Back to work

tfrangul · November 2017

Hey ladies! It's been super quiet on here. I know we're all busy adjusting to life with a newborn but I thought I would see how this of us who are back to work are adjusting and those who are at home are adjusting as well.

Rhubarb7216 · November 2017

My little guy turns 3 months on Sunday and I'm going back to work on Monday part time. I'll be doing 3 days per week through November and then back to full time in December. I can't believe that 3 months has gone by so quickly and I'm going to be sad to leave him, but honestly I am also looking forward to going back to work. I really like my job and my coworkers and I miss the intellectual stimulation and adult conversation. My son is also one of those babies that doesn't like to be put down (and believe me I try!), so a day with him is exhausting and going back to work feels like a break! We'll see how I feel when I actually have to do it next week!

Hope everyone is doing well, whether you're back to work or at home!

BigBadWolf12 · November 2017

I won't be going back to work for a while. The country I live in has an even better parental leave system than Canada. LO and I are keeping busy. We go for lots of walks, go to Bible Study, Book Club, lots of errands and laundry so far. I have a bunch of friends who have babies born or being born soon, so hopefully we'll get together sometimes too

Good luck to everyone!

divinemsm620 · November 2017

I miss you ladies!!

I love my job but I am really enjoying being home with my son. We have 4.5 more weeks before i go back and it will be full-time (as a teacher, there aren’t really good part-time options). I haven’t left baby for more than an hour or so due to unpredictable daytime feeding patterns. Breastfeeding has gone well—much better than I thought!!— so my goal for these next few weeks is to utilize the pump more to learn how to get away from baby for a few hours. I’m thinking i will pump in the car to utilize the commute time. When I’m back at work it will be 8+ hours apart from baby, so I would like to try 3 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours and see how that goes. I don’t really want to, but I think 8 hours for work is going to feel impossible and miserable and make me hate my job if I don’t build up to it. What do you all think? (Especially STMs who did exclusive breastfeeding, would love to get your opinions on how to ease the transition back to work.)

jessieR358 · November 2017

divinemsm620 said:

I miss you ladies!!

I love my job but I am really enjoying being home with my son. We have 4.5 more weeks before i go back and it will be full-time (as a teacher, there aren’t really good part-time options). I haven’t left baby for more than an hour or so due to unpredictable daytime feeding patterns. Breastfeeding has gone well—much better than I thought!!— so my goal for these next few weeks is to utilize the pump more to learn how to get away from baby for a few hours. I’m thinking i will pump in the car to utilize the commute time. When I’m back at work it will be 8+ hours apart from baby, so I would like to try 3 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours and see how that goes. I don’t really want to, but I think 8 hours for work is going to feel impossible and miserable and make me hate my job if I don’t build up to it. What do you all think? (Especially STMs who did exclusive breastfeeding, would love to get your opinions on how to ease the transition back to work.)

For me personally, I wanted (and want) to spend as much time with my kids before i go back to work after leave. I work 2-3 days a week but I’ll be gone for almost 12 hours. I won’t be building up to that. The longest I’ll be gone from him is when i go back on my first day in January. I’ll pump every 3 hours at work.
I would enjoy all that time with him at home and not try to do trial runs. Maybe leave the house for a couple hours and have someone give a bottle. That’s the only thing i did with my first. Those first few days/weeks back will be hard no matter what. It does get better i promise.

tfrangul · November 2017

I've been back for 3 weeks now. Anastasia is doing great with nursing, sleeping and is seriously just a great baby. Work is going great but rushing home to be mom and wife is overwhelming with 3 kids. I am getting a better routine though. Both of the older kids are adjusting well. We got lucky and our neighbor is watching the babies so that's certainly been convenient. Our oldest has been walking to and from school and has been doing ok with that but has had some issues with stopping at her friends house down the street and not coming straight home.
@divinemsm620 this was our 3rd and I have never done trial runs. I have also never given my babies a bottle before returning to work. I just always let the provider do that and I never have had an issue. Try not to stress about it. Everything will be ok. It's never easy to leave your baby but it does get better. I pump 3 times a day. I'm working 40 hrs a week 5 days a week.

divinemsm620 · November 2017

@jessieR358 @tfrangul thanks for the perspective! I have to leave him on Friday for the first time (for a good reason) so we will see how that goes. It’s long enough that I will have to pump once.

Hopefully when I do go back, it will be comforting to know that baby is home with his dad.

jessieR358 · November 2017

@divinemsm620 that’s so nice your husband will watch your son! My mom watches mine when i work and the relationship my 2.5yo and my mom have is so special and so sweet. They live super close to us and he asks to see his grandma every day. Its comforting to know he is in great hands when I’m working.

JustBored10 · November 2017

I go back tomorrow. Luckily I work a mile from my house for a CPA. I will be working three days a week from 9-11, come home to nurse and have lunch then return from 1-3. I will do this until January then I will be back to 5 days a week for tax season but still the same hours so I am able to nurse Elliot. I am so grateful for the job I have and how flexible he is with me. I'm just so in love with our baby girl! Knowing this is my last babe so I am soaking up every moment and cudddle I get from my sweet girl! To be honest I had really bad PPD and PPA with my son and really hated the newborn stage but not with her. I think nursing has tremendously helped me overcome feeling that way again.

tfrangul · November 2017

I'm a little jealous of you ladies that get to have family Care for the baby. Child care is such an expense. I am grateful that my neighbor is watching the littles. She is half the cost as the center was and super convenient. And I trust her of course.
@JustBored10 I'm so glad things are going better this go round. I had major PPD and PPA with my second one so I was super nervous this time. No issues yet! Enjoy your snuggles and the flexibility with your job. I'm also a little jealous of that!

lilpoots · November 2017

I just finished my first weekend back at work. It went very well and I enjoyed talking to adults. Especially liked not having anyone invading my personal space for 9 hours. I did have a weird experience on both days when I came home and breastfed the baby. Shortly after latching the baby on, I experienced a panic attack. It didn't happen any of my days at home with the baby, so I think it was d-mer aggravated by the pump. Otherwise, I've had no other psychiatric issues this time, which is amazing and pure luck.

@JustBored10 I wish I could come home and nurse. That would be awesome. Is your baby's nursing schedule that predictable? My babe nurses non stop.

JustBored10 · November 2017

@lilpoots usually she has a morning nap so I work from 9-11, come home for lunch to nurse her then I return to work from 12-3. If she seems hungry while I am away my husband will give her a " snack" of 1-2 oz per what the LC suggested since I'm not far away. It seemed to work so far this week so fingers crossed it keeps working!

Turtle15SW · December 2017

I’m going back to work Jan 2 and am terrified and excited at the same time. It’s been great disconnecting and focusing on family. But, I like a paycheck and my coworkers. I’ve been trying to pump and freeze a bag of breast milk every day this month so I have a stockpile. Right now I just nurse on demand and barely leave so it’s been tough to get a full feedings worth between nursing sessions. I also was able to go back part time which is weirdly stressing me out because of the pay cut, but I’ll get extra time with the kids. It’s hard no matter what you choose to do...work, stay home, part time. The thought of getting two kids out the door and to daycare while managing to show up to work on time gives me a panic attack. Oh well, at least. I get to start after the holidays. Cheers to be a working momma

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