Friday May 08, 2026

How Kelsey found her rhythm after maternity leave at Cognizant

The hardest part about maternity leave is returning to work.

The morning you hand your baby to someone in the family, enter your office and log into work. You love your work, you always have, but you realize that the person sitting in front of the screen has changed so much. You want to show up in the best way at work, yet at the same time you yearn to be with your newborn.

For Kelsey Paige, social media strategist at Cognizant, that feeling came in January 2026 along with something else she hadn't anticipated: her manager had pursued a new opportunity outside the company while she was away. The structure she'd known had quietly reorganized in her absence.

Kelsey came back to the job she loved; she just had to find her rhythm again.

The people who made the difference

Coming back to work brought a lot of questions—Was my work missed? Could I show up the same way with less sleep and a new routine? I settled in by blocking time for my son while easing back into work. I caught up on the social campaigns that launched in my absence, learned the new team structure and looked after both my boys, my newborn and my elder son; balancing both worlds together.

Some days it felt good, some days it didn’t.

What helped me the most were the people around me and Cognizant’s supportive culture. My new manager checked in on me, gave me flexibility when my son wasn’t well and never made me feel lonely. My colleagues also messaged me asking about my health and my newborn’s well-being, and it meant a lot to me.

“Coming back from the maternity leave has made me an efficient professional. I’m more mindful of my time now knowing that my newborn and my family need me.”

My role grew and so did I

I came back to an expanded role—and embraced it. I now had more leaders to support, more training programs to run and more campaigns to shape. At the same time, having a newborn for the first time while looking after my energetic five-year-old stepson helped me gain clarity, focus and a new level of efficiency.

Cognizant’s benefits helped me achieve that balance in practical ways. Flex Fridays allowed me to spend more time with my family. Getting my newborn on my medical insurance policy was seamless, which helped with vaccinations and frequent doctor visits. And knowing that mental health support was available mattered a lot.

To every woman who is where I was

To every woman who’s going through this beautiful phase and reading this, know that your emotions will come in waves. Some days you will feel things are in control, and other days you won't recognize yourself in the mirror. Both are normal and both will pass.

You don't have to navigate this on your own; ask for help from your family, your coworkers or your manager and they’ll show up. Cognizant also offers some of the most comprehensive maternity benefits. Use them, take care of yourself and rest periodically. In time, you’ll find your rhythm—just as I did.