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For many moms, going back to work after spending so much time with their newborn is one of the most difficult things they will ever have to do. Here are some ideas to make the transition just a little easier.

Before You Return To Work  

Decide when you want to return to work

Discuss with your employer how much time you can take for maternity leave. You might not have the luxury of deciding whether or not to return to work, but you can take as much time as you’re allowed.

Find dependable child care

Leaving your newborn in someone else’s care can be very stressful. Finding a reliable child-care provider whom you trust will ease your worries considerably. Your child-care options range from individual in-home care to a creche. Give yourself time to find the best facilities in your area.

Talk to your boss

Discuss your duties and schedule so you’ll know what’s expected of you when you return. Ask about flexible hours or working from home on occasion.

Once You’re Back At Work

Manage your time well

Balancing family and work responsibilities demands good time management and organizational skills. You need to plan a system to make sure everything gets done. If you are overwhelmed with demands, allow the less important ones to slide.

Stay connected

Find ways to stay connected with your baby when you’re away. Make regular phone calls to see how your baby’s doing or keep photos on your desk.

Plan ahead

There may be times when your baby falls ill or the child-care center is closed. Plan ahead for such emergencies. Check with your employer beforehand about taking time off when your child is sick. Talk with a family member or close friend in advance about filling in if you can’t take your baby to the care center.

Feeling guilty or sad is normal

You might find yourself struggling with guilt. Or you might be sad that you can’t spend as much time as you’d like with your baby. Talking to your spouse, friends or other mothers in similar circumstances can help. If your sadness or guilt is overwhelming, speak to your doctor.

Get help

Don’t try to do everything yourself. Accept help from your partner, family members and friends. Seek out other working mothers who can offer support as you make the transition back to work.

Take time for yourself

It may seem difficult, but you need to take some time off for yourself. Get a relative, friend or your neighbor to baby-sit and spend time doing things you enjoy. If you feel less stressed, you’ll be able to better enjoy your baby.

Get as much rest as possible

Fatigue goes hand in hand with being a new parent. Try going to bed early one night each week to catch up on sleep. Cut down on unnecessary commitments. Set aside time on weekends to take a nap while your baby is sleeping. The better rested you are, the easier it will be to handle the everyday problems that crop up. 

Borzack Crave
Creator of Healthy.Lifestyle
Ashworth University Contributing Blogger   

*We are honored to introduce the progressive health perspectives of Borzack Crave to the Ashworth University Health Care community.  Borzack’s Healthy.Lifestyle site is one of the most comprehensive resources for health related research, practices, and advice on the Web.  We would like to extend a special thanks to Borzack Crave for giving us the opportunity to share her terrific insights with our student community.  

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 6:50 am and is filed under Family, Healthcare Reform, Careers, Motivation, Mental Health, Stress, Pregnancy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.