Just when you think you’ve finally got it all figured out…life throws a great big wrench in the works!
Many people told me that being home for three months can get tough and that I would be itching to get out of the house and back to work. The transition might be a little rough, but in the end I’d be glad for the change of pace. Well…that just simply wasn’t the case with me!
I’ve been back at work for almost a month now and I can’t say that it’s getting any easier. I can completely rationalize the necessity but there’s a large part of me that feels like I’m doing something wrong. My precious baby girl is a joy and has made the transition for herself very well. She has two days of daycare and three days of being doted on by adoring grandparents. Life couldn’t be better! Meanwhile… as I still struggle to come to grips with it all, here are some things that helped along the way.
- Pumping is NOT easy. If you’ve been doing it all along like I had been, that’s great. But pumping every day, multiple times a day, five days a week is rough. I’ve kept it up thus far and will continue to do so. But it definitely impacted my milk supply and overall just isn’t fun. If you’re pumping at work, you have to remember a million things every day before you leave including the bump, bottles, a cooler etc.
- Plan ahead! Try to get everything you need and baby needs together the night before. I set aside everything from bottles and cereal to my outfit, and whatever else I might need for the day.
- Laundry just doesn’t stop! I use every spare minute in the morning to throw on a wash or transfer clothes to the drier. No matter how many bibs, socks or outfits you have for the babe…they get spat up on within seconds and you’re left with nothing. The best method to combat this is just constant cycling of the washer/dryer. It’s a pain, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been about to walk out the door only to experience a spit-up catastrophe.
- Time to grow up. While you and your significant other may have played the “replace the toilet roll” or “throw out the trash” game one too many times in the past, all bets are off! There simply isn’t time in the day and the bottom line is, if you notice something needs addressing…no one else will get to it before you do! By taking the initiative and being one step ahead, you’re saving a whole lot of frustration later on when you reach for the baby wipe container only to find it’s STILL empty. No kidding!
- Take advantage of the time you have. It is frustrating that you spend more time at work than you do with your child (when they’re awake at least). It’s difficult to cope with but learning to appreciate the time you DO have makes it just a little bit easier. Weekends and evenings are devoted to family time and you can make up for a lot of lost moments then. Seeing that great big grin when you walk in the door is just priceless.
Hang in there…it’s almost Friday!
