As a new working mom, navigating motherhood and your career can be quite a bit of a challenge as you have two full-time jobs. For most moms, this challenge comes with a feeling of guilt for not being around their baby while they’re working and the guilt of not being at work while they’re at home.
In addition to this, you may face troubles getting your baby to sleep through the night. This could leave you feeling exhausted throughout the day along with the fluctuating hormones of the postpartum period.
There isn’t a book or a guide that you can follow to balance work and motherhood because everyone’s situation is different. However, there are thousands of mommies who have taken on this challenge and come out on top. Navigating this transition will take some work and effort. Here are some helpful tips to make this transition as smooth as possible for you and your little one:
- Plan ahead for your maternity leave:
Share the news of your pregnancy with your boss and colleague as soon as you feel comfortable doing so. This way, you can plan and get support in advance for your absence. Document your responsibilities, ongoing tasks, and instructions to make it easy for your replacement to catch up. Collaborate with your team the best way you can so that the work does not suffer.
- Plan in advance for your return to work:
It’s better to decide in advance what your work situation will be like when you return from your maternity leave. Would you be working full-time or part-time? What will your working hours look like? Don’t hesitate to request some flexibility in such situations.
- Connect with fellow moms at your workplace:
Building relationships with other working moms at work can be helpful. They can help you navigate this transition and the particulars of your office culture, what to prepare for, what to look out for, things to consider, and so on.
- Stay connected while on maternity leave:
Don’t lose touch with your boss and colleagues while you’re away on your maternity leave. Remain connected with your team in order to stay up to date on the happenings in your office. This will help take some stress off, knowing you’re not completely out of the loop and you won’t be left playing catch up when you return to work.
- Set realistic goals and expectations:
It’s important to accept that no matter how much you love your job, the first few months back are going to be challenging. Therefore, set realistic goals and adjust your expectations in order to keep feelings of disappointment at bay. You are doing your best no matter where you are in your journey. Give yourself a break every now and then.
- Line up childcare options before your maternity leave ends:
Having reliable childcare options in place can be a great relief when you’re nearing the end of your maternity leave. Start looking for good daycare facilities and interviewing potential nannies for your little one before you return to work. Leave enough time for you to get acquainted with your nanny to develop the confidence and faith that your child is in good hands.
- Involve your partner:
Have your partner help you out in caring for and feeding your child from the very beginning. Letting your partner shoulder some of the burdens of the responsibilities of new parenthood will leave you more confident and in better shape to be able to do your best at work. Chart out your responsibilities according to your schedules, divide tasks, partner up and you will surely feel much less stressed.
Yes, it will be very challenging at first. There will also be moments when you feel inadequate either at work or as a parent. In such moments, it’s crucial that you remind yourself that you are doing the best you can.
It will be hard to be away from your little one, but once you get used to it, you’ll realize that you don’t have to be near your child all the time for them to feel loved. You will learn to pat yourself on the back for the multifaceted woman and the excellent parent that you have become.
