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February 2016 Moms
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Returning to work

robinj716robinj716 member
in February 2016 Moms
I will be returning to work in two weeks from Monday. I can't believe my maternity time is almost over, but very thankful to have had the opportunity to take almost 12 weeks off. I'm super anxious about going back to work and wondering how I'm going to juggle day to day life, now that I'm not going to have all this extra time that I currently have. Not to mention getting back into the groove of working again and getting out of bed super early for the day AND having to leave my little guy behind. 

So, let's hear all of your tips and advice for us moms that are returning to work soon? Any good ideas to make things go a little smoother? 
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Re: Returning to work

  • VitaLunaVitaLuna member
    If you can, try to go back on a Wednesday or Thursday the first week so you don't have to do all 5 days in a row right off the bat. 

    Pack everything the night before and have a spare work outfit on standby in case you get a last-minute spit up. Give yourself an extra 15min on top of what you think you'll need. 

    For me, buying lunch at the work cafeteria was easier than worrying about making lunch the first while. 

    If you're pumping, you may want to keep a spare set of pump parts at work, just in case you forget to get them off the drying rack one morning (I know from experience!)

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  • charliegoldengirlcharliegoldengirl member
    Def pack the night before! It makes everything so much easier. 

    Give yourself some time if you will be emotional leaving the baby for the first time (I was fine until I pulled into the parking lot at work and then needed some time to compose before going in!)

    good luck! It gets easier when you get into the swing of things and have a routine. 
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  • BabyHope2013BabyHope2013 member
    I go back I think the same day as you. I'm a little more at ease this time around with knowing my two kids are going to an amazing daycare that I trust. But I'm still nervous about how I will juggle everything in some ways. 

    Try to plan out your first week of dinners before you go back. Consider stocking up your freezer or spending the weekend before you go back cutting up veggies, fruit etc so you can have stress free evenings when you get home. Meal prep is probably what has saved my sanity the last three years. It also opens up more time for me to cuddle, play and just spend time with my LO after work. 

    Longer term Im also a big fan of any stores that provide free shipping. Over the years I've gotten a target red card and kohls charge in addition to my Amazon prime. I try to buy as much online as possible---kids clothes, my clothes, diapers, birthday presents, dog food etc all online. It delivers straight to my doorstep and I is usually do my shopping on my lunch break at work. Prevents me from having to lug my LO out and about on the weekends outside of the grocery store most of the time. 

    Most of all take every day one step at a time and you will be fine! 
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  • Katty422Katty422 member
     :( I am so sad about this. .. 
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  • karichards88karichards88 member
    I went back today. FTM. It was hard but my SO took DS to daycare as I have to be to work before drop off starts. I got to work early to get myself acquainted  with my pumping room. I would recommend snacks while pumping. I get bored easily so that and Facebook kept me occupied. I pumped my usual at my pumps at work. LO did so,e extra nursing tonight even though my daycare said he ate what I think he should eat. Now I did my night pump and I barely pumped half of my usual. A little bummed but telling myself it's just the extra nursing tonight.
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  • jarob747jarob747 member
    I go back May 10th. I'm a nurse and work 12 hour days, and with commuting and shift report I'm gone 15 hours a day when I work. I'm going back PT 2 (15hour) days/ week. I'm so scared about it. I can't bare the thought of leaving my LO. My neice will be watching him but he won't take a bottle or pacifier. I EBF and have been pumping to get a stash. I am so scared he's not going to learn it. I've spent a small fortune on bottles/ nipples/ pacifiers already with no luck. It's like he dont know what to do with it when it's in his mouth, but has no problems BF. So... I have no advice unfortunately, but could really use some. 
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  • MrsKathiBMrsKathiB member
    I went back to work full-time after 6 weeks maternity leave and some advice I was given was to bring a thermal bag to put the pumped milk in. I keep it in the fridge while I'm at work, which also makes it so that my co-workers don't have to see or mess with my milk. I also put my pump parts in the bag as well, since they have milk on them. That way I don't have to wash them except for at the end of the day, as the milk won't go bad since it's being refrigerated. 

    Like others have said, get everything prepped the night before. It makes the mornings so much easier. 

    My DS is in daycare and one thing I had to really remind myself is that my son will not end up loving and bonding more with his teachers than with me. I'm his mommy, and at the end of the day all he wants is to be held by me. It's a wonderful feeling! I miss my son throughout the day and constantly anticipate the moment I get him back in my arms, but it helps knowing he's in good hands. 

    Good luck with going back to work! 
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  • robinj716robinj716 member
    Well ladies, tomorrow is the big day and I'm really dreading it! Heading to the mall today for some work clothes since my old pants don't fit :neutral: 

    luckily, my aunt is going to come to my house and watch my son while my SO and I are both at work. On the days my SO doesn't work (every four days he works then is off for four days), he will stay home with him! So I just need to have his supplies ready in the morning, but I won't have to pack him up or take him anywhere! 

    My my son is Formula fed, so I don't need to do anything with pumping or bringing a pump to work. 

    Going to leave some extra time in the morning to have a good cry before I go into work! 

    I will do so much better once I get a routine going and get things on a flow in the morning!
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  • VitaLunaVitaLuna member
    @robinj716 I had such bad anxiety leading up to going back with DD1, but I surprisingly was fine once I got back, even the first day (as long as people didn't ask a bunch of questions about her!) I always tried to factor in an extra 10 minutes for Starbucks drive thru on my way in. It just seemed to make the drive/morning a little easier. 

