how did you feel going back to work after maternity leave?

[miniegg]

my six months maternity leave is almost up and i'm feeling totally miserable at the thought of going back to work..
my job pays well and i used to quite enjoy it but I'm not sure how i'm going to get back into it after such a life changing experience as having a baby. He is five months old now and I go back on Jan 8th. My heart just isn't in my job any more.
We have a very big mortgage and can't move from this expensive area just now as my stepson, who lives with us, is half way through his A-Levels and we need to wait till he finishes school. My husband's job situation is not very secure. So basically I really do have to go back, at least for a year-18 months.
This isn't a sob story - we have a lovely flat, happy life, etc! but I am just dreading the return to work after this amazing, special, time.
I am already planning for the next baby so i can get more maternity leave!
any tips/shared experiences? what was it like leaving your little one to go back to work - how did you feel? is it worse thinking about it, and better once you actually get back into the swing? or is that wishful thinking on my part?

[dylanandellie]

Hi
I returned to work when my ds was around the same age as yours. I dreaded it at first and hated leaving him....but gradually I started to enjoy it again and found it left me more pleased than ever to be with my son on my days that I didn't work. I have to say, be incredibly organised - get EVERYTHING ready the night before (even lay out your clothes etc.) and if you haven't already got one, buy a slow cooker!!
Also, make sure you are happy with your childcare arrangements - if you can relax about that, it really helps. I was fortunate to have grandparents caring for my ds and he has a brilliant relationship with them now still.
I was lucky - I only worked 2 days per week and was only back at work for 1 year and I left for maternity leave for dd!
Good luck!

[mummynumnum]

I went back roughly the same time as you last year after 7mths maternity leave. I was really worried and it was a real shock to the system, but after a few weeks I was back in the swing of it and I really enjoy my quality time with dd now and she loves her nursery. You do have to be quite organised in the morn though! Good luck.

[reikizen]

I ran back to work both times whooping with joy but I am officially a bad mother...

[NotEvenHopingForAWhiteXmas]

I am also going back to work on Jan 8th. The closer it gets, the worse I feel . I left DD at her first solo settling in session at nursery a couple of weeks ago and felt physically sick when I walked out. It doesn't help that she is really really clingy- I have to peel her fingers off me to put her down so I can drink a cup of tea, and she screams

[lisad123]

I went back to work when dd1 was 6 months old. She was with my mum. I wroked in aschool from 9-3.25pm. I hated it, dd cried all the time, so i quit couldnt do it any longer.
Lucky for me another temp job came up 2 days a week at good pay, so did that instead. Then stayed working perm with them
Im not due to go back this time till spet, so dd2 will be 1year old by then. Im not going back to my old job, too stressful

[Padds]

I am about to go back to work too (my DS is 6 months old), and wondering how in the world anyone copes!! Am absolutely having to go back (DH doesn't work) but its killing me and keeping me awake even in anticipation. Please someone say that LOs survive.

[robinredbreast]

good luck to those that are going back to work tomorrow

hope it goes well

[Nyx]

Just thought I'd say that I went back to work when my DD was about 6 months too; the thought was much worse than the reality. As dylanandellie said, it made me appreciate time spent with DD even more (and I didn't think that would be possible!) It was also good in a way that I hadn't thought of - it was a luxury to sit down with a cup of tea, even if it was at my desk and I was bf so it was nice to let my poor sore nipples get a rest while I was at work (I honestly believe that's how I managed to bf for over a year - if I was at home fulltime after 6 months I would have given up earlier, I'm sure of it).

Good luck from me too! I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think.

[geekymummy]

After a year off I went back today, thankfully not as bad as I thought it would be. My boss is understanding so less stress there, I missed DD so much!

[robinredbreast]

aww gky glad it went well and was as bad as you thought it might be

its good that everyone gets a year off now isnt it?

[Twinklemegan]

I was dreading it, but the thought was definitely worse than the reality (that was until the sh*t hit the fan a month later when it became a nightmare, but that was nothing to do with being a WOHM).

I've changed jobs now and whilst I still don't exactly like being a WOHM, I really do like my job and that's enough to motivate me to keep going.

[robinredbreast]

hi twinkle i think you are doing so well supporting your family, what time do you have to get up in the am

[Twinklemegan]

Aww thanks rrb. I'm up at 6am to catch the 7am train - DH and DS have to get up too to take me to the station. Back home at 6pm.

I'm on here this am checking the weather reports. Heavy snow forecast. Will train be running?

[robinredbreast]

i hope the train was cancelled so you get to enjoy a nice lazy day
i don't know how i cope gtting up at 6am every day
is your ds a good sleeper at night?

[Twinklemegan]

Yes he's a very good sleeper, thank God (touching wood madly). The train wasn't cancelled sadly - there wasn't a sniff of snow all day. So much for the Met Office.

[MummyClaudia]

It still is a big adjustment... I’ve just started my first full week.
I wrote about it here in my blog
mumslife360.simplesite.com/