Back to work - JAN 2007 - support thread

[iPodForLifeNotJustForChristmas]

Hidyho!

I'm back to work in Jan07 after 1year off. Am starting to panic a bit - Anyone else??!! Tought a kindof antenatalthread rip-off might steady the nerves!

Here's me:

ipod -
Occupational Therapist in Rehabilitation Team
Plymouth
1year off
DS 21months old, Single
Working 3 days a week

Sounds like the best thing to do - March will be here before you know it and it is only 2 days a week (and one of those is half-term) - just watch her with those Twirls though now he is on solids !!

so that i dont have to keep hijacking here's my msn - that is if you want it it would be nice to chat and update more regularly.

[email protected]

Thanks - that is fab - this is going to sound stupid but is that your e-mail or messenger address (not that I know how the messenger thing works!)

it is both as far as i know, but i dont really use it for email, i use the yahoo one that you have of mine(i think)

Hi all, hope I can join in although its only for a temporary measure. I have a 5 month old ds and am going back to work FULL TIME on Monday but its only for 4 weeks as have been made redundant but am happy about it as they're giving me a great pay off so am then able to be a SAHM for rest of the year. I'm going to miss my little man and just hope this wont upset him too much. How does everybody get on with getting ready for work? I'm thinking of getting myself ready within an hour then waking ds for his first feed and have at least half hour with him before I take him to my moms. I'm awful at organisation so will have to everything the night before, ie bag, my lunch and iron my clothes. Surely 2 hours is enough time? Any tips appriated! tia x

Welcome Mama!

In the mornings, I am doing exactly what you suggested - I get up at 6 (!), have a shower, dry hair, do make-up, have breakfast (don't get dressed as DS has a habit of puking!) - then feed DS at 7, dress him and me and out of the house at 7.45 - has worked ok for the last couple of days.

Work was ok again today. Am feeling tons better as DS seems to be enjoying nursery so much that how can I feel guilty about him being there? When I went to pick him up tonight, he was so giddy and giggling away and the staff had written in his book that he had been in a fantastic mood and smiling at everyone so he must be enjoying it. Plus, added bonus is that he is so exhausted (but not in the grumpy, whingy, unsettled way) that he is falling asleep during his last bottle and in bed by 7pm so I get the evenings to sort everything out!

Hiya Ceebee, thanks for your advice hun. Sounds like your ds is having a ball at nursery? I'm also hoping that by getting up earlier my ds will get an earlier bedtime routine going. At the moment he stays up until 10ish-8ish, (even if its 8-9ish would be a blessing!)

Hi everyone,

Am going back tomorrow (aaaggghhh!) after 6 months off with DS. Encouraging to read that others have survived and are even enjoying it.

Have overcome the trauma of leaving him at nursery - have had a few trial days and he seems to have settled in.

Just worried about managing to stay awake as he is waking in the night again (don't know why) have started weaning him and he eats absolutely loads! Consequently, i am already shattered all the time, never mind doing a 10 hr day mon-fri as well!
Oh well, I decided to have a baby!!!

Mumofben - good luck tomorrow

Well have got through the last few days ok although I shed few tears when I had to leave him yesterday. How have you got on mumtoben? I was expecting big smiles and lots of excitment when I went to pick up ds but he almost ignored me and was happily playing away. Making me wonder if he actually missed me at all lol .

thanks ceebee!

Well, first day back was really good, actually, even though the work load has probably doubled since I left, and I've already brought work home tonight (yes, on my second day back!)

However, I have to say, I feel much more like "me" again, even my DH commented last night, as although I was shattered, I was actually chatting about work and not just sitting there monged and feeling brain dead.

Anyway, just like bighotmama, DS hardly noticed when I went to pick him up - none of his usual big smiles - he seemed happy enough sitting with one of the girls. He's obviously coping better than I am at the separation! I've got over the guilt really, as I think nursery will do him good in the long run. Only problem seems to be he doesn't sleep as well there cos other babies keep waking him up - he usually sleeps 2 hrs solid in the afternoon at home.

Also, me waking up earlier to get ready before getting him up is waking him up even though I tiptoe around - anyone else having this??