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  • mrsc12414mrsc12414 member
    I went back last week . I cried for about two weeks leading up. I work overnight 12 hour shifts . Last week was so hard. Daddy is struggling with bed time . I'm beating myself up over it . It has to get easier .. I'm fine once I'm at work... But the drive there is still hard for me . I wish maternity leave would of lasted a little longer 
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  • jarob747jarob747 member
    mrsc12414 said:
    I went back last week . I cried for about two weeks leading up. I work overnight 12 hour shifts . Last week was so hard. Daddy is struggling with bed time . I'm beating myself up over it . It has to get easier .. I'm fine once I'm at work... But the drive there is still hard for me . I wish maternity leave would of lasted a little longer 
    I know how you feel. Ice been crying for weeks. I have 2 weeks left, buy of course no luck with a bottle yet ( that's another post) so is extra stressful. Dont beat yourself up, this is to provide better for your baby. That's what I keep telling myself :( it had to get easier and it will. I hate the saying time will heal but it's so true. In time this will get easier for all of us. 
    I may need you to remind me of this on May 10th when I post that I can't stop crying. Hang in there from one nurse mama to another. 
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  • mrsc12414mrsc12414 member
    Thank you that means a lot @jarob747 . Thankfully Zoey takes a bottle well she's a chunker so she's just happy as long as she's getting food . Getting into a pumping routine hS been hard but it will get easier !! Hugs to you too mama and I am here for help support you and remind you when you go back to work it will get easier 
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  • willkcwillkc member
    This week is my last week and it is starting to hit me :( the first 6 weeks were such a whirlwind, and now of course as we've started to figure each other out, I have to leave him. I will be a blubbering mess the first week, but I know it will get better with time. I'll never be happy to be away from him though 
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  • robinj716robinj716 member
    @willkc I too feel like the first 6 weeks were a whirlwind, even somewhat of a blur. The next 4 we were just starting to venture out and then the last 2 we have really had fun playing and laughing and have really gotten into a routine and now bam here I have to leave him! I know it will become the new normal soon, but this just sucks! 
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  • DrillSergeantCatDrillSergeantCat member
    jarob747 said:
    I go back May 10th. I'm a nurse and work 12 hour days, and with commuting and shift report I'm gone 15 hours a day when I work. I'm going back PT 2 (15hour) days/ week. I'm so scared about it. I can't bare the thought of leaving my LO. My neice will be watching him but he won't take a bottle or pacifier. I EBF and have been pumping to get a stash. I am so scared he's not going to learn it. I've spent a small fortune on bottles/ nipples/ pacifiers already with no luck. It's like he dont know what to do with it when it's in his mouth, but has no problems BF. So... I have no advice unfortunately, but could really use some. 
    My LO wouldn't take a bottle from me until a couple days ago. We started 2 weeks before he started daycare with bottle training. Dad would warm up a bottle of breast milk while I went into another room and shut the door. It was rough the first couple times, but he's used to a bottle now and can switch between bottle and breast with no problem. You need to start at least 2 weeks before you go back and it's best if you can be out of the house so your LO doesn't smell you. Good luck.

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  • meg+on+the+DLmeg+on+the+DL member
    Just thinking about all you mama's going back to work today. I hope that it wasn't as painful as you thought. Hopefully the tears only lasted a short while. 

    I have been been back for 2 weeks and it still is hard leaving baby girl. Thankfully her dad sends me pictures of their daily adventures. And I even got one from daycare the other day. It just warms my heart to see her throughout the day! 
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  • robinj716robinj716 member
    My first day back was smooth! Baby was home with daddy today so I really only had to get myself ready this morning. I did a lot of crying last night and didn't cry at all today- I was really shocked, but I held it together! His Daddy sent me photos and updates during the day. My SO always wondered what I did all day and lately has been a little unappreciative of me, so It was nice to get a text at the end of the day saying how much he appreciates me, how much I do, that he needs to work on showing me better just how much he really appreciates all I do and that keeping the baby all day is hard work! I think today opened his eyes to exactly how much I do! 
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  • meg+on+the+DLmeg+on+the+DL member
    @robinj716 I'm glad it went well. My first day back, LO was with my husband too. It was really helpful to get the pictures and be able to follow what he was doing on our baby app. And it really does open their eyes to what we do while we are home alone with baby. I'm just lucky if he gets her fed and changed. Today was rough because I really needed DH to run some letters to the post office. Apparently, LO was not napping and kind of fussy. I told him he just needs to buck up and take her. She may have fallen asleep in the car. Things still have to get done! 

    Hope the rest of your week goes as smoothly! 
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  • jarob747jarob747 member
    edited May 2016
    Oh my gosh... I'm having a total freaking meltdown. My first day back is this Saturday. I can't stand the thought of leaving my precious baby boy. I'll be gone 15 hours. This stinks so bad. I can't stop crying and thinking about it. This is not how I wanna spend my last couple days before work. Can't seem to kick it today. So so hard and sad!!!
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  • bookishbakerbookishbaker member
    Today was my first day back and it wasn't as bad as I'd expected- it was actually nice to see everyone and have some adult conversation!

    It helps me to keep some perspective and remember that the end of maternity leave isn't the end of my time with my baby. It's just a part of our evolving life together. I definitely missed her a lot, though, and got to daycare as soon as I could to pick her up :)
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  • jarob747jarob747 member
    edited May 2016
    Laura88821 said:
    Today was my first day back and it wasn't as bad as I'd expected- it was actually nice to see everyone and have some adult conversation!

    It helps me to keep some perspective and remember that the end of maternity leave isn't the end of my time with my baby. It's just a part of our evolving life together. I definitely missed her a lot, though, and got to daycare as soon as I could to pick her up :)
    I am hoping and praying for that to be how it goes for me too Saturday. Thanks :)
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