Returning to Work After A Baby- Things All Mothers Needs to Know

Time flies after you bring your newborn baby in the world, morning, noon and night all go by in a jiffy. It takes a couple of months to adjust to the new role and new phase of life and just when you’re getting a hang of it all you realize that your maternity leave is about to end. If you’re a working mother who just gave birth to a child and has to return to her job, this thought would be nagging you for weeks. A new mother is so engrossed and consumed by the new member that work life seems like a distant memory. But it hits like a lighting bolt when the maternity leave is coming to an end and now you have to get yourself prepared for the onslaught of home and work life.

There’re million thoughts that cross a mother’s mind when she has to prepare herself for returning to work. No matter how strong, resilient or career-oriented a woman is, she goes through a whirlwind of emotions during this time. The mere thought of waking up at 7am in the morning after being up all night with the baby seems like a gruelling and daunting task. The emotion of guilt is the heaviest on a mother’s heart as she is going to leave her precious one in the care of someone else. She also has to make sure she provides her baby with ample supply of her milk, for which she needs to boost her milk supply by using herbal lactation supplements or lactation drinks. She is also apprehensive about being the same employee that she was before she left.

Navigating through the first couple of weeks takes all the might, patience, determination and courage of a mother. Though every mother has a different journey, there are some tips and tricks that can help you to get back into the groove. It will take time and effort but, in the end, you’ll be a happier and content person. Here are a few things that can make returning to work after a baby easier and less gruesome.

Set Up a Child Care You Can Trust   

Perhaps the most important factor that actually makes returning to work possible is when you know that your child has been taken care of while you’re away. If as a mother you’re confident that your little one is in safe hands then you’ll be a better focused, relaxed and productive person. Make sure that you don’t hire someone at the nick of the time, start at least 2-3 weeks prior to work so that you can first hand see if she’s good enough, how the child and help bond together and whether she is capable of handling all the situations. Once you’ll feel good about your decision, the transition will become smoother and seamless.

Communicate with your Boss/Team

Before arriving back to work, make sure you’re in synchronization with your boss/team and know what’s going on in the work front, so that you don’t get overwhelmed with the pressure. It will also be a great idea to start checking in on work with fellow teammates in order to be more aware. If you have flexible hours make sure your teammates know about it and you can work well in the scheduled hours. Also, if you’re a breastfeeding mom, you must communicate with the boss about your pumping sessions and in between breaks. As you’ll be away from your baby for long hours herbal lactation supplements and emergency lactation brownies will help in boosting the milk supply so sufficient milk can be extracted.

Go Easy on Yourself

Don’t expect the same level of dedication, focus and ability to work in the first couple of weeks. You’re in a transitional phase and it will take time to adjust, so be patient with yourself, don’t doubt your abilities and never bash yourself for not being enough. You may have been a keen worker and you may feel that you have a good grip on the parenting departments as well but you haven’t juggled both of them together. It's absolutely pivotal to be kind to yourself, enjoy your commute rides, have a nice meal, take a coffee break and do your pumping sessions in peace, you deserve it!

Learn to Manage Expectations

If your boss/team expects big from you, tell them to give you some time to get back in your element. So, if you’re offered a big project, don’t say yes right off the bat. Ask questions and address your concerns. Take baby steps and don’t overwhelm yourself to please others. If you can, make sure you get everything else off-the-table so that you can solely concentrate on it. This may make some people unhappy but you can make up by being good at what you have taken up and by being proactive.

Plan Your Pumping Session

If you’re a nursing mother make sure you have breaks to pump the milk for your baby. Convey this to your boss and make it non-negotiable to avoid any kind of confusion. Skipping a pumping session is not just emotionally draining, it has various other adverse effects. Skipping pumping sessions can be physically painful due to engorged breasts. The supply of milk is also affected, which can be boosted by herbal lactation supplements or emergency lactation brownies but what about that milk dripping from your clothes? So, make sure you get a good pump and a nice, quiet place to pump peacefully during work hours.

Give Yourself Time, Love and Attention

I know it may seem impossible to take out time for yourself when you’re already juggling between work, baby and family life. But if you don’t give yourself the attention or love that you so rightly deserve then in a couple of months the sheer exhaustion will take the better of you. All the efforts that you did for your family will go in vain. So, take out time for the things that genuinely make you feel yourself. Like watching movies, going out for dinner or whatever you like without feeling guilty.

Summary

Most importantly, please realize that you’re not alone in this. There’re many mothers who have already walked this path, who are walking this path and who will walk this path feeling just like you’re. it’s a big deal to go back to work after a baby so pat your back as you have already proven that you are brave!