Anxiety in pregnant professionals can be high for many female leaders in STEM, but rarely is as high as the first time they are expecting.

Usually a minority in their field, witnessing other women in STEM take maternity leave can be a relative rarity for them.

When they return from mat leave, they compete with men whose partners often left the workforce.

Or at least take a protracted leave that won't work for my clients.

However, with the type of women in STEM overachievers I coach, reflection matters.

There should be space for it even in their 'down-time' before delivery.

Not surprisingly, this is a key time when we see anxiety in pregnant professionals.

Here's how to turn that around.

I was recently working with Josie, a mathematician.

She was eight weeks away from the due date of her first child.

She spoke of how much there was to do.

She was leaving work a full month before her due date to ensure no problems.

Josie was in a muddle about how to use these weeks.

Overachiever she was, the nursery was painted.

The cot was assembled.

Her overnight bag for the hospital was already packed, all to reduce anxiety.

She'd even visited pregnantthenscrewed to see what issues other mothers were facing.

However, as her executive coach, I noticed Josie used the words 'dead time' several times.

She rolled her eyes more than once as she spoke.

This is a classic sign she'd benefit from reducing her anxiety - like many of the pregnant professionals with whom I work.

Josie said she and her husband Jonathan likely wanted several children.

There was precious little she'd be able to control after the arrival of their newborn.

Josie said: 'I probably should use it as a 'reflection time.'

She continued: 'Reflection on all that got me to this place. I have the ability to take some time off and come back to a job I love.'

So I asked Josie another question.

After all her future children had been born and then ultimately left home?

How did she want to look back at this moment—before they'd even arrived in her life?

With that frame of reference, Josie said she wanted to spend plenty of time with Jonathan.

They likely would have precious little 'alone time' for years to come.

Him being sidelined after the birth, was another source of her anxiety.

Josie also said she'd wanted to reach out to friends who had had their children.

She wanted to ask what they wished they'd done in those last few weeks.

Just these 'small acts' helped her relax.

They are key for addressing anxiety in pregnant professionals.

With the 'being' rather than 'doing' mindset Josie adopted, she was able to do two things.

First, she could both build her confidence in her impending motherhood and reduce her anxiety.

Second, she felt more clarity.

She felt less like the 'do-er' who had built her career.

She felt more like the mother and wife she wanted to 'be.'

Email me at suzanne@doylemorris.com for a complimentary chemistry call.

We'll discuss your biggest workplace challenge and whether a 12-month coaching partnership makes sense for you.

Learn more: www.suzannedoylemorris.com