Author: Joan Lee-Tefay, GSET2, General Surgery National Trainee representative, RACSTA Women in Surgery representative

Pregnancy and motherhood during surgical training is a difficult path and an intimidating process for our women Trainees.
I am a General Surgery Trainee and a mother to a three-year-old toddler. Having been through pregnancy and currently navigating early motherhood during surgical training, this has been my experience so far.

Big challenges:
•    Worrying about my colleagues’ perception of me: the fear of being perceived as becoming less dedicated to my job and career by choosing to embark on motherhood. As such it may  lead to a loss of opportunities in the workforce.
•    How to plan for and obtain maternity leave (even more so if moving interstate)?
•    Worrying about my career trajectory and how pregnancy and motherhood will affect it.
•    How to find the energy to juggle everything—work, child-rearing and home?
•    Who will look after my child when I’m at work?
•    Financial burden of childcare.
•    Will I be a good mother and a surgeon?
•    How to be present with my child while having a demanding job with long hours?
•    Being separated from my child for long periods while working in rural or regional areas.
•    Childcare waitlist and the stress of settling a child into new daycare with each move.
•    The strain of all the above on my relationship with my husband.

Despite these challenges, I feel effective and fulfilled. I value the relationship with my husband and child, and I find joy at work and in my roles as the national Trainee representative and RACSTA women in surgery representative.

Here are three things that help me maintain this.

Create your village
It takes a village to raise a child, especially during surgical training. Unfortunately, our current individualistic societal construct is not conducive to ensuring this happens naturally. So, we need to create an environment that will help us thrive as mothers well before pregnancy and motherhood. This applies naturally to the home environment, but this village should expand to include colleagues and superiors at work.

I have found it valuable to build strong relationships with mentors who have been through similar experiences. Through this, there is an understanding of the hardships and unpredictability parents go through and a willingness to support them through it.

Set clear goals
Goals and boundaries are very crucial.

Create a measurable goal for yourself each term and year you go through surgical training. This effectively breaks surgical training into achievable bite size pieces.

Define your role at home with your partner and anyone else involved in the care of your child and frame clear boundaries at work. This will ensure your stamina lasts.

Good surgeon, good mother
Mindfulness is key. The same quality and attention I dedicate my surgical career I apply to my family. I  ensure my husband and son know that when I am with them, I am 100 per cent with them. The quality time together makes up for more than you think.

I leave you with this quote that I inherited from an inspiring female surgeon many years ago. “Never let anyone tell you that you cannot be a good surgeon and a good mother at the same time”.