Know what you mean about tip toeing around in the morning...we live in a 2 bed flat and its so hard to NOT make any noise as his room is central to the kitchen living room our room, we have started shutting his door but my DH is so clumsy and always bangs a cupboard or something and we start rowing in whispers ha!
I still feel a bit brain dead though and as if I've been living in another world the last 7 months.

me too - it's been really strange for me, being at home all day. I still felt tired all the time, but without the buzz of adrenaline you get from doing something challenging, like being busy at work. To me, the days were very long and seemed like an endless slog, watching depressing daytime tv, wearing baggy comfy clothes (covered in sick stains) not bothering with make up / hair (lipstick's a waste of time when you just keep kissing baby all day anyway!) aaahhh

but, you say you're going to be a sahm againg soon??
I have definitely learned that it was not for me, however much I adore my DS and want the best for him . I really admire mums who can happily give up their careers to be sahm - personally, I struggled and didn't feel I was giving him my best as it's hard to remain upbeat and enthusiastic with fresh energy everyday, day after day.

I didnt wash my hair for like 5 days which is a record for me lol! Some days I never got out my pj's but I must admit I enjoy being a lazy tart around the house! But it feels great to get up have shower put some slap on and give a dam about what I'm going to wear.
Am going to be leaving work for good on 28th Feb as being made redundant but I do work weekends aswell so its nice for me to have the week days free, and am maybe thinking of starting up a nail business later this year so can work from home. What do you do Mumtoben?

lol at lazy tart!! someone asked me the other day if I was going to miss being a "lady of leisure" - well, I didn't say this to her, but I never felt like that - esp in the first couple of months - I just felt haggard!

I'm a manager in a nursing home for the elderly (people with dementia) - so stressful, challenging, but very rewarding (mostly!)

hello

I started new job last week, for the first time in 5 years after career break for 2 kids. It's a new job, in a different sector so had all the potential of stress and panic. But was really easy, honestly.

Totally concur with the earlier thread. I loved being sahm, but I love the excitement of getting dressed for work, nice clothes and great job. I find it MUCH easier than being sahm: I have a whole lunch time - to myself ! Luxury. Time flies, and I can organise my workload and team much better than I could organise a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old!

Nannies are fab: I come home (work is 15 mins walk away, and 3 days/ week), and the house is tidy, the kids are fed and tired and delighted to see me but not stressed at having missed me. It is perfect.

Well its great if you enjoy your job but tbh my full time job is a random office job, not rewarding or challenging. I work in a sales office for a concrete company. I prefer my weekend job singing in a band is great fun and more like a hobby but getting paid too.

Your nanny sounds ace Xoxo, she does your housework too? Does she charge extra lol?

Nope, same price as others (less really as CIH!)
lovely, lovely woman

TBH I'm just enjoying the rest from being at work

Know the feeling when I'm at home it feels like I am on the go constantly, didnt get to bed till 12 last night am shattered today. I can relax at work as its really laid back. Tomorrow is nan's day off we've got a friend babysitting at ours so I've got to try and fit in some housework tonight somehow House is a tip!

gosh floating - that's exactly how I feel - I've only been at work since Mon and I feel so much more alive mentally, and I don't know whether I'm really that much more knackered, tbh. It's a different kind of tired to the tiredness and fed up-ness I felt being at home for the last 6 months...

Hi everyone - glad you are all doing ok at work.

Have to agree that although I am shattered after a day at work, it is a different kind of tired. Plus it is fab doing my make-up, hair and choosing clothes again - still think I would prefer to be at home but it is not as bad as I thought.

DS still seems to be having a whale of a time at nursery so how can I feel guilty??

Had the dreaded 'nightmare' this evening - a tanker set on fire on the motorway shutting the whole system down, so it took me 2 hours to get home (normally takes 25 minutes) - nursery shuts at 6 so I had to get MIL to collect DS (which I really really didn't want to do - EVER!) and she had to sit with him in her car until I got there at 7 - poor child was exhausted, hungry and he has got a cough! How guilty did I feel and it wasn't even my fault!

But the worst thing was that whilst stuck in traffic, not moving, I was really upset cos all day I had been looking forward to seeing my little man at 5.30 and I was missing him so much!

On the work front - it is pretty crap. I have work to do so sit there twiddling my thumbs a lot! Hardly challenging (but I do get the occasional MN time!) - really hope it picks up soon!!