Reclaim Your Confidence and Identity After Maternity Leave
Jackie Carroll is a career, mental health, and well-being coach who helps individuals and teams achieve fulfillment and success. She is the host of Coaching Corners with Jackie Carroll on YouTube and a passionate advocate for personal growth and purpose-driven living.
When I talk to women returning from maternity leave, there’s often a quiet, unspoken feeling beneath the surface: Have I lost my edge? It’s not just about being out of the office. It’s about how much you changed while you were away.
You’ve spent months in a world measured in feeds, night wakings, and sudden tears (sometimes your baby’s, sometimes yours). And then, just like that, you’re expected to re-enter a world of KPIs, deadlines, and video calls like nothing happened.
Except… everything happened, and you’re not the same.
You’re still you, and you’ve grown
I remember returning from maternity leave after having my daughter and feeling like I was trying to squeeze my new life into my old one, with nothing quite fitting.
I’d spent months completely immersed in a different rhythm. I was healing, learning, adjusting. My body had changed. My priorities had shifted. And yet, the working world around me hadn’t paused. It expected the same pace, the same energy, the same version of Jackie that had walked out the door months earlier.
But I wasn’t the same
In those early weeks back, I second-guessed everything – from what I wore to how I worded emails. I felt behind, foggy, even a little invisible. It took time (and a lot of grace) to realise that I wasn’t broken – I was becoming someone new, and that version of me? She was softer, firmer, and far more attuned to what mattered.
Let’s get something straight: you didn’t “pause” your career. You lived an entirely different chapter. One that tested every limit of your patience, your resilience, your heart.
But here’s the part no one says enough: that chapter counts. Becoming a mother reshapes how you think, feel, lead, and prioritise your life. That doesn’t make you less valuable at work – it makes you more.
The challenge isn’t just getting back into the flow. It’s learning to trust this new version of you, because she might move differently, speak more softly or more boldly, hold firmer boundaries, or see things with new eyes.
Things my clients say:
“I feel like I’ve forgotten how to do this.”
“My brain feels foggy.”
“I want to be seen again – for who I am now.”
“I’m not sure I want to go back to how things were.”
If any of those sound familiar, please know: you are not alone. This is the tender in between, and you don’t have to rush through it.
Three confidence anchors for your return
1. Redefine success on your terms
Perhaps success once meant climbing the ladder quickly and being available 24/7. Now, it might mean getting the job done without sacrificing yourself.
That’s not a step back, it’s wisdom – it's balance.
2. Give yourself a runway
Re-entry doesn’t need to be a sprint. Give yourself space to adjust. Ask for flexibility. Be kind to your nervous system. You’re finding your rhythm again.
3. Celebrate the new strengths
You’re more focused. More empathetic. You see the big picture. That’s not something to hide – it’s something to bring forward. Let it shape how you lead, present yourself, and define success from now on.
You haven’t lost yourself – you’ve expanded
If you’re feeling a little wobbly right now, I want you to know that’s okay. It doesn’t mean you’re not ready. It just means you’re still getting to know this new version of you and building your confidence as you learn how to move forward.
You’re not here to “bounce back.” You’re here to rise in a way that reflects all you’ve become.
And that is powerful.
You’ve got this.
Jackie Carroll, Career, Mental Health & Well-being Coach
Jackie Carroll is a career, mental health, and well-being coach specialising in helping high-performing people and teams achieve fulfillment and success. As the host of Coaching Corners with Jackie Carroll on YouTube, she inspires audiences to align their careers with their values and reach their potential. With expertise in personal growth and team development, Jackie offers actionable insights to empower individuals and organisations. Her mission: Inspiring growth and purpose in every journey.
