Lia Rogers

I was nine months pregnant when I saw a listing for my dream job: Running the customer analytics department at the New York Times just before the launch of its digital subscription business. Although I thought it highly unlikely they would hire me in my very pregnant state, this opportunity was too good to miss. What was there to lose? I decided to apply and was selected for an interview shortly thereafter. I prepared diligently for the interview in my spare time between my existing full time job, caring for our 20-month-old daughter, and preparing for our new baby’s arrival.

Of course, the day before the interview my water broke and I gave birth to a beautiful healthy baby girl. My husband, ever supportive, encouraged me to try to go to the interview anyway, but alas I could not even get discharged from the hospital on time. (Not to mention that I was, of course, in no shape for an interview at that point in time!)

Having no other option, I emailed the HR department and told them I would not be able to make the interview as scheduled, due to the fact that I had just given birth. I told them I was absolutely still interested in the position and asked if I could reschedule for a few weeks later. I was able to reschedule and wound up spending my entire maternity leave going through the interview process. I got the job, and started when our baby was nearly three months old.

The next year was a complete blur—a fun blur. I was hardly getting any sleep. The baby was up twice per night and our toddler was up as well wanting to be with me. I don’t think I ever slept more than three hours straight. Yet somehow I still found the energy I needed for both my kids and my job. I was so excited about my new position that I was able to power through (with the help of coffee) and focus, while still taking care and enjoying my kids and family. I leaned in to every aspect of my life and loved it.