Working Moms-need advice

strimble26 · November 2008

I go back to work December 1st and I am starting to panic about leaving DD. My mom will be watching her in December and then she starts daycare Jan. 1st. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about that drive to work the first day. I can't imagine leaving her behind. And on top of that I am so worried she is going to be inconsolable without me. I BF but we have been giving her a bottle of BM every night and she is fine with it, but she absolutely prefers the breast. I am so worried she isn't going to eat or just be a huge crying mess without me. I don't want to spend my last three weeks with her worrying about this. Any advice or words of encouragement? I know it will be hard no matter what. We just can't afford for me to stay home and it breaks my heart!

vanillacourage · November 2008

If possible, don't start back on a Monday. Your first week work Wednesday and Thursday and that's it. It will really help you with the transition.

The first day is awful, the first week sucks and it will be somewhat hard forever. But if you have a daycare that you like and trust, it is a lot easier.

jennmarie924 · November 2008

I worried about this too before going back to work. I have heard that sometimes DC will take a bottle easier/better from someone not mommy. They get so used to getting food from you a certain way and they don't like the change from you but are fine with it from someone else so hopefully that won't be a problem. I know it took my girls a couple weeks to start eating the way they do at home. Will your mom be coming to your house or are you taking DS to her? If DS is going to her house, maybe DH could drop him off the first day or two. My DH dropped our girls off my whole first week back and that made it a little bit easier. It never gets easy to leave them with someone....but it does get easier. GL.

k8elee03 · November 2008

I really truly believe that the anticipation is so much worse than the actual event. I was dreading going back to work all the time, until I had to go in for 2 days of training during my leave. (At about 9 weeks, so I was OK to go in for a couple of days.) DD did just fine, and I realized I still had my evenings with her, and although it's not as much time, the quality is still there. There were some days when I was on leave that I just couldn't wait for DH to come home so I could have a break. Now that I'm back at work, I get more and more excited as the day goes on because it's almost time to go pick up my baby. And that smile you get when your baby sees you at the end of the day is amazing.

My suggestion is to give a test run. Let your mom take the baby for a day. Even a half a day. You'll probably feel better once you know your baby will be just fine.

mrobertson20 · November 2008

Joe did amazingly well last week when I came back. Try to make your first week short if you can. I just worked Wed-Friday. It was hard to leave him but I did ok. I didn't even cry! Try leaving her with your mom something a few times before you go back so she gets used to being without you. I promise she will be fine. Joe actually likes daycare because there is so much going on. He did have a hard time adjusting to sleeping and eating good up there but seems to have caught on now.

Good luck!

You need to send me more pics of her too!

calgal1683 · November 2008

I go back to work in exactly 2 weeks, and kinda understand where you are coming from. Like the pp stated, is there any way that you can start on a Wednesday? This is what I am doing: Going back on Wednesday and working Wed, Thurs, Fri. Then I have Sat & Sun off. Then the next week I will work Mon, Tues, Wed, then it is Thanksgiving and I will have Thurs-Sun off. Even though I am dreading going back to work, I know this way it will make it a lot easier on me.

jsocia102503 · November 2008

I agree with k8elee the anticipation was the worst. I got him there to drop him off (I do at home) and as soon as she went to get him out of the car seat he smiled & giggled. Then I knew things would be alright. Is does get easier everyday. Going home really gives you something to look forward to now.

strimble26 · November 2008

Thanks ladies. I just needed to hear from those of you who have already braved the storm. My mom is coming out to our house the first month so maybe I can talk DH into making the official "hand off" and I leave first to avoid a meltdown! And that is good advice about a partial week first. I am going to ask my office if I can do that to make the transition easier.