogging about the experience on my Mommy blog, aptly named Mommy Beta, which I hope you will read, subscribe to, comment on, and enjoy.
Wish me luck! I'll see you Twitter or Facebook or somewhere in between. I'll be back shortly and I promise to be able to talk about more than just baby monitors and spittle!
Reader Comments (42)
Beautifully written post, Natali. We'll look forward to the birth announcement. Blessings to you and your child.
Chuck Necker
Take care Natali. We'll be here waiting for you when you get back.
Dear Natali,
Don't you worry about us forgetting you; that would be hard to do. In fact...don't you worry about anything, because...heaven forbid that the stress would harm either you or your child.
Best wishes,
Bert
Natali, Good luck on having your bundle of joy. As a mother of two who also focused on work in the news biz before kids, let me share some advice. Having kids changes you. Having a tiny person totally dependent on you changes your priorities forever. But having a child is such a wonderful thing. In my case, it completed me as a person and made me less self-centered. And I am a better person for it. You'll see. Enjoy your time with your infant. You may not get much sleep but it's one of the few times in your child's life that he or she won't talk back with attitude.
-- Maria
Best wishes on your new journey Mommy Natalie. You will be a great mom because you had great training from your lovely mom. Your baby will be so lucky to have have you as a mommy. Careers are great and very fulfilling but you are about to experience the most fulfilling career of all. Luv you.
Natali:
Although I'm a very new fan of you, I'm really sad that you'll be gone for a while. I only knew you for a couple of weeks actually, ad then I can't see you for...like, 3 months? :'(
Give birth to a healthy baby and come back soon. I look forward seeing you next time.
Best,
Joshi
good luck chica. and speaking as a new daddy myself, don't sweat a lot of stuff on the day of the big even. congrats again to you and mr.man.
Good luck on becoming a new mom, Natali! My sister Amy was on the same fast career track you were, only as a lawyer, when she became a mom for the first time with my nephew Adrian. She discovered afterward that it wasn't all about career, but family in the long run. She's still a busy barrister, but she has her life in balance between her career and her two kids, my 28 year old nephew Adrian and my 25 year old niece Alison! I love both of them to death and they have a great mom in my big sister! Hope you remember to let your parents and your sister Linzi help you take care of the kid, 'cause that's what being part of a family's all about! See ya back at CNet & CBS in 3 months, wishing you and your baby all the best!!!
Natali,
Good luck and congratulations. As a geek dad and father of 3 little girls, sometimes I think my daughters change more quickly each day than technology does, not sure what's harder to keep up with. My perspective has definitely changed since they were born, and I now see technology through their eyes and their future rather than my own. And I'm now impressed with a diaper bag that can hold a laptop as well as baby supplies. I think it'd be interesting to hear your take on any new perspectives in the future. Congrats!
Jason
I love your show! Though yes, RL is more important!
I haven't really said much other than watch your show but yea finally break out of the trolling and wanted to say good luck!
and lol I'm glad you didn't wear that "baby belt where it tweets when your baby kicks inside" :P
So sweet. A special time in everyone's life: a baby. Enjoy the days of motherhood.
Natali:
I can't wait to read your first post after your baby is born and to hear how you instantly fell in love with him/her at first sight. It truly is a life altering moment and amazing how much love is instantly generated. You will be an amazing mom. All the best to you, Tara
Natali, enjoy every moment you have with your baby. Don't worry too much about being behind on the tech news, because the information is there everywhere, i don't think the important thing is who breaks the news, but who presents it better and you already showed you do an amazing job. And of course your fans won't forget you (my interest in technology started because of Loaded). Good luck, have fun and try to rest.
Nice! Enjoy your time with your little man. It only gets better from here. As much as I enjoyed my boys as babies and toddlers, I absolutely cherish the middle and high school years that they're currently in (really!). Watching a little spud grow into a towering hulk is just the coolest thing ever!
P.S. You left the Loaded show in good hands, but hurry back anyway!
As a professional and a happy father of 3 I can tell you that the types of things you are worried about will work themselves out (especially given your talent). I would heartily recommend really taking the time to be with the young one and soak up every minute. At least for me, having kids made me realize how narcissistic I had been, and that focusing your concern and attention on the little one(s) (instead of "problems" that seemed so important before) pays off in ways that was hard to imagine before kids. Congratulations and best of luck to you!
Hi Natali,
Don't worry...Everything will be fine... just take care of yourself... Wish you all the best for you and your baby....Keep it up....
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Can I simply just say what a comfort to find a person that truly understands what they're discussing on the web. You certainly know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More and more
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