Tips for going back to work

[Twicethehugs]

I'm back at work 3 days/week in 3 weeks and just wondering how I'm going to get me and two babies ready and out the door in time so any tips would be appreciated especially from mums of twins. My husband leaves early and is back late so I'll be on my own.

[Twinsplusonesurprise]

Ah twice you'll get used to it.
I used to get everything possible ready the night before - bags packed, clothes out, breakfast dishes ready etc.
Get up yourself a bit before twins so you can shower and dress then all you've got to do is deal with little ones.
I did hugely encourage the girls to learn to dress themselves too and now, unless they are super contrary, they can get themselves dressed head to toe. Good luck!

[Georgia82]

Hello,

I work 3 days a week too, but only just started back.

What I have found so far is getting everything ready the night before ( and I mean everything). Showered before the babies are up and dressed etc.. But then I throw my dressing gown on just in case we have any milk / breakfast / sick incidents!

I also have bottles etc.. Ready for evening return.

Good luck!

PS have such a lovely time with them on my days off!! And their little faces when I pick them up...

[Twicethehugs]

Thank you both. Good to hear from others who manage to get everyone out of the house and to work on time! It's helpful to know what you do, a long term tip of getting them to dress themselves and how nice days off with them are. They're at a lovely age and I think I'll miss them terribly as well as being worried about going back to work. All pretty normal I guess!

[andadietcoke]

twice how old are they? I'm looking at nurseries for mine at the moment and am an emotional wreck. They're late August borns and I worry so much about them developmentally, and have massive guilt because I'm the main earner and so have to go back to work, and work won't let me do reduced hours or condensed hours. I feel like I'm going to be missing out on all the good stuff (after essentially surviving the last few months). They'll be 9 months when they start at nursery.

[ceeveebee]

I went back to work 3 days a week and as i'm out of the house for 10-11 hours on work days (and DH for ldecided to use a nanny instead - I

[ceeveebee]

Aarh iPhone!

As I'm out 10-11 hours and DH for longer, we went for a nanny instead. In fact she costs less than 2 x nursery places as well. She arrives at 8am and I leave, so she deals with breakfast and dressing them, and also gets them ready for bed if I am later than 6 (as is usually the case). They're now 2.2 and going to start 2 mornings at preschool with a breakfast club so I'll have to get them out of the house by 8 - not lo

[Twicethehugs]

Thanks ceeveebee, we did consider a nanny but nursery suits us better and my husband is a teacher so we have a nursery for term time only.

andadietcoke, my twins are nearly one year old. They're at a really nice age so I know what you mean about feeling like you'll miss out after the hard early months. I met staff from nursery yesterday and it hit me how hard it will be to leave them at nursery. Setting in sessions start next week, I think they'll be good for me as well as the twins to get used to the idea! I'm comforting myself with the fact that at least they'll be together so there will always be a familiar face with them. I have heard of some twins settling better at nursery because of this so fingers crossed ours will too!

[thegirlinthesassyspace]

Hi I went back when girls were 10 months, also 3 days a week. Feel very lucky to have the 3 days as feel it is the perfect balance - not too much work (not enough go get sucked into office politics) but enough to use brain and contriBute to household, then enough time with girls- 4 days- to feel its quality time. I shower the night before as one day out the 3 I have to go before girls wakeup, that day dh takes them to work AND collects them+does bedtime. Luckily nursery provides breakfast and dinner so there is nothing to get ready really, though I do leave out/preparet bedtime pjs, bedtime milk, and bedtime book, so I don't have to think or panic and things stay calm

[thegirlinthesassyspace]

When dh job changes next year we will not have the flexibility of him being able to take them to nursery, so that particular day I will get a nanny who can arrive at 8am, and who can be with them even if they become a bit poorly that day. At the beginning of going back to work we struggled really with the number of times one of us had to drop everything at work and go and collect the girls as they were ill. It's worth keeping your hols reserved for this purpose! The first 9 weeks our girls only managed a whole week of nursery twice.! That can be quite frustrating as it stops you gaining momentum at work and you can feel very torn between work and babies. But, now 4 months in things have settled down and we have a very busy but practiced weekly routine! Good luck being back in work and enjoying hot cups of coffee again!xx

[Twicethehugs]

Thank you sassyspace. I have heard children tend to pick loads of bugs when they start nursery so am saving a few days leave for that, really hoping they're not ill too much though as I'll have to take unpaid leave and it will be tricky with work! It sounds like it's taken a while for you all to settle in to the new routine but good to know it works now, hope it goes well for you with the next change and hope you find a good nanny.