Going Back to Work After Maternity Leave: Let’s Make a Plan

Let’s hang out and talk about this for a minute because going back to work after maternity leave? That can feel overwhelming as hell. One minute your in the trenches of newborn life, figuring feeding, sleep (or lack thereof), and trying to take care of your postpartum healing….then, all of a sudden, you’re back at the office, answering emails, rushing to meetings, and pretty much being a functional human. it’s a lot!

Here’s the thing, however you feel about going back to work after maternity leave is valid and totally understandable. If you’re shedding tears on Sunday because of this shift, I get it! Even if you are counting down the days because you need that mental break from your baby in order to feel like yourself again, I get that too! I’ve lived on both sides of the coin and there’s no shame here.

Alrighty, let’s now make a plan so this transition feels a little less scary and a lot more doable.

If you can do this a week or so before your first day back to work, give it a go. Give yourself a “practice run” before your official return. Do a trial morning. Get yourself ready, get your baby ready, and go through the motions. This is where you figure out what actually works versus what sounded good in your head at 2am.

Now, let’s talk about pumping because this is usually a big stresser among new mothers.

You’ll want to keep your supply at a steady pace and mimic your baby’s breastfeeding pattern, so if you’re planning to go back to work, aim for a 2-3.5 hour pumping schedule.

A realistic schedule may look a little something like this:

• Nurse or pump before leaving the house
• Pump mid-morning (around 9:30-10:00am)
• Pump during lunch
• Pump mid-afternoon (around 2:30-3:00pm)
• Nurse or pump again when your back home with your baby

Each pumping session should take approximately 15-20 minutes and should be a priority. Go ahead and put your pumping sessions in your work calander like you would a meeting because it matters. Keep in mind: You’re not being difficult, you’re feeding your baby.

Not everyone in the workplace will understand this so it’s important that I mention this part. If you need help understanding your rights at work, the U.S. Department of Labor has a great breakdown of pumping protections under the PUMP Act, and Office on Women’s Health offers super practical guidance on building a pumping routine.

Be prepared and set yourself up for success. Ensure your pumping bag is fully stocked with everything you need: storage bags, extra pump parts, breast pads, water bottle, snacks (because pumping hunger is no joke), and a back up shirt (because….life happens).

Emotionally, your first day back to work can feel really weird. You may find yourself crying in front seat of your car. You may feel relieved. Hell, you may feel both at the exact same time. That’s totally normal. To help yourself feel more grounded in these moments, ask your caregiver to update you throughout the day and send pictures of your baby. This will help!

Let me very clear here. You are allowed to be a working mother who enjoys her work. You are allowed to need this space and that doesn’t make you less of a good mom.

Also, we’re not aimming for perfection here. Instead, we’re aiming for being prepared and supported, with more confidence over time.

If you are feeling nervous about this new chapter and thinking to yourself, “How am I going to juggle it all?”, you don’t have to go through this alone. Uptown Doula is here to see your through this.