Labor and delivery (11)
- Signs of labor: Know what to expect
- Episiotomy: Can you deliver a baby without one?
- Inducing labor: When to wait, when to induce
- see all in Labor and delivery
Postpartum care (7)
- Exercise after pregnancy: How to get started
- Maternity leave: Tips for returning to work
- Weight loss after pregnancy: Reclaiming your body
- see all in Postpartum care
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Maternity leave: Tips for returning to work
Once you're back at work
When you go back to work, expect ups and downs as you become more adept at managing multiple demands. These tips can help:
- Get organized. Make a daily to-do list. You might divide the list into tasks for work and tasks for home, or tasks for you and tasks for your partner. Identify what you need to do, what can wait — and what you can skip entirely.
- Stay connected. Plan at least one daily phone call to your baby's caregiver to find out how your baby's doing. Place a favorite photo of your baby on your desk or in your work area. Set aside time after work to reconnect with your baby.
- Make backup plans. Know what you'll do if your baby is sick or your baby's caregiver is unavailable on a workday — whether it's taking the day off yourself or calling a friend or loved one to care for your baby.
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Honor your commitment to breast-feeding. Bring your breast pump, containers for expressed milk, an insulated bag and ice packs to work. Keep a stash of breast pads and extra blouses handy, in case your breasts leak.
If finding time to pump is a concern, consider alternatives — pumping during your breaks or working from home to make up for the lost hours, for example. If you can't express milk at work, breast-feed your baby or pump just before you go to work and as soon as you return home. You could also pump between feedings on weekends for extra breast milk to be used while you're working.
- Seek support. Don't try to do everything yourself. Accept help from your partner, loved ones and friends. Speak up if you're feeling guilty, sad or overwhelmed. If you're having trouble pumping milk at work or nursing your baby at home, contact a lactation consultant from a local hospital or clinic.
- Nurture your own well-being. Relax in the tub after you put the baby to bed, or unwind with a favorite book or soft music. Cut down on unnecessary commitments. Pick a reasonable bedtime, and stick with it. On weekends, sleep when your baby sleeps.
Above all, maintain a positive attitude. Tell your baby how excited you are to see him or her at the end of the day. Your baby may not understand your words, but he or she will pick up on your emotions.
Previous page(2 of 2)
- Newton ER. Back to work issues. In: Gabbe SG. Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier; 2007:1.
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Your Pregnancy & Birth. 4th ed. Washington, D.C.: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists/Meredith Books. 2005:164.
- Murry MM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 17, 2009.
