Olyvia S.

Principal Talent Acquisition Partner

During my time at Toast, I have experienced tremendous personal and professional growth. The most significant change in my life was becoming a mother not just once, but twice. My children , Willa and Luca, were born while I was working at Toast. I am grateful for the support, flexibility, and benefits that Toast has offered me, which have helped me become a successful mother, wife, and employee.

One of the most amazing benefits that Toast offers to new parents in the U.S., including birthing, non-birthing, and adoptive parents, is our robust parental leave. This benefit includes 16 weeks of paid leave for all parents, plus an additional 8-10 weeks for birthing parents, totaling six months of leave, which can be taken within the first 24 months. 

For both of my pregnancies, my partner and I decided to split the leave, taking most of the time off initially and then saving a few weeks or a month to coincide with our children's birthdays. This experience was incredible, as it allowed us to learn how to be parents while also enjoying time with our children as they grew from babies to toddlers. We were able to have fun together during our leave–  instead of just the newborn routine of eat, sleep, and change diapers.

I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to personalize my leave for each of my children. This experience taught me so much about myself and my approach to taking time away from my job. I realized that I needed more time to recover after my C-section with my second child, so I allocated extra time at the beginning of my leave. At the same time, I made sure to keep a few weeks available for when my son turned one. With a newborn and a toddler, I took advantage of the other family benefits provided by Toast, like Care.com, to locate a babysitter who could help out when my husband returned to work. 

Here are a few key ways I prepared for parental leave:

• I talked with my managers and connected with my People Success Partner (PSP)  for guidance through the process
• I reached out to our disability insurance provider early on so that was one less thing to worry about after delivery
• I engaged with our Toast Communities (employee resource groups and clubs), specifically ToastMamas, where you can find helpful advice from our supportive and knowledgeable community

Returning to work after having a baby can be challenging, but it's important to be kind to yourself. 

During my own postpartum experience, I faced some difficulties and even found myself crying during team meetings. However, I was fortunate to work at a company like Toast, where my managers and the PSP were very understanding. They helped me ease back into work and gave me the support I needed. It's okay to ask for help during this time, even if you're used to doing things on your own. I found comfort in using Toast's mental health support and access to our Lyra Health benefits, which my husband was also able to take advantage of. Remember, taking care of yourself is essential and resources are available to help you thrive.