(Photo courtesy of @acharlestonmom)
Tips for New Mums Going Back to Work
For many working mums, one of the best parts of having a baby -- besides the actual new baby part, of course -- are the blissful months your Out of Office reply is turned on. You get to enjoy the heavenly nest of newborn deliciousness while not having to worry about any deadlines or dramas going on in the office. But maternity leave must come to an end, and when it does, it can be a rude awakening for any working mum--even those who live for their nine to fives. Here, our top tips for new mums after maternity leave is over:
Prepare to be Weepy
Regardless if this is your first child or your fifth, you might find yourself to be a wee bit emotional during those first weeks back. You've had endless baby snuggles over the past few months and plus your hormones might still be out of whack. Make sure you have a box of tissues on your desk and be ready to head for the nearest bathroom stall if you feel the waterworks about to come on. Checking in with your childcare provider a couple set times during the day helps. Ask them to send you a pic of the day so you can get a little taste of what your little one is up to, which is probably a lot of sleeping, pooping and drooling at this point.
Request to Work from Home
Do you dream about working from home at least one day a week? If so, don't be shy about it. In this day and age where pretty much anything can be done as long as you have strong WiFi and a laptop, telecommuting has become par for the course and really NBD. For many full time working mums, working from home is the norm. Your boss probably has an inkling you'd like to work remotely, now that you've got a new baby at home. So get up the guts and ask. Write down a formal proposal and include details about which days you'd like to work from home, how you'll be communicating with your team members and identify at least a few ways that working from home will make you a better employee.
Sneak in a Morning Yoga Session Before Work
There's nothing quite like a vinyasa session to relax you and put your mind at ease about all things work. If you can't get to the yoga studio before work, try streaming a class online, many of these platforms allow you to select type, time and level. Put baby in their dock while you get into downward dog and all is right with the world.
Learn Some Time-Saving Mum Hacks
The juggle is real. If your sanity is hanging on by a thread, don't worry mama, we totally feel you. Sometimes the simplicity of just taking a hot shower before work or cooking dinner at night without having baby crying for you, can be all it takes to help you relax after a long day at the office. Turn to your Deluxe+ dock to help you multitask like a mother.
Transitioning back to work after maternity leave can be hard. Investing in a baby dock can make life easier for working mums.