Back to work thread

[woodengirl07]

Some of us are going (or have gone) back to work soon. I wanted to start a thread for us to share our successes, struggles, and questions.

[woodengirl07]

I go back to work on 8/8. I'm not excited to leave my LO but I want to keep paying my mortgage.

My mom will be taking miss C, so I'm thankful for that.

[titania]

woodengirl07 my mom will be watching DD too! I feel so lucky to have that option, so I hope it goes well.

I sort of go back the first week in Sept, but then I'm actually going down to the beach the last two weeks. (I work for a family business so I'm very lucky I can do this.) I will go into the office three days a week and wfh for the other two days. It is going to be so hard to leave her!

[csat]

I go back in September 1st and DD will start daycare on September 5th. It's an in home daycare and DS went there from 10 months (when I went back to work) to 2.5 yrs, they are absolutely lovely people and I trust them completely but I'm not thrilled about starting this with her only being just 3 months. I know it will be fine but she's still so little. I will be a mess that first day for sure.

On the other hand, I am thrilled about not having to care for an infant/baby all day long. I'm an introvert but I've found myself desperate for adult interaction and the monotony of the day is driving me crazy. I'd take long days with a 1.5 to 3 year old any day though, which is really saying something! As adorable and squishy as I find my DD on her best moments, the baby stage is not for me and I'm kind of relieved I don't have the option of a longer maternity leave this time. Is that an FFFC?

Just to clarify, I'm a strong advocate for long family leave. Ideally DH would have been able to stay home with us the first 3 months as well so we could share in these early long hard days, and then maybe one of us go back to work and the other parent stay home for another 3-9 months, or split that time home, that would have been a game changer.

[sandandsea]

I remember last time that the time leading up to going back was so much harder/sadder than when I actually went back. It felt good to be back at work and feel smart, capable, and productive again and have adult interactions!!!
I'm dreading pumping the most. I don't hate the actual pumping but the interruption and time it takes to pump is hard!
I don't go back until October but I know it's going to be here before I know it.

[sandandsea]

csat DS started DC at 3 months and it was really good for him. He has really thrived at DC. I was so worried and hesitant for him to start and be so little but looking back it really was no big deal. . I feel so much better about it for DS2 since it worked so well for ds1 and he's going into the same class with the same teacher ds1 had.

[csat]

Thanks sandandsea, it's helpful to hear about good experiences , I even teared up a bit. Thank you

[titania]

csat and sandandsea you guys are making me feel a little better about going back. thinking about going back totally sucks, but it may be nice to get some adult interactions.

[mladerri]

I start on Monday but I wfh so it's not as hard. I'm going to struggle most with the guilt of I should be working/I should be spending time with ds. I will not be getting a nanny until the first of the year (or unless I'm dying) so I know I'm going to be stressed juggling everything. The bigger obstacle will be when dh starts his season end of August because he'll be gone from 6am-7pm and traveling all the time. Good luck mamas!

[pbandj714]

Good luck mladerri! That would be hard to be home and know you should be working instead of taking care of the baby.

AFM, I go back on September 12. I, like csat, am introverted but am finding myself craving adult interaction at work. Really I just crave the quiet time that work will allow me. Maternity leave has taught me that I'm not cut out to be a SAHM...at least not now. I wfh 2 days per week and go to the office the other 3. The kids will be going to an in-home daycare. They will have a little girl about 2 months older than them to play with. I'm glad they'll get that socialization.

[babyzebra]

I went back to work this week at 4 weeks PP. It was hard. I love what I do for a living, but it can be incredibly exhausting and draining and I don't think I was ready. I think this first week will end up being the hardest one though and I expect for it to get easier.

[packerfan4life]

I go back Monday. I'm dreading it. Luckily I'm starting at 3 days/week. H is off until the 10th so we actually won't have to start daycare until the 12th. I'm nervous with trying to fit in pumping since I've never had to deal with that before. I love being on leave, probably moreso that H is also home. I don't want to leave my girls.

[titania]

mladerri oh wow with YH gone so much that sounds stressful. Good luck!

pbandj714 it's funny cause to my big surprise my maternity leave has made me think hard about being a SAHM and I did not expect that. I promised myself for a lot of reasons (outside of the main financial ones) that I would give it some time before I would go down that road.

[soultrane]

I go back on Monday but wfh MWF so I'll get to ease back into things a little. Tuesday is going to be tough when I have to go into the office, but he'll be home with DH so I think that will help.

[mladerri]

soultrane did your husband get a new job? Is he still coaching?

[frecklesnbrains]

I go back to work Aug 15 and will be part-time for 3 weeks. My mother will be here during that time. Then after Labor Day I start full time and the baby starts daycare.

