back to work - hardest part?

brandy5879

also posted on parenting board...

i head back to work in another week.  in general, i'm looking forward to going back.  i love my job, plus DS has not been the easiest kid so far...

i'm wondering what people thought was the hardest part about going back?  was there anything unexpected about it?  do you have any advice?

ali-1411

I don't start back until Dec 1, but I'm dreading the mornings the most.  DS is not a morning kid, and he has to catch the school bus by 7:15 am.  DH leaves before 6 am for work, so I'm on my own with both kids.

Its already a given that I'm never going to make it to work on time

pnstirling

The hardest part for me was (and still is) being away from DD all day. The first couple of weeks I would be sitting at work wondering what she was doing and then get myself all worked up thinking that she was crying or wanted to be held - so I would call the daycare center (sometimes twice). ?The center was really good about telling me what she was doing and what she had done earlier in the day. ?She was never crying when I called which out me at ease.?

DD started going to daycare at 6 months and is 10 months old now. ?It is still very hard for me to drop her off each morning - I don't think that will ever go away. The only advice I have is that is does get easier and this board is a nice place for support because we are all going through the same thing. ?HTH.

alisonada

Pretty much for me the hardest part is finding time to run errands, go grocery shopping, do housecleaning, etc. I hate when all of my weekends are filled up with that stuff and the after work-before bedtime time period is hectic enough as it is.

I also struggled with the good old working moms guilt, on and off. Not right away, because I was also happy to get back to work after my leave, but a few months down the road when I realized how quickly DD was growing up. I didn't have those feelings all the time  - they would just hit me now and then. It did kind of surprise me though, because I too like my job and really didn't want to be a SAHM. Usually a long weekend alone with DD (when DH worked) was all it took to cure me from any remaining desire I might have to be a SAHM - I'm DEFINITELY cured now, 3 weeks into my maternity leave with 2 kids :-)

shannm

Time!  No time to clean, no time to rest, no time to pack (we are moving).  The weekends are never long enough.  Make a list of the things that you need to accomplish everyday, like making bottles, washing bottles, packing lunches, prepping coffee, giving DC bath, packing pump parts, etc..  Then make sure your partner knows how to do each thing to your satisfaction and post it on the fridge.  Then each of you will know exactly what needs to be done to keep you going efficiently through the week and you can work together to check things off of the list each day.  Good Luck!!

babyluv617

The hardest part is feeling like I am going to miss milestones. I love being there every moment. It's difficult at first because I felt like I was abondoning him and that he wouldn't know that I was coming back. I still feel like this some mornings. I'm still not coping well 2 months later.

Adivce - Get things ready the night before. That makes it easier to grab and go. I eat my breakfast (oatmeal) at work and have it in a ziploc baggie the night before in my lunchbox ready to go.

madhatter2003

lack of time. Both to get things done, personal time to relax, etc.   I need about 48 hours in a day I feel.

tosababy

For me, the hardest part day to day is staying organized and having everything (bottles, clothes, food, etc.) ready so we can get out the door quickly and efficiently in the morning.  Do as much as you can at night and definitely split the duties between you and DH.

Good luck and enjoy being back at work.  You'll really appreciate the time you do have with your DS.
 

JLSBWG

It was hard to return to work, but it does get easier.  I agree with everyone else, that it's hard to find time to do everything you need to do after a work day or on the weekends.  My company just asked me to reduce my hours from 40 to 32 and having an extra day during the week to get stuff has been great.  The more organized you other the better.  I prepare for the next day when my DS goes to sleep.