Post your going back to work tips here

[CarrieMumsnet]

We have some "expert" tips on going back to work from Philips AVENT?S first baby feeding and wellbeing advisor which you can read here but we'd also love to get your top tips on how you coped if/when you went back to work after giving birth.

Everyone who sends a tip will be entered into a prize draw to win a Philips SENSEO Pod Coffee Maker (RRP £50) and a Philips Aluminum Juicer (RRP £100).

Good luck

(now just give me a minute to add this link (and the other site stuff one) to the Philips AVENT mini site before you all go looking at it ) Thanks!

If going back to work in the autumn, make sure you buy your new going-back-to-work clothes months in advance, as by Oct/Nov there'll be nothing in the shops but Christmas party wear!

Make a mental list of the new skills/benefits you've gained from being a parent that will help you in your job. (Mine include the fact that I never procrastinate any more and am vastly more efficient, and opportunities to network with all the people I meet at work who also happen to be parents!)

even if you are ambivalent about going back don't put off sorting out your childcare

maintain a link with your immediate boss through maternity leave. Your job plan may alter...have a meeting before you go back to discuss duties/changes/hours etc

when there enjoy the whole of that first cup of hot coffee without worrying that anyone will knock it over.....

Although your child may create a fuss when you drop them off at childcare, within 2 minutes they will be loving it ! Be strong and walk away, telling them you will be back to collect them later, and then phone the carer 10 minutes later for peace of mind if you need to. Even little ones can be crafty at pulling at the heart-strings, and the carer won't mind ! Your approach will pay dividends once they start school and are used to saying goodbye, knowing that they will see you later.

Try and remember that you are important too, and it is really OK to feel relief at work that you are being treated as an adult with a brain, rather than a nappy-changing multi-tasking super mummy. The childcarer WILL phone you if they need you ! A change is as good as a rest, and you and your family will benefit together if you feel you are being valued as an individual as well as a parent.

Go easy on yourself with the chores at home - things will slip once you are balancing work committments with quality family time, and you also need to try to give yourself a bit of time out. It's taken me 2 children, 6 and a half years, a period of clinical depression and a career change, but finally I am lucky enough to have achieved a balance with work and home that works for us. Don't compare yourself with others - everyone and every family is different, and you must DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOURS !!!

Remember to speak to your employer about childcare vouchers and make sure your CM/nursery takes them. You can save quite a bit!

Chose your childcare carefully - you will need peace of mind to settle back into your job. I chose a CM as she gave me the flexibilty and home environment I wanted for DS, but others may want the social environment a nursery gives, etc... Visit all options before you decide and try and have an open mind.

I have a "to do" list on the fridge door - for the night before and the work morning. Means I don't forget something silly like taking EBM out of the freezer or packing my breast pump.

Do everything you can the night before including putting teabag into mug, putting ceral into bowls and cling-filming them.

Get up 15 minutes earlier than you need to.

remember that it will take time to adjust to the differnt pace. allow yourself plenty of shortcuts at the begining - and dont keep reassesing in your ahead if you have done the right thing. Put it off till at least 2 months.

Don't have a photo of your dc on your desk!

If at all possible get DH/DP to take some time off for your first few days back at work, or at least arrange for him to be able to do the Nursery/Childminder run. I found it a real help that my first week back I only had to worry about me, not getting ds1 to Nursery, and if I was in the middle of doing something towards the end of the day it wasn't a huge problem because I didn't have to dash off to do pick up either.

Get bags ready the night - work out a morning routine with your husband/partner so no one gets to stressed - remember kid(s) don't understand 'we're late' so pushing older ones to rush just won't happen and your stress levels could go up. Once you have a morning routine in place things run smoother. And maybe make another 'mommy friend' from the nursery to commute to work with - I had one that after the drop we trained in together and kept each other relaxed with idle chat.

Try to start back mid week so your first week is a short one to ease you in slowly.

Don't do all the rushing around yourself! Remember that DP/DH is equally capable of dropping off/picking up, and if the nursery/CM has his contact details it won't always be you that has to drop everything when they fall over/sneeze/spike a temperature.
Failing that, if you're flush get a (super-healthy) nanny.
Finally I would recommend full time working; it's easier to get everyone into a routine when every day is (almost) the same; and you will appreciate weekends much more. Part -time work is rarely rewarded properly, and you may never get taken seriously in the workplace again, especially at promotion time (sad, but true...)

up early

be organised (everything ready the night before as far as possible)

I had to take dd's food to the CM before dd was one, so I worked out a food plan at the start of the week so I didn't have to think about what I was going to take every day

work out a routine with your partner for the mornings
eg I usually drop off so I get up first and get myself ready, he gets dd dressed in the meantime.

