How do you get the energy to do your job after mat leave?!

[Starry4321]

I have been back at work 2 months from mat leave. I took 13 months. My baby is now 15 months old. I have Mondays off , office two days and wfh two days. I am a manager of a small team.

The issue I am having is I have so little energy right now to do a decent job. Half the time in work my brain feels like cotton wool. It’s difficult to focus. My baby is still not sleeping through the night , and I’m still breastfeeding. There’s so many things I feel I should be doing in work but I only have the energy to do some stuff each day. Feeling like a pretty crappy manager as a result. We do need the second salary right now so SAHM not an option.

Is this normal? Anyone else in same boat?

It is exhausting! Has your DP/DH picked up some more of the workload now you're back at work? I see loads of my friends not adjust the split from how it was on mat leave.

I used to catnap on the toilet at work. It was nice and dark and cool in there

I would go to bed at about 8pm.

How is their sleep?

You will get into a routine and things will become easier.

Honestly I’d love to know the answer to this. I have a 15month old bad sleeper too and whilst it was doable on Mat leave, actually trying to perform at work on terrible sleep is impossible. I nearly fell asleep on a work call, my eyes were so heavy!
Definitely joining you with a cotton wool brain over here

My baby is 19 months I've been back 6 months and honestly...the brain is cotton wool thing is spot in. I had to talk in a meeting today and completely embarrassed myself as I can barely string a coherent sentence together anymore

It’s exhausting. I was back to work with both of mine at 3 months old. I’m afraid it’s one of those things you just have to get on with. They’re 3 years old and primary aged now and I still feel exhausted most of the time.

I really remember this.
could you go to three days? Or four short days - I worked 9.30 to 3.00 for years to fit around school runs, my DP would drop the kids off two mornings a week and I had a lie in. It was amazing.

When I first went back to work mine was still waking every hour overnight and continued to do so for about 6 months... it was hell but it gets easier... Just look after yourself and rest when you can, lots of early nights if possible and see if your partner can take on a bit more. Are you still feeding overnight?

**loads of coffee and early nights is how I’m doing it. Just off to bed now!

Would sleep training and/or night weaning be an option?

I have a job where if you take your eye off the ball you can get sued. Just had to bottle feed and sleep train. Didn’t feel great but the economy is what it is sadly