Childcare: checked. Return-to-work date: checked. Even so, as your maternity leave draws to an end, you may undergo a string of concerns. Will everything go as planned? What are your plans in the first place? It might be a challenge to go back to work, but really, it need not be a crisis.
One thing at a time
Dramatising situations before returning to work or making things seem more serious than they have never helped anyone in the past. While some major changes are inevitable and returning to work can be quite an upheaval for your baby and you, there is no need to stress about the inevitable, for as far challenges are concerned, there is always a solution for every situation. So, as the time draws near for new schedules to adjust to, and as you prepare to be apart from your baby for a few hours a day, it will help to resist the urge to dictate how everything should play out in minute details and trust that things will be alright.
Remember too, your baby’s routines will have to change also, and the way you tackle the initial issues and challenges of the transition will impact how well your infant copes with you being away for long periods of time during the day. Experts have always known and reminded women that babies intuitively ‘know’ how their mothers are feeling — Hence, the calmer you are in any given situation, the better your baby is able to cope with these changes in routines.
Here, we share some useful strategies on making a smooth-as-possible, seamless transition back to work.
Planning ahead — Keep things in perspective
It’s only natural to fumble for a bit for the first few weeks as you get used to juggling your job and your new-mom responsibilities. Your emotions may or may not play up at every tiny issue that crops up. Settling ahead on the logistical issues, such as who’s doing what and when, will help you get a better grip on this. Try setting up a weekly schedule of baby care chores (feeding, midnight feeds, etc); meal plans and household chores. This will also help you fall into a routine as well, provided you always leave room for possible disruptions and emergency changes.
Part of planning ahead at this point will also include a dry run before the actual day comes to return to work. In one of the days of the week before you return, try out your new schedule to see how it goes and what adjustments are needed. This will help you know if you have enough time to get the diaper bag packed, the bottles ready, and your baby changed, dressed, and dropped off. It does help!
As the time draws near, getting your baby started on the anticipated nap, meals, bath, and bedtimes will help the little one out as well, as he or she would have some time to get used to it.
Early steps to help ease separation anxiety
You’d think that infants can’t possibly experience any form of separation anxiety, but many mothers who returned to work in the past have noticed that their little ones did react to changes in their environment. To prevent this and also to help your baby adjust more quickly to a new child-care arrangement, have a few trials run for this too. All you have to do is to arrange with your sitter so that you can spend short periods away from baby at least a week before the actual day to return to work. This will give your baby ample time to adjust to the changes, and it will ultimately ease things for your sitter and you too.
Tips:
- Pack an item of your clothing, which carries your comforting smell.
- Pick midweek to return to work — that way you’ll only have a few days to wait until the first weekend.
If you wish to still nurse, start pumping…
…but first, don’t neglect to inform your employer, in writing, that you are planning to breastfeed when you return to work. Ideally, you should do this a few weeks before you return, especially if your workplace has little or no provisions for a breastfeeding mom. This way, your employer has time to plan a suitable area for you to pump in private. If all goes well, consider investing in a second breast pump to keep at the workplace, to prevent incidences of forgetting to bring the device to work.
Ideally, you should begin freezing milk several weeks before you return to work to build up a healthy supply for daytime feedings. In the meantime, it will be a very good idea to get your baby used to drink from a bottle. The best time to start doing this is when the baby is about two to four weeks old.
If for some reason you are not able to pump your milk in the office, rest assured that you need not wean your baby off breastmilk! You can still breastfeed in the mornings and evenings. The beauty of breastmilk is, your milk supply will gradually adjust, and given time, your breasts may not even become engorged during the day.
Leave room for emergencies
You might have the most foolproof arrangements in your anticipated child-care and work schedules, but as life will have it and as many moms before you will testify, things might not always go the way you want it to. Your caregiver might fall sick. You might need to stay on after working hours to complete a work project. A family emergency might emerge. Hence, do have a backup plan (or two) in place. This is mainly regarding alternative caregivers, such as your partner, your in-laws, or even a trusted neighbour. It would also be a good idea to check out for emergency child-care resources in your area.
The ultimate aim is to ensure that your baby will be well cared for in any given situation and that you’ll always be prepared for emergencies. This, in turn, will ensure that you’ll be the best employee you can be, be more productive at your job, and, best of all, you and your child can enjoy a happy reunion at the end of every day no matter how the day was for the both of you.
Choose the best feeding bottles
Ensure that the bottle nipples have a low-flow feature, for these are generally designed to mimic your nipple flow and make it more comfortable for your baby to suck on.
Resist micromanaging
You might think you’re just acting out of concern, but micromanaging everyone who is involved in your baby’s life is not the best way to deal with your anxiousness. Remember, if you don’t trust in your sitter, partner, or family members enough to leave your baby in their care whenever needed, you’re better off not returning to work, for you will only make things tensed and uncomfortable for everyone, including yourself.
