Speaking of new moms: Did you see my guest post on The Splattered Apron? Lisa is spending time with her new baby girl and needed some friends to step in and write some posts for her. My article was posted yesterday …check it out if you are looking for a general fitness type of workout.
My job this week:
My job starting next week:
(Okay…not quite since I am not getting a sex change or working for Initech, but you get the point.)
My maternity leave is coming to an end and I’m heading back to work on Monday. Fortunately, I am able to work in the office 3 days a week and at home 2 days a week so that softens the blow a bit, but I am still sad and anxious about leaving my baby at daycare. This past Monday I left him there for a trial run. I always knew it would be hard leaving your baby with a stranger, but had no idea how much harder it is for mom than it is for baby. He did great…smiled and talked up a storm as soon as we got there and seemed happy all afternoon after I picked him up. Me on the other hand…well I didn’t do as much smiling and may or may not have had a mini freak out.
Was it warranted? I don’t know, but I can basically guarantee that if you give birth and spend 11 weeks with a wonderful baby boy (only leaving him with immediate family), it will be very scary and sad for you to leave him with a complete stranger when the time comes. Or maybe, if you are lucky, the time won’t come for a long time!
I have heard of some women getting bored at home and heading back to work early. Needless to say that was not the case with me. Besides not being bored there are still a million things I would have loved to accomplish, books I would have loved to read, places I would have wanted to take Connor. I love the laid back days and lack of any real schedule (besides Connors sleeping and eating schedule of course!). I love seeing my baby all day long. I love snuggling him. I love feeding him. I love taking walks with him. I love him.
Here’s where I can choose to sulk or I can stay positive about this change. I am going with the latter. I am going back to work to provide the best life possible for my family and I know this is what’s best for Connor right now even though it doesn’t always feel that way. This is the first of many schedule changes I’m sure we’ll go through as Connor grows.
I am beyond lucky and blessed and so thankful for the following reasons:
- We have a healthy (and very happy) baby boy. What a blessing. God is good.
- I was able to spend 12 weeks at home with Connor, which is way more than some new moms get to do.
- My husband works his butt off and is an amazing dad.
- My parents are so supportive and helpful and they are the best babysitters in the world. Plus they only live 10 minutes away!
- I have a job, we have an amazing house and we can pay all of our bills.
- Things with our company (Skill of Strength – go ahead…like us on Facebook :)) are going really well and I can’t wait to see and share with you what’s to come.
Extra play time in the mornings and mohawks will probably have to wait until the weekends for now, but we’re gonna make it work.
Any other mom’s out there dealing with going back to work? Any tips for new moms about leaving your baby at daycare?
The biggest thing to remember is that your child will thrive, even in daycare!
Often, one of the tough things to cope with is the guilt of having someone else spend so much time caring for your child. On the other hand, now your child has more than one (or 2) adults that care for him/her. Extra love!
Thank you for posting this! I am scared about what it will be like going back to work and trying to breastfeed while working. I do have a question though. Do you have recommendations for sports bras? I have 3 weeks left until I’ll be given the OK to really start working out again and I’m worried about “leaking” or support. Thank you! Your blog is amazing and I am looking forward to reading more about your adventures with your beautiful boy!
Well…one nice thing about pumping at work is that you get a little time to yourself that you never had before. 🙂 Good luck and let me know how it goes for you!
As for sports bras…I actually don’t have any great recommendations. 🙁 I usually just wear champion sports bras from Target because I didn’t used to need much support, but things are a bit different (LARGER) these days so I have been wearing 2 sports bras. I do have a nice supportive one from Under Armour as well.
Good luck with starting up your workouts again! Let me know if you have any questions. 🙂
Love your article and attitude! How can it not be a win for all? I know many successful working moms with solid fams and fantastic kids heading off to college … Enjoy the time you have cause it will fly.
Thanks. It’s all a lot easier said than done, but trying to stay positive! 🙂
I started work this past Monday and have been having a difficult time with it until this evening. My best friend’s son attends the same daycare and we met up there today and chatted for a bit during pickup. It helps to talk with people who made the same decision. Her son is a little over two years old now – smart, well adjusted, adorable and loves his parents! – something that for some reason I think wouldn’t happen by dropping my little bean off at daycare. I’m obsessed with the idea that she’s not going to love me as much. Crazy.
Anyway, nursing is proving to be difficult as I am lugging extra bags around and am so intent on freezing and storing properly! It’s so important to me to keep breastfeeding though, as it’s helping me feel connected to my little girl. Thanks for sharing your feelings on this and for being so honest! My husband and I had intended on me quitting my job and staying home, but realized the smartest decision would be for me to go back to work.
Thanks again for this post! You made a new mom that was letting guilt get her down feel a lot better. And I love your little Connor! Such a
peanut!
Ok … Now I’m requesting a post once you start work: when do I fit in my workouts?! After prepping my work clothes, packing my lunch, sterilizing bottles, packing Clara’s bag, etc my motivation is sapped even when my husband says, “I’ve got the baby – go for a run!”
It DEFINITELY helps to talk to other moms who are going through this. She is going to love you just the same as always so I don’t think you have to worry about that, but I understand how you would feel that way (and I feel the same way).
No need to feel guilty, you are absolutely doing what’s best for your family and maybe someday what’s best will be you staying home, but that’s just not the case right now.
I’m definitely going to do several follow up posts about being a working mom…including how to fit workouts in. I know I’m going to go from feeling busy…to feeling incredibly busy and overwhelmed pretty dang quick.
Week one is almost behind you! 🙂
I cannot imagine how hard this will be! My heart goes out to you. I was just laid off, but before that happened, I was already freaking out about how I’d return to work. Good luck!
Thanks Jen. I saw that you got laid off. 🙁 Hopefully it’s a blessing in disguise and when you are ready to go back to work there will be a great opportunity for you!