enjoy the freedom and make the most of the time you have with your dc

Make sure your work clothes fit a couple of weeks before going back to work, so no nast shocks the day before.
Sit down with DH/DP and work out who will do what, for at least the first couple of weeks, especially if you've been off for a while, otherwise you can end up doing all the chores and working.
Online shopping is a godsend - order a weeks food from your desk on a break, and it gets delivered in the evening.
A month before you go back, start getting in the routine of getting up, fed, dressed and ready to be out the door when you would need to be for work.
If you are worried about getting out the door from work on time, set up your calendar with a recurring appointment at the time you absolutley must leave, with reminders to go off when you should. One of my colleagues sends a meeting request to her husband when he needs to pick the kids up so that his phone will beep at him when he should be leaving (he often forgets).
If you are bfing, a double pump, with more than one set of pump heads is a godsend. I packed everything in a click seal box the night before, and put the milk in a wash bag in the canteen fridge, then home in my insulated lunch bag.
Have lots of sets of clothing for child - nothing worse than getting behind on the washing and finding nothing for them to wear.
If you wear a jacket to work, don't put it on at home or until you have dropped off at childcare - then the snot on your shoulder won't show. In fact a change of clothes at work is a good thing for when they puke/snot/smear on you and you haven't noticed.
Cut yourself some slack, and develop a robust attitude to interfering minnies who tell you what a Bad Thing you are doing.

Make use of KIT days (keeping in touch days). You are now permitted to have ten days throughout your maternity leave period when you can work (and be paid. Ask your employer if you can use these to work say two days per week for the first five weeks. This helps you to adjust slowly to working, helps your child to adjust to their new childcare arrangements AND you get two days pay per week for the last five weeks of your mat leave.

Make the most of the positives eg enjoy the freedom of having what you want for lunch, when you want it and in relative peace and quiet!

be ready the night before, kids clothes set out and agreed on to avoid mornign arguments

set breakfast stuff out night before

get up early enough to be ready before kids up

give DH specific duties so he doesn't wind you up e.g. walk dog, make coffee, supervise teeth brushing

enjoy getting out of the house and havign adult conversation

enjoy coming home again and spending time disucssing what everyone's been up to

have tea together

At least once a week try to make a meal with double the ingredients so you can reheat the following night, or freeze for a night when it's going to be hectic.
Get groceries via the Internet to be delivered one evening. Do the grocery shop online during your lunch hour.

Find other parents of young children in your office/ workplace for a mutual parenting support group- having someone to sympathise about lack of sleep, childcare issues etc really helps. And you might get some good advice.

My tips for returning to work as as follows:
When you're at work focus on work when you're at home focus on you and your family and try not to blur the lines between the two.
Cook extra food at the weekend so you can reheat some meals during the week.
Find some supportive people at work such as other working parents.
Accept your kids will get ill and have a plan in place to deal with it before the problem arises ie. who will take time off to look after them (This should improve as they get older).
Don't feel guilty about working.
Enjoy the adult Company and being able to go to the loo in peace!!

Message withdrawn

Wear an outfit you love first day back.
Try and start with a short week.
Expect it to take time for your brain to expand to deal with work pressures/juggling life.
Don't expect to walk in and do everything as well as you used to immediately - if you have a sympathetic boss try to start with a lessened work load for the first couple of months. Expect it to take 4-5 months to get fully up to speeed if you have a full on career job.

Be as ready as you can before you get db up.
Eat breakfast together as a family.
find a sympathetic ear at work to ofload to.
Change out of work clothes as soon as you walk in the front door.
Don't sneak away from your child when leaving them but make good bye and kisses a daily ritual.
When buying children's clothes buy for the next size up too to save trips.
t'internet shopping rules.
If you take time of work it cn be nice to spend quality time just with DH while chid is being cared for .
Enjoy getting the excited welcome that used to be reserved for daddy coming home from work.
Enjoy adult conversation and wearing non baby friendly clothes.
Enjoy having a reason to leave work dead on time and be amazed at how much you can fit in to your actual work hours without doing half the extra hours you used to feel you had to put in.

Buy some new non-child friendly clothes. Make sure you empty your handbag of bibs, raisins, nappies, wet wipes as v. embarrassing to pull these out of bag by mistake at work. Enjoy adult conversation at work and going to the loo in peace!!!

The best piece of advice I was given for returning to work was to hand my notice in as soon as I got back ! I did this, worked my requisite three months notice and have not regretted a single day. I am now a registered childminder and have the best of all worlds, especially two beautiful and fun little girls

Be as firm as possible about your hours and try to stick to them for as long as possible. Concentrate on work at work as your baby will be fine unless you hear otherwise, and then concentrate on home at home.

Try to enjoy work if at all possible - if you have to go back you might as well enjoy it and see it as time for yourself to be a grown up, not 'just' a Mum, for a few (or many...) hours each day.