New Here...Going Back to Work in 2 1/2 weeks

[MamaX]

Hi! I am new on this forum - new at mothering.com in general. I go back to work in 2 1/2 weeks. My baby, Max, is 3 months old today. I also have 3 year old, Alexander.

I am so sad about going back to work. I rather like what I do, but cannot picture being at work. Max soooo enjoys breastfeeding and while he does take bottles ok, he is not happy about it. I am stressed about pumping at work, and also about missing both of my sweet boys. It was hard to go back to work after having Alexander, but it is even worse this time - two boys to miss! I am fortunate in that my mom will be caring for them (we pay her a small fortune but it is worth it)....but still...We have tried to work the numbers every which way but no matter how we do it, we come up too short for me to stay home right now...

So that's me.

[owen&mama]

Welcome (I'm fairly new myself, but I guess I'm qualified to welcome you! )!

It is so hard in those first few months to return. The good news is that it gets easier, albeit it more slowly than we like. The other good news is that there are many of us here that have (and are still) successfully breastfeeding, pumping, and all of that good stuff. My DS was/is an avid nursing fan and never really loved the bottle too much either, so we pretty much reverse-cycled our way into toddlerhood. (Actually, we're still doing that to some extent at 15 months!). So hopefully, you'll have a great bunch to provide support.

Welcome again! It certainly helps that you've had a full 3 months AND your mom is going to be the caregiver. Plus, you still have 2 1/2 weeks, so try not to spend it all dreading the return...just enjoy while you can!

Cheers!

[buttercup]

Welcome.

Don't stress about returning to work. Everything will work out. For me, the first week was tough, but I got over it pretty quickly by placing tons of dd's pictures around my office and visited her duing my lunch break. Pumping and time management became easier once I established a routine. DD loved the daycare she was in at the time. She got to play w/ other babies all day long (she was 5 mos at the time).

If you need a shoulder, there are plenty here to choose from...just post, k?

Jenni and Helon

[Very Snoofly]

Hi MamaX--I just realized that it was exactly one year ago today that I started back to work after maternity leave. My daughter was four months old and, like you, we were able to leave her with family (my father-in-law, who thinks that being a grandpa is the best thing that ever happened to him).

As others have said, it's terribly hard, but it does get better. Mallory hated the bottle at first but then grew tolerant of it; we're still nursing at 16 months. She started sleeping in our bed (as opposed to a crib in our room) right after I started working. I actually think it was because I had to go back to work that I came to "believe" in extended nursing and co-sleeping. I think if I'd been at home all day I might have been more inclined to "work" on things like weaning and sleeping through the night. Now I'm grateful that we have the bond that nursing and co-sleeping creates, since we have to be apart during the day.

Best wishes to you!

[Marlena]

Welcome! While it's really hard at first, both you and your baby will likely adjust without too many problems. Re pumping, you might want to try it at home several times before returning to work, if possible, just to start getting used to it and to facilitate a reasonable let down reaction. Pumping at work can be a bother, but it's worth it!

Hang in there, and good luck!

[HollyBearsMom]

Welcome!

You have heard it all allready but while it is really hard at first it slowly get "easier" though never easy. One thing I have found is that somehow the rythym of your life just takes over. At home I couldn't imagine going back to work, pumping 4 times a day etc etc. But lo and behold a few weeks had passed and my work was getting done, I was pumping like a champ, my son was growing, happy and healthy. I almost couldn't believe it.

So just take it a step at a time and use these boards when you need a shoulder to cry on. Good luck!

[singermom]

Re: Welcome!

Originally posted by HollyBearsMom
while it is really hard at first it slowly get "easier" though never easy. One thing I have found is that somehow the rythym of your life just takes over. At home I couldn't imagine going back to work, pumping 4 times a day etc etc. But lo and behold a few weeks had passed and my work was getting done, I was pumping like a champ, my son was growing, happy and healthy. I almost couldn't believe it.

You said a mouthful, HollyBearsMom. I agree with you 100%. Thanks for phrasing it so gracefully.

Mia