3 Tips For Going Back to Work After Giving Birth
Whether your due date is coming up, or you just had a baby and you’re anticipating going back to work soon, thinking about going back to work after having your baby can feel like a crazy idea.
The idea of leaving your baby at home in the care of someone else can seem frightening and potentially give you full-fledged anxiety. As with anything challenging in life, preparation is the best way to overcome challenges. Here are some of the best tips for going back to work after your maternity leave is finished.
Find Someone You Trust
First and foremost, you can’t go back to work unless you have someone reliable to look after your child for you. It’s important that if you’re not leaving your baby with a family member, that you find a newborn care specialist. While general babysitting may be something that requires less experience, caring for a newborn is an entirely different skill. Newborns are extremely fragile, and come with certain risks and limitations.
It’s important that you leave your baby with someone who has plenty of experience with babies, and understands things like feeding schedules, proper holding positions, and naps. It may take a while to find someone that you feel you click with, so don’t hesitate looking for applicants sooner than later. Ideally, you should find someone who comes recommended from a personal friend or family member. This will give you peace of mind so that you’re better able to concentrate at work.
Sit With Your Feelings
Once you go back to work you might start feeling a wide range of emotions. One minute you might feel elated to have a break from your baby, and the next second you might feel extreme guilt for leaving them behind.
Remember, there is no wrong feeling throughout the process. Sit with your feelings and allow yourself to feel however you’re feeling. From anxiety, to anger, to sadness, to happiness, let each feeling come and go and sit with it. It’s all part of the process that every mother goes through returning to work.
Practice Self Care
Even though you may be in a rush to go from work back to your baby, don’t forget to schedule time for self-care. Making the switch abruptly from employee to mom can leave you feeling like you have no more room to be yourself. Self-care can come in many forms, and in your case as a new mom should be kept pretty simple. Simple self-care like taking a bath, or having a nap may not seem like much until you have a new baby.
When you’re a working mother, waking up at odd hours of the night and pumping between meetings, something as simple as a bath can feel like a full-fledged vacation. Don’t hesitate to give yourself little treats like this by reaching out to friends and family members to help you out if possible.