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Preemies
Sketchipyro
member
Returning to work...
Sketchipyro
member
in Preemies
My LO was born 5 weeks early and I am getting 6 weeks mat leave and have to return to work soon. I feel like this is too early to return to work since it'll be like she's only 1 week old. We have been working at exclusively breastfeeding and I feel like LO is just finally getting the hang of it, though we only get a proper latch 50% of the time still. We have been feeding on demand as well and it's been impossible to get on any sort of schedule. How is everyone else handling their return to work?
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Re: Returning to work...
I had twins at 24w6d. My daughter passed away at 3 days. I had a vaginal birth and went back to work 10d after they were born. It sucked but it allowed me to take a full 12 weeks paid when my son came home from the hospital. It worked out ok. My office was closer to the hospital than my house and in the beginning there is only so much staring at the isolette you can do It was harder as he got closer to discharge and was more interactive. We had great communication with the docs and nurses at the NICU and my husband and I would take turns visiting before or after work so we had contact at least 2x a day with the baby.
Good Luck! There is no right or wrong and it just really sucks.
My DD was 11 weeks early and I got 12 weeks FMLA (8 of them paid). They wouldn't let me split up the leave, so I had to take it all at once. She came home at 37 weeks gestation. So, she was there for 8 weeks. I had 4 weeks of the 12 left but I basically told my work that I was taking 6 weeks at HOME with her whether they liked it or not... I would just quit if they didn't let me. I also requested that I go part time. Luckily, they let me do these things. They gave me a hard time at first...that they could only secure my job for the 12 weeks protected by FMLA but in the end, it worked out.
So, luckily I was fortunate to get 6 weeks at home with her and I only work 3 days a week. Obviously, if finances won't allow it, then that's not an option. I hope you get it worked out! It's not fair and they need a better system for people who have babies prematurely. Good luck!
11.2011 - DS1
02.2013 - loss at 6 wks
06.2014 - DS2
10.2015 - loss at 12 wks
03.2017 - DD
My boys were born 15 weeks early so I opted to go back to work a week after I delivered. I then took my 8 weeks maternity when they came home. It was the only way I would be able to care for them. Who is watching LO when you return to work?
ETA: It sucked big time. We had a rough NICU stay and there was many a time where I was sitting at my desk balling my eyes out. Luckily I have a private office and I was able to just shut my door. We would visit the LO's in the morning before work and then in the evening as well. It took a toll on us mentally, physically and emotionally but at that point we just felt we had to do what we had to do for our kids.