When you first start maternity leave, it may seem like you have plenty of time away from work. But those weeks or months of leave quickly come to an end.
How to Return to Work After Maternity Leave
If you’re approaching the end of your maternity leave, here are some tips to help you prepare for your return to the workforce.
Before Returning to Work
Reconnect with your workplace: If it’s been a while since you thought about work, make some preparations before your first day back in the office to make the transition smoother.
Email or call the HR department: If HR hasn’t reached out to you yet, contact them yourself. HR personnel can inform you about important details like the best return date to the office, the location of the nursing room, and other essential information regarding paperwork and returning to work.
Schedule your return date: Try to return to the office later in the week. Avoid the temptation to make your first day back a Monday; jumping back into a full week of work can make the transition difficult.
Talk to Your Manager
Communicate with your manager: If HR hasn’t already done so, inform your manager of your planned return date to the office. This can be a good opportunity to share any schedule changes that may arise due to daycare, breastfeeding, or anything else.
Schedule a meeting: Setting up a casual lunch or coffee with your manager or colleagues a few weeks prior to your return can be beneficial. If you’re working remotely, you could set up a “Zoom coffee” or something more informal. These meetings give you the chance to discuss work news, learn about new projects, and start to feel re-engaged with work. If you’ve been away for three months on maternity leave, there may be a lot of changes.
Getting Ready to Return
Before you can return to the working world, you’ll need to make sure you’re ready at home. This means everything from arranging childcare (and backup care) to swapping yoga pants for a suit.
Mental preparation: Just like those first days with your new baby may be a challenge, the first days back in the office may also be tough. You might find yourself filled with emotions – and that’s completely normal! Try to think of ways to make this transition easier for yourself.
Finding childcare and backup care: It’s inevitable that there will be a day – perhaps on the same day you have an important meeting or deadline or presentation – that your child will be sick and need you. Prepare for that moment before it happens. Identify who will be the first person you call in case of an emergency with your daycare or nanny. If you need to pick up your child unexpectedly, who will take responsibility?
Preparing for breastfeeding in the office: Will you be breastfeeding at the office? Make sure you’re comfortable with breastfeeding before returning to work. Connect with HR and your colleagues to find out where you can breastfeed in the workplace.
Wardrobe check: Go through your closet and pull out office shirts, pants, and skirts. Try on the clothing to check for fit, as pregnancy and breastfeeding can affect the shape of your body. Place the clothes that still fit for work in a prominent spot in your closet to streamline your mornings; and if necessary, buy new workwear.
Try a trial run: Prepare for a new morning routine: conduct a trial run that includes setting an alarm, dropping the child off at daycare, and commuting to the office. Getting ready in the morning with a child – prepping a bag for daycare, dropping them off, saying goodbye, and breastfeeding – can take longer than your mornings before your child was born. The trial run will give you time to troubleshoot any childcare issues and develop a new routine with your child.
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Sources:
– U.S. Department of Labor. “Break Time for Nursing Mothers.” Accessed Jan. 25, 2021.
Source: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/tips-for-returning-to-work-after-maternity-leave-2062223
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