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Victoria Martin Tay of boOm Singapore: Motherhood, Mastitis & Tips for Moms to Re-enter the Workforce
As we all know, being a Mum isn’t easy, we are excited to bring you our final part of interviews with our @thecleanaddicts Ambassadors who had a baby last year.
We hope that through these stories, they will give you strength and encouragement - whichever stage that you are at. Go Mama!
In this feature, we speak to Victoria Martin-Tay (@vickems) of her Motherhood journey that had a rather rocky start and how she dealt with those challenges!
What is something you learned that you wish someone had told you
I heard you suffered from mastitis (clogged milk ducts and infection). what were the symptoms?
How did you overcome it?
"I’m certainly not perfect, but I find myself checking and correcting my thoughts a lot more, preventing thoughts from translating into less-than-kind words or actions."
how has being a mum changed you as a person?
Motherhood has made me reassess my priorities in life and allowed me to connect deeper with my faith and my walk with God. I think after being a mom, I strive even more to be a better, kinder, and more patient person, in hopes that I can be a decent (hoping for more than decent) role model for Camille. I’m certainly not perfect, but I find myself checking and correcting my thoughts a lot more, preventing thoughts from translating into less-than-kind words or actions.
How has your relationship with your husband,Bryan grown since camille's birth?
Prior to having Camille, like in every relationship, we’ve had our fair share of issues, some big, some small, because marriage is work! But after having Camille and seeing how much love we all share with one another, and with our dog Leah too, it reinforces how precious that love is.
And how we must work even harder to protect this family that we have and are building together. Plus, I love seeing Bryan as a Dad, and he loves seeing me as a Mother, it really melts our hearts.
What tips do you have for Mums re-entering the workforce?
Be careful and be prepared for pregnancy discrimination. To quote the advocacy group AWARE, “it’s a form of gender-based discrimination is any action that specifically denies opportunities, privileges or rewards to a person (or a group) on the basis of gender, or characteristics associated with their gender.
When differential, unfair treatment in the workplace is motivated by negative perceptions or stereotypes about pregnant women’s or mothers’ capabilities, or myths about gender roles in child caregiving, that’s gender-based discrimination”.
It’s something I have definitely experienced during my job search, and I am so grateful that I have finally found a company that is respectful not just of my priorities, but seeks to be Earth’s Best Employer for all its staff (tall order, but a noble aspiration) - IYKYK
What are you excited about in the coming months?
I just started a new job, and want to contribute as much value as I can to my new role! And also to figure out how to successfully balance working and spending time with my family. Camille’s 1st birthday is fast approaching, so we have to start thinking of a memorable celebration for our family (she won’t remember, but we will!)
