Returning to work?

[BJ Dealer]

I'm not returning to work until January 5th, so I have just over a month. I'm most concerned about how DH is going to handle it, especially if DS still isn't on some sort of a schedule. He will be 10 weeks, though, so hopefully he will at minimum be sleeping longer for each stretch

[nofksgvn]

I'm going back after Christmas. I'm basically pretending like its not going to happen. Pretty sure MH can't handle MOTN so I'll probably continue dealing with that and getting like no sleep since I have to be up for work at 4am and LO has mostly been sleeping between midnight and 9am...

[BJ Dealer]

Dec 2, 2015 16:48:25 GMT -5 . said:

BJ Dealer , you were working nights, weren't you? Are you keeping your old schedule?

Yeah, I'll be keeping at least similar to my old schedule.  Start times at either 6:30pm or 8pm and working for ~8 hours or less if we're not busy.  I'm sad that I'll be missing so many bed times.

Also, because we're on opposite schedules, we're not doing daycare.  That also scares me if he's not sleeping well.

[BJ Dealer]

Dec 2, 2015 17:20:24 GMT -5 somesay said:

Dec 2, 2015 17:16:40 GMT -5 @saveourship said:

*waves*


I'm jealous of everyone returning after the holidays! It's lonely on here!

+1 to it being lonely on here. I think of threads to start and then I worry that it will only be me talking in them. I'm in the Facebook group but I just don't find it as easy as this place.

I've changed my mind and find that this is much easier than FB, too.  Too much is too jumbled and then FB doesn't even show half the responses sometimes!

[southernbelle]

I go back Jan 4th. I'm so thankful to have had such a nice long break from work. I teach part time (job share) so I work 2 days a week one week then 3 days the next. It won't be terrible but I really don't want to go back. My mom will be watching LO on my working days and I trust no one to watch her more than my mom but I'm just worried about missing her so much. Wahhhhh

[stacylynn]

I took 12 weeks off so I am going back on January 25th. That feels way far away so its not on my radar much yet even though I know it will fly by. Baby boy will be going to my aunts house. She watches my daughter after preschool now and a few other cousins. I am very comfortable with her watching my kids.
Now just hopefully he will be sleeping better by then... We are still getting 3 hour stretches at most here.

[sewfie2]

I go back on this Monday. MH will be home with LO until the middle of January. Then it's off to daycare (my preference, since the centers are close to where we work, but we're still on the waiting lists) or a nanny share with one of his colleagues (his preference, but she'll be too far for me to see during my lunch break; this would only go to the point of daycare opening up though).

I'll be back to full time, but I'm hoping that maybe (fx) that I'll be able to adjust my schedule to work at home some, after I get everything going again.

Related:
I hate to say it, but I'm a bit worried about how MH is going to handle it. He's an anxious workaholic, and being in academics & research, there's always some "fire to put out" (his words; I think much of it can wait). I feel like a jerk, but I'm worried that he's not going to interact with her as much as I do, he gets so anxious and his attention gets so divided, with whatever he's working on getting most of it. She naps well in the morning, so I told him that his best bet to start working after getting her up early when she's happiest and will play independently and continue to work through her first nap. Her naps get shorter and less predictable as the day goes on...she may end up with the nanny sooner than we planned/I want. As long as he's home with her, he can bring her to me at work or I can come home for a little bit to see/feed her.

[Smootiepie]

I go back in January, and I'm already stressing about it. In fact, I was up for a few hours last night trying to come up with a plan for determining how much BM to send with DS on his first day of daycare. I'm also worried that my supply will go down once I'm back to work. Even though I've been EPing for a while now, I've never pumped without DS in the room.

[starry]

I'm going January 7. My husband will have two weeks leave with the baby so that's nice.

I'm a bit sad but I am fortunate that we choose to be a dual income family so I try to focus on the positives.

With my first I was happy to go back because she was a colicky disaster. This baby is much easier / sweeter disposition so a bit more emotional. But I'll be ok. It's nice she'll be at the same in home day care with her sister who adores her.

[starry]

For those looking, I started a new job when DD1 was 14 weeks old. It was tough but really worth it. I changed due to a toxic work environment and better commute (went from 40 minutes to 10 minutes).

I wish you all the luck in your search. I was looking at eight weeks postpartum last time and a hot mess last time so I'm sure you can do it too!

[sewfie2]

And I'm back at work. And it feels like I haven't been gone all that long, to be honest. Maybe because I've stopped in a few times over the last 10 weeks?

I managed to pack my purse and pumping supplies last night (and put it with my car keys). But I didn't bring any food. I remembered to pack my breakfast (oatmeal, peanut butter, and banana) this morning, but forgot to bring it with me.

BUT - I got to see LO during my lunch break, so that made my day better.

[sewfie2]

AW (potentially triggering):

So, it started out ok. But then she had a complete meltdown after MH took her home. He tried everything, the 5 S', feeding her, gave her a bath, tried that new thing everyone is sharing on fb, walking with her...and she just kept screaming. I called him to try to figure something out and all I could hear was her screams. He said she finally fell asleep, but now I'm about to breakdown at my desk because I feel like a terrible mother, and I'm so sad that she's freaking out that I'm not there and that she must feel like I abandoned her!

[sewfie2]

Thank you, RJBrownie. Only 12 more minutes til I can leave, thankfully.

[sewfie2]

LO is doing better, and part of the issue of her meltdowns was probably due to her having a little cold (per her pediatrician). And my boss agreed to renew my telecommute plan, so now I'm only gone just over 4 hours in the morning, until she starts day care next month.