Going Back to Work

If you've already had a baby or are planning to have a baby soon, the thought of going back to work once maternity leave is over can be overwhelming at the very least.

Who's going to watch the baby? How can I afford childcare? Who can I trust with my baby? How am I going to pump breast milk once I am back at work?

The first thing you should do if you are breastfeeding is start to pump breast milk. That task in and of itself can be daunting. When your baby relies solely on you, it can be stressful to think about pumping. Start before you have to go back to work to figure out what is going to work best for you.

Next you need to think about your work place. How family-friendly is your company? How supportive will your supervisor be about you needing to pump? Where will you pump?

Think about your options. Is there any family that can watch the baby while you are at work? Having family can be tricky sometimes. Do you need to pay them? Will a relative feel like they have to say "yes" even when they really don't want to? Are there several friends/relatives that you trust that would be willing to take care of your baby? Many people have a combination of relatives and daycare to help out with the cost.

Start checking out daycares either close to work or home. You don't want to have to drive across town to get the baby after work. Ask about their adult:child ratio. What is their daily schedule? How much does it cost? Do they offer part-time childcare or only full-time?

Jen has a great set-up. She is a dentist in Oregon and just found out she is having a baby. Lucky for her, she already has her childcare situation figured out. Jen's husband is staying home to care for their baby. Jen lives close to where she works, so her husband can bring the baby for some feedings during the day. It also makes it easier on Jen so she doesn't have to pump as much and she can see her baby throughout the day. Most people, however, don't have such a great set-up.

The best advice is to start looking as soon as possible, so you have more options. It helps alleviate desperation that can pop-up when you wait until the last minute. You need to be able to trust the person/people who are watching your baby while you are away.