I went back to work when my daughter was 6 months (I’m lucky to get that long off but everyone around me ((NCT group and friends)) have taken 1 year off to be with their baby).
She’s now 8 months old and I feel so disconnected with her. I love her more than anything but there’s not that “special” bond between us. She smiles at everyone the same way she smiles at me. She’s happy to be away from me and barely notices when I drop her off at nursery. I feel she’s more attached to her Dad/my husband than me. She beams at him, tries to crawl towards him. Whereas sometimes it feels like she doesn’t even glance at me. I get so upset and am struggling so much. Almost like I’m desperate for her love… sounds silly.
I feel I went back to work at a time where she’s starting to notice people and form bonds and because I’ve gone back to work we don’t have that Mum/Baby bond that I thought was meant to happen. I wish I’d taken longer maternity leave.