How to take maternity leave

The first and biggest problem relates to time. Leaving the office for a two week holiday takes a lot of organisation; being away for months requires a degree of planning that would put people off, were it not for the fact that for most people babies and business do not mix.

Lynne Fisher, managing director and head of diversity at Citigroup, has just returned from maternity leave with her second child. She said meticulous preparation before her departure had paid off, despite being exhausting: "You have to work very hard to manage the hand-over effectively. As well as a business plan, you need to write a resource plan detailing who is going to cover various aspects of your job. Briefing notes for the team help everyone to be clear on roles and deliverables in your absence."

Terri Duhon, head of credit structuring and European collateralised debt obligations at ABN Amro, said the months before maternity leave should be spent creating a paper trail: 'I cc-ed massive amounts of people and made doubly sure to record everything in emails so there would be a smooth transition in case I had to go all of a sudden.'

In the event, Duhon did leave earlier than expected. She says other pregnant women should be prepared to do the same: 'I wanted to stay until a week before the baby was due, but physically and mentally I couldn't handle it. By 36 weeks I was tired at 3pm and my short-term memory had gone.'

When you are on the verge of disappearing for six months, it can be tempting to go out with a bang. Fisher organised a big diversity event when she was seven months pregnant. She advises other women to be equally dynamic: 'Banking is very much a here and now business: people are focused on the day and the moment. Personally and politically it's a good idea to go out on a high.'

Once mothers have escaped the office, the next question is whether to pick up the phone to remind people you exist. Women offer mixed advice. Jane Kinrade, head of interbank marketing at UBS, is of the excommunication school of thinking. She advises: 'The best thing is to have almost no contact at all. Markets move so quickly, that unless you come into the office a lot you can't make any kind of valuable contribution.'

Siobhan Hamilton-Phillips, a director of Career Psychology, a consultancy, disagrees. She said it can be a good idea to stay in touch, both as an antidote to the monotony of changing nappies and to keep abreast of office politics. 'Ensure you meet with colleagues and stay in the loop with what is going on in the organisation.'

One thing is certain: if you do not call your colleagues, on business matters at least, they will not be calling you.

Nadia Capy, head of graduate marketing at Deutsche Bank and mother of two young children, said that in deciding how to handle maternity it is essential to understand your employer's perspective. "It is hard to plan the direction of a department when a vital member is out of action and is unclear about their plans to return to work."

If you are thinking of extending maternity leave, or coming back part-time, Capy advises telling your boss as soon as possible: "Don't keep your people in the dark about your plans. If you are a high performer, your boss is likely to be sympathetic and offer you advice and support."

For mothers who do return to full time banking jobs, Hamilton-Phillips warns life is likely to be very different: 'Be aware how things may change. You are likely to go home early in the evenings and the social side of work can suffer. Working mothers need to be more efficient during the day and do their socialising over lunch.'