Tips On Returning To Work

Returning to work poses many challenges for new mothers. You’re juggling more in your life – not only the usual work hours, dinner preparation, household chores, time for yourself and time with your partner, but now the time-consuming tasks and pleasures of your new baby.

Here are a few tips to help ease your transition back to work:

Try to schedule your return date for mid-week, such as a Wednesday, to make your first week back a short one.
Talk with your boss about job duties, expectations and any required flexibility you may need when you return. If you do this before your leave begins you will be more comfortable returning.
Stay connected to your baby and family by placing pictures in your workspace and by making a phone call once a day to check on your new baby.
Accept that you many feel guilty or sad – it’s normal.

Returning to work: Be prepared

If you're going to be a working mom, you'll want to make preparations before you go back to work — from finding a childcare provider to communicating with your employer about your new needs. Pplanning ahead and good communication are the best ways to help your workdays and home life go smoothly.

"Talk to your spouse and to your employer before you go back to work about your new role as a mom. With your spouse, you can talk about dividing the home duties, now that you're both working. And with your boss, you can discuss ahead of time anything from a flexible schedule to setting up a mother's room for breastfeeding."

Remeber the following things

Arrange for childcare

Choosing a childcare provider is a very important decision. Ask as many questions, hold as many interviews and make as many visits as you'd like until you feel comfortable with your choice. Consider the 3 types of childcare providers and how to determine which situation is best for you.

Think about what you'll do if your childcare provider suddenly isn't available due to a last-minute problem. Make a list of back-up childcare providers with phone numbers you can call quickly. Contact the back-up providers to ask them if they'd be able to fulfill the role.

Prepare for separation

Consider leaving your baby with the childcare provider you've selected one day a week while on maternity leave. This will help you and your baby gradually get into the routine of being apart, and help baby and the childcare provider get used to each other.

When you are leaving your child with the childcare provider, plan to drop in unexpectedly sometime during the day to evaluate your child's care. Once you've done this a few times, you'll feel more confident when you return to work that your baby is in good hands.

Discuss with your childcare provider how you'll communicate about baby's daily activities. If the provider is working in-home, you might just have a quick conversation at the end of the day. But if your provider is caring for a lot of children in a daycare facility, there may not be time for that. In those instances, there are usually daily activity logs you can check. Whatever the case, make sure there's a good communication system in place.

Practice and discuss the new routine

Going to work won't be as it used to be. To avoid surprises that could make you late for work, practice in advance what it will be like getting up and getting out the door with a baby. It may feel strange going through the motions of getting ready for work when you're not going to work, but dress rehearsals will help you avoid last-minute scrambling your first weeks.

Be sure to build an extra few minutes of time into your new morning commute to help baby transition into childcare each day. "You don't just want to drop the baby off with the childcare provider and then rush out. You, baby and the childcare provider need a few minutes in the morning to allow the baby to adjust and acclimate to his/her new surroundings," says Veena. "This should be part of the permanent routine."

Be prepared for new fatigue. You'll be working two full-time jobs, one at the office and one at home. Discuss with your partner how you'll share parenting and household responsibilities so everything doesn't fall on you. Make a list of people who can help when you feel overwhelmed.

While you're on maternity leave, follow a regular exercise schedule during hours that will also work when you return to the office. This way it will already be part of your weekly routine. "Self-care cannot take a back seat," says Veena. "You have to make sure you eat well, exercise and sleep so you can manage all your responsibilities."

Get up to speed before your first day back

Have a meeting with your supervisor before you go back to work to discuss what you've missed. This way you can gradually get up to speed and not feel overwhelmed your first day.

Explore the possibility of scheduling your first week back as a short week. This will help you ease into the work routine and adjust to juggling the multiple demands on your time.

Communicate to your employer your plans to breastfeed

If you're breastfeeding, you'll need to express your milk for 15 to 20 minutes every three to four hours while at work in order to maintain your milk supply and physical comfort. Let your employer know how important breast-feeding is to you and your need to arrange for a small, quiet room with a lock where you can go for a short time. Discuss this with your employer before your return to work, so a plan is already in place.

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