It can be a huge challenge to return to work after maternity leave, but you’re not alone. If you feel like your life is full of chaos, try some of these tips for managing the transition back into the 9-to-5 grind.
Find a playgroup
To ease back into working life, it’s important to find a playgroup that suits your needs. If you don’t have any friends with children who are going to the same school as you, or if you’re in a new area and don’t know any other parents yet, it can feel daunting to start making new connections. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to get started—and connecting with other mums is one of the best things about being a parent!
So how do you find out what types of groups are available in your area? Check out this article from our friends at [Mumsnet](https://www.mumsnet.com/blog/en/children-and-toddlers/playgroups-for-parents). It has some great tips for finding the right group for you and your family’s needs.”
Get help with the housework
If you’ve got a partner or family member who can help out, ask them to take on some household tasks. If you don’t have one and your home is becoming a mess, hire a cleaner or babysitter.
Ask your employer to be flexible
- Ask your employer to be flexible. If you’re returning to work after maternity leave, chances are good that you will need some time to ease into your job again. If this is the case, speak up! You can request a flexible schedule or work hours—such as working from home or coming in late one day per week—to help with the transition back into work life.
- Consider a part-time role. If working full-time isn’t possible due to childcare responsibilities (or another reason), consider applying for a part-time job instead. This could be ideal if it allows you more flexibility in scheduling than a full-time position or allows you to take advantage of other benefits such as paid leave and health insurance coverage that were previously out of reach due to income limits on government assistance programs like Medicaid and food stamps.* Look for opportunities for remote work opportunities where possible; sometimes even just having access to resources such as technology like laptops and tablets can allow people living in rural areas far away from major cities thus giving them increased access information online without needing face-to-face interactions with other people who may not understand their needs best practices surrounding mental well being during pregnancy/postpartum periods which causes additional stressors on families because they don’t feel supported by others around them – leading many times towards substance abuse problems because they feel helplessly lost without support systems available locally nearby
Negotiate childcare
Negotiating childcare is a particularly important step for those with young children. First, look into the options available to you—if you are single, it’s important that you have your own childcare figured out. If your partner will be responsible for getting your child to and from school or daycare, make sure that they understand how they can do so while they’re at work. It may also be helpful to discuss how often one of you will pick up their child from school or daycare (and who pays for what).
Don’t feel guilty
It’s natural to feel tired, stressed and emotional when you return to work after maternity leave. But remember:
- You’re allowed to be tired.
- You’re allowed to be stressed.
- You’re allowed to be emotional.
- Being a mum doesn’t mean you have to stop being a worker because being a mum is an important job in itself!
Look after yourself
It’s not easy returning to work after having a baby, but it can be rewarding. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember that it took nine months for your baby to grow inside you. You should give yourself time to adjust and recover from the birth before worrying about anything else. Many women also struggle with postnatal depression, which affects one in seven new mothers after they’ve had a child; talk to your doctor if this sounds like something that might be affecting you or someone close to you—you don’t have to feel alone!
It’s important for mums and dads alike that we look after ourselves during this period of transition: new parents are often sleep-deprived and stressed out as they try and balance their careers with looking after their little ones (and sometimes other family members), so it’s vital that we take time out of our day for ourselves when possible—whether this means going for a walk at lunchtime or having an evening bath and reading a good book.
Just because we’re all busy doesn’t mean there isn’t still time available in our day-to-day lives where we can take care of ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually by making sure we eat well; exercise regularly (even if only 10 minutes each day); getting enough sleep; spending quality time with friends/family; relaxing as much as possible etc! It doesn’t matter what works best for YOU…just make sure whatever YOU find helps keep YOU healthy so YOU can help provide stability & security within YOUR household 🙂
Talk to other mums who’ve returned to work
The best way to manage returning to work after maternity leave is to find other mums who have been in the same situation. By talking to them, you will be able to understand what they went through and they might have tips and advice that could help you too.
You can also get some advice from your employer who will know what the company policies are. Find out if there are any support groups for new mums, such as a breastfeeding group or an after-school club for older children. These groups can be great places for making contacts with other parents and sharing experiences of how things worked out for them when returning to work after maternity leave, or even just before!
Seek out support if you need it.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of returning to work after maternity leave, there are several avenues you can consider.
- Seek out support if you need it. You may find it helpful to connect with other moms who’ve returned to work, or talk with your employer about what types of resources they offer for new mothers (such as mentoring programs). If you have a partner or spouse, ask them if they can help take care of things at home so that your energy is focused on getting back into the swing of things at work.
- Talk to your doctor about any concerns you might have about going back to work sooner than expected due to health reasons or other factors outside of your control. Your doctor will be able to provide guidance and let you know what kind of accommodations could be made in order for this transition period not only easier but safer as well!
As always though remember: whatever decision works best for YOU!
Conclusion
So, if you’re worried about returning to work after maternity leave, don’t be. As long as you’ve prepared yourself and sought out support where necessary, it’s likely that everything will go fine! The most important thing is to remember that the transition back into working life isn’t just for mum—it’s for dad too.