After the maternity leave, going back to work is not easy. After spending so much time with your baby, you are forced to invest part of that time at work and not with him. To make this process more bearable, we give you some tips that will facilitate the return to work.
Reconciling your work life with your family life is sometimes quite complicated. When we are mothers we try to extend the maternity leave by adding vacations, nursing days and other days of license. But sooner or later, it’s time to return to work and stop being 24 hours in the care of your baby.
If you have lived it, surely you have had a very unpleasant moment in which thousands of doubts invade you, especially if you are a new mother, who will take care of my baby? grandparents? my partner? Do I take him to a daycare? Do I hire a nanny?
Take it easy, follows these tips and the return to work will be much easier.
Organize your new routine
Two or three weeks before returning to work organize your new routine. Partner planning is essential. We must try to combine our professional careers, schedules and personal life.
Maybe, during the first weeks, the conciliation may be more complicated. The most important thing is to distribute equally the household tasks and responsibilities with the baby.
We can also anticipate some tasks, such as spending some afternoon or day of the weekend to prepare meals and freeze them, since most of them can stand up to three months in the freezer and this will save us a lot of time.
Reconciliation with the company
Before returning to work, talk to your boss to catch up with the changes that have occurred in the company. Maybe during your absence leadership roles, responsibilities, projects, etc. may have changed.
If your boss is open to dialogue, try to find different conciliation alternatives. For example, both parents and mothers can choose to:
- Reduced working hours: All workers with children under the age of twelve are entitled to a reduction in working hours. You can choose the time that best suits you, within the usual work hours. The reduction of working hours will be reflected in a proportional reduction of salary.
- Breastfeeding permit: Find out if it is possible to accumulate your lactation permit for maternity leave in your company. Or, it is obligatory to enjoy it as a permit of one hour daily during the first nine months.
- Work from home: If your work allows you, you can ask your boss to work from home two or three days a week. Or, work during the mornings in the office and in the evenings from your home
Who will take care of your baby?
The return to work means that for several hours, you will have to go to your office while another person is watching your baby. Finding a trustworthy person means caring for him/her in the best hands and is one of the most difficult decisions parents face. Who will take care of my baby? We can choose between several options:
- Grandparents: They are always the first option. For them, spending time with the baby will be very rewarding, and grandparents who care for their grandchildren often live longer. Family ties are always positive, and will make your children more “pampered” than you already do.
- Daycare: Normally most daycare centers accept babies from four months of age. Take time to choose the one that best suits you and the baby according to the area, the services, the price … It is always a good idea to ask, meet the person who will take care of your baby and even ask other mothers who have their children in the center. This will give you more confidence and tranquility when you have to be in your job, which will have a better performance.
- Nanny: Take your time to choose a good nanny. Start interviewing candidates and ask the opinion of your friends. It will be very positive for the baby to develop bonds of trust with people outside his family environment. You can always ask for references to friends and family of nannies who have had and have cared for their children the way you do. A person related to you is the ideal option.
We hope our recommendations help make your return to work after maternity leave much easier. If you have been a mother and know other tips, share it in the comments below. Ii is sure you can continue helping new parents!
