For most new parents, heading back to work after maternity leave can be the worst timing possible. You have just about got the hang of the whole parenthood thing and now you have to return back to work. In this highly emotional period it’s important to make the transition as smooth as possible for all those involved. Here are our top 5 tips for creating a smooth transition back to work after maternity leave.
Schedule, schedule, schedule
Where possible, you should try and arrange to return to work in the middle of the week. Not only will the weekend come quicker, but that you can spend a couple of days easing yourself back in gently. Also, it may be useful to have a trial run of your first day back to make sure you and your baby know exactly how long the morning routine will take.
Know who will be looking after your little one
Knowing who will be looking after your newborn will give you the confidence to transition back into work smoothly. Do your research, make sure that you have references for the proposed caregiver. It may even be worthwhile to allow your child to spend a little bit of time with their caregiver/day care before your maternity leave ends so that there aren’t any shocks on the first day.
Feeding
If you breastfeed, make sure that you start expressing early and stockpile as much as you can (best to keep it in the freezer) so that you aren’t likely to run out when you are at work. It is also a good idea to let someone else bottle feed your little one before you go back to work so that your baby can get familiar with other faces during feeding time.
Own your feelings
Don’t forget to take care of yourself during this transition period. At times it will be overwhelming and believe it or not, this is normal. Make sure that you get enough sleep and have some genuine “me” time. Being a working mom has many benefits, but it can also be challenging. Give yourself time to adjust and it will all work out.
Don’t give up!
It is bound to be difficult at first and it will take time to adjust to a whole new routine and factoring in the needs to another person. Take the good days with the bad and before you know it, you will be handling everything like a pro!
