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Jennifer Ketchmark: Your questions answered before I start maternity leave

Posted at 4:00 AM, Sep 05, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-16 05:20:39-04

It's hard to believe that in three days or less I'll have a baby boy in my arms and we'll be a family of four.

These next few days are all about relaxing, sleeping and building the excitement for his arrival on or around Sept. 19.

I've been getting questions via social media about my maternity leave, return to work, etc., so here are the answers to your questions!

When does your maternity leave begin?

Friday, September 16th is my last morning on Good Morning Tri-State. The baby is due on Monday and whether I have him or not at that point, it's time to be home.

What would have happened if I went into labor on TV?

According to my doctor, only about 10 percent of women have their water break before contractions begin. So a big surprise at the weather wall seems pretty unlikely because if I'm having regular contractions, I'll be heading to the hospital.

I equate it to a 10 percent chance for rain... it likely won't happen! But if I am part of that 10 percent, I can't make any promises that I won't react oddly or make an interesting face on live TV. Today is the last day to see if that happens!

How is the baby being announced?

WCPO will help spread the news that our son has arrived. We are going to share pictures and video with work so you all can see him and also hear his name for the first time. 

If you follow me on social media, you might even hear this before it makes it to your television. Also, about two weeks after having the baby, I'm going to write up a full article for my maternity blog about his arrival, including lots of pictures.

Does anyone know the name?

Honestly, a lot of people know his name.

I call my bump by his name everyday and I'm surprised I haven't slipped up on the air yet. But we haven't posted it on social media for my work accounts or even our private accounts. We will announce his name when he decides to make his grand entrance into the world.

HINT: It begins with a "C."

How long are you taking off from work?

The goal is to take off 12 weeks for maternity leave. This means I should return Dec. 12. Meteorologist Jason Adams will be the face you wake up to on Good Morning Tri-State Monday through Friday in my absence. If you have any weather-related questions, please reach out to him!

I will spend that time recovering, barely sleeping, bonding with baby and getting back to normal. Is it sad that I think I may sleep more on maternity leave than I normally do when I'm working full time? That's how odd the morning shift really is!

Looking for updates on me and the baby while I'm gone? I'll continue posting on facebook, Twitter and Instagram while I'm away. 

Are you returning to work?

Absolutely.

I admire women or men who can stay home with their children but this just isn't for me. It comes down to financial needs and a personal choice. I look forward to returning to work Dec. 12.