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Writer's pictureAshley

How to Successfully Survive Going Back to Work after Having a Baby

Starting your new job after having a baby is equal parts exciting and nerve-racking. You’re finally getting back to the person you were before you had a little one, but now you have another human to take care of on top of everything else!



Going back to work after a baby can be daunting, but it can also be an exciting time. You're probably worrying about how you'll manage your new schedule, how your baby will adjust to the new routine and whether or not you'll get everything done with a new baby at home.

Don't worry! There are many things you can do right now that will help make going back to work after maternity leave easier on both of you:


Plan ahead

If you want to leave the house in less than 30 minutes, start your morning routine at least an hour before work.


Don't try to do everything at once

A common mistake is trying to do too much in the morning, especially if it's your first day back after being out on maternity leave (and they were probably long). Instead of getting all dressed up or putting on makeup or blow-drying your hair, focus on getting something done at a time: maybe brush teeth and take off pajamas before applying eye shadow and curling hair with a hot iron? Maybe even have breakfast before making coffee? This way, there's no pressure for everything else—you won't feel like a failure if there's still half of your face yet untouched when you reach the door.


Don't worry about what other people are doing (or thinking)

This means not comparing yourself with other working moms who seem so together that they've already arrived at work in full business attire with perfect hair and makeup—even though there’s still 10 minutes until 9 AM! It also means not worrying about what others might think of the fact that you haven’t had time for showering today (or yesterday). No one else cares how messy or disheveled they see you looking—they just want their coffee fix or newspaper delivered without hassle!


Decide how much time you want to take off before you go back to work

How long you take off depends on your situation. If you want to take a full year off, that's great! You should do that. But if you're thinking of going back to work in six months, that's also fine! You can do whatever makes sense for your family and your own personal circumstances.


There are benefits to taking time off before coming back: it gives the baby and new parents time to bond, which is particularly important for breastfeeding mothers who will need several weeks of exclusive breastfeeding before their milk supply builds up. It also gives new parents some time for themselves without worrying about child care or other responsibilities—as well as an opportunity for getting into good habits around sleep schedules (if applicable).


However, there is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to how much time should be spent with a newborn before returning back into the workplace; every person needs different things during this transition period and everyone deserves respect regardless of where they fall on any given spectrum regarding their decision regarding postpartum leave length.


Get back into a routine early

One of the most important things that can help you feel more relaxed and in control is to get back into a routine as soon as possible. It's also important for your baby, because routines help them to feel safe and secure. The sooner you start to establish a regular schedule, the easier it will be for everyone involved.


Routines are an important part of every child's life—they're what your baby is used to from birth, so they should continue doing what they've always done (eating regularly at certain times during the day, going down for naps at the same time each day) even when they go back home with you full-time after being in hospital or at someone else's house while you were away on leave.


Don't forget about self-care

Self-care is important, but it's not something that comes naturally to everyone. For some people, self-care means relaxing in a bubble bath every night while reading a book. For others, it might mean taking an hour out of their workday to go on a walk or eat lunch away from their desk. Whatever your version of self-care looks like, make sure you take time to do it!


Ways to practice self care:

  • Make sure you get enough sleep. This one is a no-brainer, but it's still important to make time for sleep before heading back to work.

  • Make sure you eat well. Stress can cause us to skip meals or choose unhealthy options that won't give us the energy we need for our first day back at work after having a baby, so be sure to plan out healthy midday snacks and meals so that you'll have plenty of energy throughout the day!

  • Get some exercise in every day! It may be tempting to stay on your feet less during those first few days (or weeks) at home with baby, but regular exercise will help keep your stress levels down while also ensuring that post-baby bloat doesn't leave any permanent effects on your shapely figure! If possible, consider taking advantage of gym memberships or community classes in order to ensure adequate calorie burn without having too much extra time away from home where someone else might need help taking care of little ones while mommy works hard making sure everyone else gets fed properly :)

  • Relaxing activities are important too--don't forget about yourself! Things like baths with bath bombs or massages from loved ones can help make even short spurts between feedings seem relaxing rather than stressful when trying not only get things done around housework but also meet deadlines at work itself; these small breaks can lead


Whether you're a new mom or returning to work after 15 years, we know that going back to work can be stressful. It's important to remember though that there's no right way to do it—everybody has their own experience and what works for one person might not work for another. However, we hope that by sharing some strategies from our own experiences (and the experiences of other working moms), we've given you some confidence in navigating this next step in your journey.


Keep up the great work!

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