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My guest this week is Ricki Roemer, a Supervisor in the Mammals 2 Department at the Caldwell Zoo. At the time of our interview Ricki was freshly postpartum, and believe it or not her baby joined us in the bouncer the whole interview! Her and I had tried to set up an interview quickly before she gave birth, but we didn't make it in time before her second child was born!

Ricki started at the Caldwell Zoo in the bird department, then moved to large mammals. However, while she was on maternity leave, she was promoted to a supervisor role! Along with returning to work postpartum, she returned to a new role, with new responsibilities, new species, and new routines. Ricki and I talk about how she is navigating this whole new world of being a new mom, with two kids now, and in a new role. Part of the new role includes keeping a different kind of mental work list and Ricki and I talk about the different sorts of things that linger in her brain at the end of the day now as a supervisor compared to when she was a keeper.

Ricki and I also talk about the difference between coming back to work after her first child and coming back to work after her second child. Spoiler alert: it's the schedule of trying to find a new routine with two instead of one and getting out the door in the morning!

Finally, we also talk about some of the biggest challenges with having kids in the field - from finances, to schedules, and working holidays. Ricki says she's always been so inspired by others that have made it work (including other moms who have been on this podcast). Ricki's advice to a new mom returning to work is great - give yourself the same amount of time that you were on maternity leave to adjust to getting back to work. I love that because it is so true! We need time to adjust and we have to remember that things will look different in the interim, and that's ok.

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