How do I handle the transition back to work?

You asked and you shall now receive. It’s only fair for us to share all of this stored up knowledge about having a baby and what is going on with your body during those nine (really ten) months. We now will answer, in a very public forum, all of those burning questions about having a baby. Each Monday, we will tackle a commonly-asked-question from the point of view of an expectant parent. Chiming in to give feedback will be three women who have been there and done that: an expert (you know someone who does this for a living), a mom from our community (for the “best” friend advice you need) and a babybites’ team member (someone who will promise to give you the REAL deal and no fluff). Earmark, share and add your own input to today’s question; it’s good karma.

How do I handle the transition back to work?

Expert: Renee Sullivan

The transition back to the workforce from maternity leave is definitely a shift. Know that it will take a few weeks to feel comfortable in you new role and finding the right balance between “baby time” and “work time” and finding what tips and strategies work best for your new family. One of my faves? Schedule your first day back on a Thursday, putting your toes in the waters for two days, and then weekend down time again before starting a full week. As with anything in parenting, baby steps often get us to our destination quicker than longer leaps.

Mom: Angela Cierpicki

The best advice I can give is to enjoy your maternity leave and don’t think about work too much because it’s such a short period of time and so precious for bonding with your baby. Once you return to work you will quickly find a good routine that suits you. For the first week, have a work outfit organized for each day of the week. If planning to pump breast milk at work, be sure to have some practice sessions beforehand.

Mommybites’ team: Laura Deutsch

I want to be completely honest – no matter what, the transition will not be easy. I believe there are three categories of moms: those who dread going back to work, those who are OK with going back to work, and those who aren’t sure how they feel! No matter what category you fall into, it is going to take time adjusting back to your pre baby work life. Some of you will miss your babies terribly. Some of you may not! Bottom line – no matter what category you fall into, there will be guilt. There will be a little confusion, and probably some sadness too. But the GOOD news is that I have found that most moms generally feel better around one month after returning to work. They may not be completely satisfied with their situation, but the anxiety and sadness seem to lessen and they are just better able to deal.

About our team:

Renee Sullivan

Renee Sullivan, parent coach and Mommybites support group director, works with moms each week to create their own personal parenting plan that is right for them, while making sure that each mom gets the support, resources, and community they need for their parenting journey. Drawing from her experience as an birth coach and educator, she guides moms – new, seasoned and expectant through the never – ending array of decisions that come with having a child. Before joining Mommybites, she narrowly escaped the trenches of Corporate America where she was a Senior Project Manager for The New York Times, Morgan Stanley, and Pfizer. She lives in New York City and is the mom of one happy kindergartener.

Angela Cierpicki

Angela is taking a break from her previous career as a Process Improvement Specialist working in the Healthcare industry. Angela’s current “boss” is her beautiful 15 month old son, Ethan.

Laura Deutsch

Laura Deutsch is the original founder and creator of Mommybites. Since first starting Mommybites (formerly known as babybites) in 2006 by handing out post cards to fellow moms on the streets of Manhattan, Laura has continued to use her business savvy, dedication and creativity to cultivate and grow Mommybites in its flagship city of Manhattan. Prior to founding Mommybites, Laura worked as a middle school math teacher at The Dwight School in Manhattan. Laura holds her BA from Binghamton University and her MA in Early Childhood Education from Hunter College. She currently resides in Summit, NJ, with her husband, Brian, daughter, Ava, and son, Jacob.