Maternity leave is over… now what?! Returning to work after maternity leave is never an easy thing. No matter how much you love what you do and no matter the child care situation you have set up, leaving your baby after spending months with them can be difficult.
Plus after a few months, you are out of the work groove and are coming back with different priorities, concerns, schedules and so much more. It can be overwhelming!
This post includes my tried and true top tips to help prepare you for going back to work after baby. I have been through two maternity leaves so these tips will help ensure the smoothest transition back to work at the end of your leave.
This post is all about returning to work after maternity leave.
#1 – Figure Out Childcare
This is #1 for obvious reasons. In order for you to go back to work, you will need to figure out who will watch your baby.
The options include a traditional daycare, home daycare, nanny, a family member who will care for child or a combo of multiple options.
Spots at daycare centers can fill up pretty quickly so if you go with this type of childcare, I recommend you start the process as early as possible. Preferably during pregnancy.
It can also be helpful to have a backup plan. Inevitably, your baby will be sick or daycare is closed due to weather. Will you be able to take time off of work to be with your baby or will that be your spouse or a grandparent? It is helpful to think through these things now so you have a general idea of how you will handle the situation when daycare is not an option.
#2 – Have a Plan
There are a lot of things that you will need to coordinate once your maternity leave is over and you go back to work. Life will look very different pre and post maternity leave, especially if you are a first time mom.
The two major things to plan around are daycare drop off and pickup and if you will be pumping at work.
The other things like your morning routine and cooking dinner at night will come with time and change as you go through different phases with your baby.
#3 – Check In With Work A Few Weeks Before Returning
As your maternity leave is coming to an end, it is a good idea to check in with your manager, HR case manager or whoever the appropriate person is.
It never hurts to reconfirm things like your start date and expectations for your return.
Other things to think about include:
- Will you be going back full time or are you considering reduced hours?
- Are there options to work remotely or will you need to be in the office?
- Is there a space where you can pump at work and if so, does it need to be reserved?
#4 – Wardrobe Check
Let’s face it, most women are not back to their pre-pregnancy weight only a few months after having a baby. And even if they are, your body will have dramatically changed.
You are not expected to, nor should you, be able to fit into your pre-pregnancy clothes. But you do need to have the appropriate clothes to wear to work.
I suggest setting aside a day to go clothes shopping a few weeks before you are set to return to work after maternity leave. Even if you just purchase a few pieces, it is a start.
I found that after both of my babies, buying new clothes in a bigger size was one of hte most challenging things postpartum. You can be so ridiculously grateful for your baby and what your body has done but still feel so upset that your body looks different.
#5 – Let The House Go
Life will feel a little chaotic as you adjust to working and daycare on top of your normal motherhood duties.
This is completely normal and expected but something has to give. In my opinion, that something should be your house. Maybe it’s laundry or maybe you don’t tidy up every night like you used to.
It will take time to adjust to your new schedule and you will probably be extra tired at night too.
So keep your expectations a little lower when maternity leave is over and before you know it, you will be in the groove and feeling more settled in your new routine.
#6 – Challenge Mom Guilt
Mom guilt can be one of the toughest things to experience in early motherhood. But to be honest, it will always be there if you let it.
Throughout your child’s life, you will be faced with many challenges and decisions that will cause you guilt but returning to work after maternity leave should not be one of them.
If you are able to stay home with your child full time then I am so happy for you! But many women have to return to work to provide for their families. And because of that, some sort of childcare is usually required.
It really sucks going back to work with a small baby in daycare but know that you are not alone.
#7 – Know That Separation Anxiety Is Normal
You just spent many, many weeks with your baby so putting your baby in daycare and going back to work is naturally very jarring initially.
For me personally, I tend to feel the anxiety creep in in the week or two leading up to returning to work after maternity leave. I know it’s coming but the thought of being without my baby is hard to process.
The good news is your baby probably will not cry when you leave him and he will be doing a lot of eating and sleeping anyways, so he will do okay at school.
I recommend talking to your daycare provider about the best way to check on your baby throughout the day. It could be a phone call, text or checking in on your little one through an app. But if you are feeling separation anxiety or are worried, checking in during the day is something I highly recommend.
#8 – Set Expectations with Manager and Colleagues
Now I know this will not work for all jobs but if you can, it can be helpful to set some ground rules when going back to work.
This might look like coming in for 8am instead of logging on early and having a hard cutoff at 5pm because of daycare pick up. Or not answering your phone or emails after a certain time because that time is dedicated to your family. You can also block time off on your calendar when you will be unavailable so meetings do not get scheduled.
There are a lot of ways you can maintain control when returning to work after maternity leave while also being respectful of your job and flexible with your team. It just takes getting a little creative.
#9 – Be Intentional About Your Time With Your Baby
I can almost guarantee you will spend a lot of time in the first few weeks at work thinking about your baby and probably feeling sad. But there is still plenty of opportunity to spend quality time with your baby.
Start thinking about when that time will be – morning before daycare, early evening, or a mix of both. Even small amounts of time together can be great for bonding.
So put your phone away and try to be as in the moment as possible. Get on the ground with your baby, read books, laugh in the bath and soak it all up.
#10 – Practice Saying “No”
You may be used to meeting friends for dinner after work, cooking more complex dinners or even responding to work emails at night… but life drastically changes once you have a baby and go back to work.
I always joke that I live an entire life before work and after work… it’s nonstop some days!
You might be tempted to still make plans as you usually would or let work creep into your free time, but but I recommend staying away from this initially.
Your days will be busy and your baby will also be adjusting to the new schedule too. He or she probably will not nap as well at daycare to start and may be fussier than normal and/or require an earlier bedtime.
There will be a time and a place for saying “yes” to friends and family but in the beginning, I recommend keeping your nights and weekends mostly free.
This post was all about returning to work after maternity leave.
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