Becoming a WM this week

diamondduck13

I've been mosly a lurker on this board, appreciating the little windows into what is in my future. I enjoyed reading the advice in this weeks Friday poll, because this Thursday I'll officially become a working mom. I welcome any more tidbits you wish someone had told you before you started. Little tips to broader ideas, I'll take whatever advice I can get.

About me: I love my job and have missed both the work and the people while I've been on leave. I've only been in the job a little over a year (joke is I celebrated my one year anniversary by going on maternity leave) but it is the perfect job for me in so many ways. I'm incredibly lucky, which made my walking away from it to go on leave very hard.

Im also incredibly lucky to have my adorable little girl, so now as The Day to return from leave approaches I'm feeling sad and anxious. I am definitely making the best decision for myself, my baby, and my family, so this isn't second thoughts, just dealing with the emotions of the upcoming day. To put someone so little in daycare! And be without my daughter for 8-9 hours at a time. I truly hope she's too young to know the difference to be sad I'm away from her so long!

Thanks for allowing me to write that out, if you have a tidbit of advice I welcome it, and I look forward to joining your ranks.

tbmadeamistake

Hi!  I'm generally a lurker here but it's a great board.  I've got an 18 month old, C, and another one on the way.  C is at daycare full time while I work.  The first day I was so excited to be back with adults and working that dropping C off was a piece of cake.  The second day, when I realized how much I had missed her the day before, was super rough!  Be prepared for unexpected emotions, and keep kleenex in the car.  I also found that for a first month or so it was easier if I didn't go and visit during the day (my dc is close enough that I can visit at lunch if I want to).  Now I don't visit because it upsets C! 

Good luck and enjoy going back to work!  Once your LO settles into daycare it'll be great.  There will still be tough days (the separation anxiety phase wasn't any fun!), but once you guys get into a groove it'll be much easier.

diamondduck13

Thanks for the responses! They're both reassuring and help me to know what to be ready for at the same time.

It would be easy to drop by DC over my lunch, because its close. But I have wondered if that little visit would make it easier or harder to get through the day. At least for now, I'll just play that by ear, or mood I should say in this case!