How to Successfully Return to Work After Parental Leave

Set Your Schedule

Before you return to work, determine how many hours you need to work. Can you work part time, as needed, or do you need to return to work full time? Compare your work schedule to your partner’s. Ask yourself if it is more feasible to work less versus utilizing more babysitting services. For my husband and I, we are able to alternate our schedules to only need someone to watch our daughter two to three times a week. This allows us to have one day off together a week. My husband works twelve hour shifts three to four nights a week and right now, I work four eight hour days.

Work Through Your Feelings

It is normal to get emotional at times. Your baby will constantly be on your mind. Sometimes I wondered if I was doing the best thing for Lizzy. Know that you are not alone if you feel this way. Especially on days you feel warn down and dealing with unfriendly customers, remember everything you are doing is for your family.

Let Some Things Go or Ask for Help

Despite how hard you try, you cannot do it all. The house may not be as clean as it was before kids, you may not have the time to make gourmet meals, and the laundry may pile up from time to time. Either be willing to let some things go or ask for help. It is important, however, to get as much rest as possible to sustain you physically and mentally with both parenthood and work.

Babysitters and Planning for the Unexpected

Have a list of extra babysitters to call in case one is sick or unable to watch your child. We had the best luck finding babysitters through local Facebook groups and the Neighbor app. If you and your partner have an emergency, have a person in mind you will delegate the responsibility of taking care of your child until you are able.

Prep for the Next Day

With a child, your time is rarely your own. Because the night and next morning can be unpredictable between feeding times and your baby just wanting to be held, we recommend preparing for work the day prior. Besides our lunches, I make sure to have my breast pump parts washed, my wearable breast pump motors charged, and a cooler ready with empty breast milk storage bottles that I can toss an ice pack into in the morning. If I have to drop off Lizzy to the sitter, I make sure to pack her backpack the night prior with books, sanitized toys, bottles, diapers, wipes, a nose sucker, bibs for when she is really drooling, and a burp cloth. The only this thing I need to pack the morning of for our daughter is breast milk in a cooler with an ice pack.

Set Aside Time to Rewind and Regroup

It is important to find time for yourself to rewind and regroup so that you don’t get burnt out. At three months old when I returned to work, my daughter still wanted to eat every two to three hours. So I could have some time to myself and rest, my husband would give Lizzy a bottle for one of her feedings and bring her to me for the next. Once I got the hang of nursing, I also found this to be a relaxing, as many times, this put my daughter to sleep. I was able to listen to music, read, or scroll on my phone during this time.

Enjoy Time as a Family

Besides the one day a week my husband and I share off together, every month we do something special as a family, such as trying a new restaurant, going on a hike, or planning a mini getaway. This month, we drove down to Texas for the first time and explored the panhandle. See the details of our trip here. Even when your child is a baby, it is good to set aside time as a family, even if it’s just eating dinner together.