I have mixed feelings about going back to work. You can count me among those who would have a great deal of difficulty being a SAHM. I'm bored and restless. I miss work. My career is a major part of who I am - I trained for 15 years to do what I do and I feel an obligation to keep doing it. But at the same time I feel like a bad mother that I'm looking forward to dropping my sweet baby in someone else's hands. I know I'll miss having the time with him. I just wish there were an in-between option.

[bighair12]

I go back to work after Labor Day as well. Like frecklesnbrains I feel the exact same way. But, DD1 has loved daycare and school so I know how wonderful it can be. I am ready to go back. I love my LO but am ready for adult interaction.

[Kevinmac]

I go back August 30. As much as I don't want to be away from baby, I think I will feel so much more productive by going to work. For me that is the hardest part of being home- I always feel like I'm not doing enough. I'm a little worried right now how feeding will go for the sitter, since I feel like I do a lot of comfort nursing.

[babyzebra]

Jul 30, 2016 7:42:46 GMT -5 frecklesnbrains said:

My career is a major part of who I am - I trained for 15 years to do what I do and I feel an obligation to keep doing it.

I have 2 friends, one a dentist and the other a physician, who are now SAHMs. They both have a spouse who is in the same field. As much as some days I get burnt out from work, I don't think I could be a SAHM after so many years of training.

I feel ya on an in between option though. I'm working very hard right now to eventually work 3 days a week. I'm not sure how realistic it is, but it's definitely what I want.

[lakecountrygal]

I go back for random mandatory trainings beginning 8/10 but DD will be going with me because her daycare doesn't have a spot for her until 8/29. My "official contract" starts on 8/30 so that's when I officially have to be back. Sadly my first few days back are long days with staff development all morning and then open houses every night so I'll be away from DD and DS (2 yrs old) from 7am to 8pm.

Once school starts on 9/6 (I think) then I'll be gone from DS and DD from 7am to 4pm most days unless I have a meeting that runs late after school. I'll have students from 8am to 2:30pm with meetings from 2:30 to 3:30 and then I have a half hour drive to daycare. I'm looking forward to going back but don't want to put DD in daycare.

[happyday]

I have an odd set up that I'm pretty nervous about.
Starting tomorrow, dd1 is attending a camp there for 4 hours M-F, for two weeks. I'm going to be working in the office, with the baby in a wrap, during those hours.

Then, dd2 will start her school year August 17 and I will go back to my office hours of 3 days per week, and work from home two days a week. However, our nanny can't keep dd2 until the first week of September. So, dd2 will be coming to work with me for a month. Not ideal - at all, but it is what it is.

[mladerri]

happyday not ideal, but that's awesome your work is so nice about bringing the kids with you.

[soultrane]

So I started back this morning. 7000+ unread emails to sift through -

[titania]

Aug 1, 2016 7:05:18 GMT -5 soultrane said:

So I started back this morning. 7000+ unread emails to sift through -

Holy shit. Hopefully most of it is easy to delete. Good luck!

[mladerri]

soultrane holy cow. You're an important woman

[frecklesnbrains]

soultrane I've been checking my work email a few times a week specifically to avoid this problem. I usually get over 100 emails a day. I delete the junk and flag the important-looking ones to read later.

[bgkc4]

I'm looking forward to going back to work the day after Labor Day simply because taking care of a newborn is exhausting and I also need the money. I actually don't miss the adult interaction, or the work itself. I just think that overall my job is easier than taking care of the baby, which is SHOCKING to me. I always wanted to be a SAHM but knew financially DH and I both need to work. But this experience has taught me I'm not cut out for it. At the same time, I'm concerned about DD going to daycare. She's a needy baby and I cater to her (pick her up, hold her, pat her, etc.). I don't think the dc will do that and I don't want her to be miserable.

[microworm]

This week I hit the halfway point of my leave. I need to stop counting down the weeks. It bums me out.

One thing I will say is that I dreaded going back so much with DS1 and was so so sad those last few weeks. I cried at least once a day about it. But surprisingly it wasn't so bad. The anticipation was waaay worse than actually going back to work. I hope to be more laid back about it this time, especially since daycare is already set up and it was kind of a last minute thing with DS1. I also brought a TON of pictures to decorate my desk area. Actually pretty obnoxious the amount of pics I have but it helps me!

[sandandsea]

Aug 1, 2016 7:05:18 GMT -5 soultrane said:

So I started back this morning. 7000+ unread emails to sift through -

Yep. This is why I've been sorting emails on my phone during leave. DNW 7000 emails on day 1.

[soultrane]

Jul 30, 2016 0:13:50 GMT -5 mladerri said:

soultrane did your husband get a new job? Is he still coaching?

He actually accepted an elementary PE position today and will continue coaching at his old school! He's excited, and I'm excited because they have a preK program that we can send G to at a huge discount. I was getting a little nervous about the school year approaching, but this has worked out perfectly!