Returning back to work after spending a few weeks with your little one can be a very difficult moment in a working mom's life. It was one of the hardest things that I had to personally do. I work forty hours a week and finally when it was time for me to get back to work it felt like the end of an era. Even though during my maternity leave there were often moments where my sleep deprivation was at a peak and I would move around the house like a zombie with dark circles or would long to step outside my home to get some fresh air, see new faces and make some adult conversations, but there is nothing in the world that I would trade this in with. It was a special time that I was able to share with my baby where we were inseparable and spent all the time with each other.

Leaving your baby in the care of someone else can get very tough and I can’t even begin to describe the myriad of emotions that kept storming through my mind thinking about it. When my time to return back to work was near I felt anxious, nervous, and felt like I had to part with the most precious thing in my life.

Although I still struggle with parting from my little girl and wish that I could get to spend as much time as possible with her but that's not the reality! There comes a time in every individual's life when they have to make a decision and then stick with it. In my case, I chose to continue working.

So below I have shared with you all a few of my tips that can help you make your transition easy and make you feel excited about the return!

  1. Go back to work on a Wednesday – The first few days back are always the hardest so I found it best to ease my way back in with a short week. Starting work mid-week gave me some time to settle in, touch base with all my colleagues and have a reality check. I also felt less anxious to meet my baby as I knew the weekend was around the corner.
  2. Work out a flexible schedule with your boss – I understand that this may be not an option for many. But if you have the flexibly do have a prior discussion with your boss on work from home options or change of timings where you could start early and leave early or work for long hours on a particular day and short on others. You could also discuss your schedule with your partner in advance and see how he could chip in to make this transition easy for you and the baby.
  3. Stock up on breastmilk from a month before getting back to work – Stock up and SAVE! One of the most important tips that I would have for a working mom. Returning back to work is stressful and pumping at work for a breastfed baby can be a worry to many moms. To make this entire process easier, start stocking small ounces of breast milk in the freezer a month before joining back to work. Always store your breast milk in 1-2 oz breastmilk storage bags so that when needed you can defrost only the required quantity needed. I use the medela breast pump storage bags. I also like lasinoh storage. There are tons of options in the market to choose from and is also not that expensive.
  4. Organize your pumping supplies to carry to work – Plan ahead and pack all the required pumping supplies required to pump at work. Getting used to pumping at work can be time-consuming and it needs some time to get used to.  To make the entire process easier it is best to be as organized as possible. I have compiled a list of what to carry in a pumping bag at work in my previous blog here. You can use this essentials checklist as a start and customize it as per your need.
  5. Decide on the child care service you plan to leave your child in – Deciding on a child care service for your baby should be one of the first things to get out of your way prior to going back to work. Having a good and trustworthy child care service can be a big relief once you are back at work. So it is best to make plans and arrange ahead of time for a nanny, daycare service, or a family member who has offered to take care care of your baby.
  6. Introduce the child care service slowly to your little one – Leaving your little one suddenly in a new environment away from you for a whole day can be a complete shock to the baby. It is best to introduce the child care service slowly to your little one. You could start by leaving your baby for a few hours to half a day and finally to a whole day. This smooth transition will not only prepare the baby but also help prepare you to get used to being away from the baby.
  7. Practice bottle feeding with your baby – This was a tough learning for me as well as my little girl. As she was a breastfed baby she did not like taking the bottle. Initially, when I introduced the bottle to her she would completely refuse and be on a hunger strike. Noticing this I started introducing the bottle a month before joining back by substituting my two day feeds with a bottle. A small tip if you are trying to teach your baby bottle feeding to try to understand his/her feeding intervals. I was successful in helping my baby latch the bottle when she was beginning to feel hungry but was not completely cranky and was in a good mood. Teaching your baby to bottle feed is painstaking and be prepared if your little one decides to have a hunger strike when he/she is away from you. Being away from you is a big change for your little and it will take some time for the baby along with you to get used to these new changes.
  8. Do a dry run a couple of times before getting back to work – Practicing the routine a couple of times proved extremely helpful to me. I can't begin to describe how many goof-ups we hand in the first few days. Along with you getting ready for work in the morning planning for your baby's feeding, clothes change, diaper change can all seem too much to manage. It is best to practice this routine a couple of times with your little one and your partner prior to your joining work. After joining back work I realized that it was absolutely necessary to plan a night before for the next day like pick out your work outfit for the next day, pack your baby’s feeding bag, clothes needed to change your baby in the morning and etc.
  9. Organize your work bag – You have stayed at home for quite some time and lost touch with reality. Now that its time to get back to work you are unable to find your laptop, files to carry and etc. Take some time before starting out and pack all the required stuff that you need at work on your first day. Some items on the top of my mind are laptop, laptop charger, files, phone charger, phone, wallet, office keys, house keys, car keys, notepad, pen, makeup and etc.
  10. Plan your first-week outfits – On the first day morning back to work you do not want to be storming through your closet on what to wear to work. I had planned five outfits for work in advance and had neatly hanged it in my closet with the required shoes/accessories etc. I found this extremely helpful as now getting ready in the morning was one of my least worries and I was able to focus all my attention in the morning to my baby.
  11. Take out time to groom yourself – Feeling good about yourself can come a long way in helping you transition into your workplace. It is hard to take out time for yourself when you have a little one to care for 24/7. But grooming yourself for your return back to work can help you feel more prepared and in my case it made me feel really good about myself. So maybe its time to take out some ME time from your busy schedule and make that salon appointment or clean up at home with your DIY face masks and body scrubs.
  12. Feel ready – Lastly, there is no one or nothing in the world besides you that can mentally, emotionally, and physically prepare you to be away from your baby whom you love so dearly. I know it is easier said than done but try to focus on all the positives of you returning back to work like having a part of your old life back, getting some ME time, or having an opportunity to step out of the home. It is difficult to be away from your baby and every time I think about it, it breaks my heart into pieces, but whenever I feel guilty or low I always tell myself its a choice that I have made for myself and this phase too shall pass and soon my baby will start enjoying her child care service and when I return back from work I will see her smiling face eager to hug me.

Hopefully, these few tips will make it a little easier for all you guys to transition into your work life. It's always good to remember that you are not alone in this, there are millions of working moms who leave their babies behind daily to work and they are your support system and you will always find strength in that.

In case you were looking for similar topics to read from the blog:

  1. 12 THINGS I HAVE LEARNT ABOUT MOTHERHOOD IN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS

  2. WHAT TO CARRY IN YOUR PUMP BAG AT WORK FOR BREASTFEEDING MOMS

  3. TIPS TO SAVE MONEY WHILE RAISING A BABY

  4. HOW I INTRODUCED READING TO MY THREE-MONTH-OLD BABY

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