WorkingMom – kiddenz-admin

Tips for Getting Back to Work After Having a Baby

A new mom’s complete day rotates around her little one, leaving no time for herself. Moreover, a day’s work at the workplace may appear like an impossible task if you are on your maternity leave. With support and preparation, you can certainly ace being a working mom and a rockstar mommy.

Returning to work is one of the most frightening milestones for most new moms. Several doubts may cross your mind and you can find yourself feeling nervous and anxious, guilty, thrilled, all at the same time. Here are a few things you must think about before you return to work:

Keep in contact with what is happening in the office while you are on maternity leave

Keep in touch with your boss, teammates can assist you to feel associated even when you are on leave. Staying connected with your friends at the place of work can make you wish to join work. Understanding what are the new amendments in your team can assist you to discuss the roles as per your requirements if required.

Planning when to return

You may always feel that your child is not old enough for you to join back work, or you need more time. While there is no ideal time to return to work, think about factors such as travel requirements at your workplace, anticipated workload, commute time, your financial situation, and the support system you have back home. Talk with your partner on what they think and how you as a family are ready for you to join back work.

Talk with your employers

Most companies in India today have regulations that make returning to employment easy for new mothers. Talk about your options with your company. If you need to feed your baby, check with your employer if you can go out for an hour during the break. Pumping might be one more option, and several working moms are opting for. Flexible hours for working and bosses who understand can make the evolution simple for you.

Know the regulations at your place of work

While maximum companies make the prospective arrangements for new moms, you should know what you are permitted to as per regulations. Ensure you know the regulations of your company in regards to legal rights and flexibility.

Mom restart career

Once you know the date you shall get back to work on, you must plan out all the essential details meticulously. Here are the things to consider before restarting the career:

Decide on who needs to look after your child while you are at work

Most working parents either choose a daycare or rely on the kid’s grandparents in their absence. You might need to think about a range of factors such as the eagerness of grandparents, their health/age conditions, monetary aspects of daycare, etc. Whatever you select for your family, remember your family’s needs and the setting that best suits you and your kid. Think about the monetary costs included in each option, and make up your mind on what you think is the best choice.

Get the necessary assistance

With you joining back work, there would be added responsibilities, hence it is wise to seek assistance. Assign some of the vital responsibilities to your partner or any other assistance you may have. For instance, think about getting extra help for tasks like cleaning, cooking, etc. Plan for days when the child is sick. Planning can assist in avoiding issues.

Re-focus on your career

You may feel miserable for weeks as a working mom, thinking about your little one always and bothering about him. Remember that worrying alone does not assist. Rather you should focus on your career.

So, if you are a new mom and planning returning to work, then you should keep in mind the above-mentioned tips.

Things to Avoid While Dealing with Working Mom Guilt

Being a mother is the biggest gift from nature. But dealing with working mom guilt can hamper your thoughts and actions. When you are a working mother, you do not have spare time to be miserable because you are working. To make life as a working mom easier, why not eliminate these negative feelings?

My-Responsibility-Syndrome

Every chore at home is not necessarily your responsibility. Get rid of the notion that only you can do something efficiently. Learn to delegate household chores to children when they are still small. Never mind if they are not as quick and as smart as you. Let them do things at their own pace. Guide them and encourage them to do better. Do not take up every task upon yourself or you will be burdened with the jobs forever. Also, this will discourage them from becoming self-reliant and confident.

Self-Reproach

Being a mom is a fulfilling experience but this does not mean you have to be at the beck and call off your children. Some amount of healthy neglect will teach your kids independence, responsibility, and self-help. If you forget a small task, do not berate yourself; especially not in front of the kids. Instead, motivate the kids to do the job on their own without seeking any assistance.

Excessive Regimentation

Some discipline and organisation are necessary for every household, otherwise the home environment becomes chaotic. But too much regimentation can be stressful for you as well as the kids. Keep a good balance between house rules and freedom so that there is a pleasant atmosphere and the parent-child relationship is cordial.

Forgetfulness

The question of how to get over working mom guilt is raised most often when you forget a parenting task. You may be rushed off your feet and may forget that it is a sports day in your kid’s school. So your little one goes off wearing the wrong uniform. Should you beat yourself up for forgetting? Instead, what you can do is make a note of the important dates/days when your kid may need extra attention and help. You can also set reminders so that the chances of forgetting can be reduced.

Critics

Know that there will always be some people who will criticise your efforts. Their comments every time you make a mistake in parenting will make it harder to cope with working mom guilt. Constructive criticism is fine if the person is giving you useful information. But petty comments should be ignored if you cannot avoid their company. You are trying your best at maintaining a good work-life balance! Do not let anyone persuade you to think otherwise.

What do kids want from their parents? They just need love and attention. They need to feel that the parents appreciate their efforts. Small children are not judgemental and are usually willing to accept you with faults and everything. Do not let the guilt of a working mom sour a wonderful parent-child relationship.

Be happy!