11 Essential Guides To Return To Work After Maternity Leave

Your pregnancy is definitely good news for you, your family, and for everyone at your workplace. However, since you’re working mum-to-be, you might have to take maternity leave from your organisation till such time that you deliver your baby.

Initially, you may feel like it’s a long-time gap out of your office, but all you need to realize is that it is just a matter of a few months. Once your baby is born, you can go back to work.

Well! It’s not that easy!

Returning to work after your maternity leave can be extremely difficult for you. There is a point when you even feel torn. You neither want to leave your baby nor do you want to leave your job.  Moreover, staying away from your little one is emotionally and physically challenging for you. 

Therefore, at end of your maternity leave, know how to prepare yourself to get back to work, by following these tips: 

Understand The Maternity Leave Policy and Benefits

You can apply for your maternity leave just a few weeks before you’re due. However, during maternity leave, as per most companies’ maternity leave policy is paid leave. Getting so many days of paid leave is indeed a maternity leave benefit. Sometimes you might even need an extension for your maternity leave. However, that will entirely depend upon your company’s policy and the advice of your healthcare provider.

Do Proper Childcare Research

Many childcare programs may keep you waiting for at least 12 months. Therefore, take some time out with your partner and try to explore the childcare options, much before the days of your maternity leave are over. Alternately, you can take the help of various types of childcare websites. On the websites, you can read everything about childcare. You can even compare prices and decide which childcare you want for your little one.

Keep The Nanny’s Phone Number On Your Phone’s Priority List

There might be a situation when you have an important meeting to attend or a deadline and your baby has fallen sick. Be prepared for this moment before it takes place. Keep the phone number of the governess on your phonebook’s priority list. She would be able to inform you about your munchkin’s health from time to time.

Always Keep A Plan B Ready

There might also be situations in-between your maternity leave when your nanny is ill and has taken a leave. There is nothing wrong with asking for help from your friends, relatives, or another baby sitter to take care of the baby. You can alternatively ask your partner to take paternity leave (As there are only 15 days of paternity leave allowed 15 days before the child’s birth).

Choose A Time To Pump Your Milk

According to the famous Act, the offices must provide a clean and empty place in your workplace where new mums, including you, can express your milk. Well! In this case, you might just want to contact your Human Resource (HR) Department and Co-workers early on. Tell them about your situation so that you get the facilities and time required for breast pumping when you join the back to the office after your leave. In this way, you don’t have to unnecessarily miss important meetings and deadlines.

Keep Your Essentials Ready

The essentials include – breast pumps, nursing pads, and some healthy snacks. A proper breast pump will make breast pumping hassle-free. Nursing pads are essential for you during this time. After all, you wouldn’t like to show off a dress stained in milk. Snacks are equally important to make your transition from maternity leave to going back to work easy.

Check Your Wardrobe Properly Well In Advance

Take out your favourite trousers, skirts, and tops of your pre-pregnancy days. Put some well-fit clothes in a noticeable place in your wardrobe so that you needn’t have to struggle during the mornings with your baby. If you feel it necessary, purchase new clothes. 

Give a Trial Run

We know that you’re not used to getting ready with your baby. For instance, packing your little one’s bag for the day-care, pumping your milk in your baby’s bottle, and dropping him or her to the day-care. Give a trial run so that you can develop the routine with your little one.

Are Flexible Work Timings Suitable For You

We know that the thought of joining back to the office after your maternity leave is taking a toll on your body and mind. In fact, with the little one in your arms and your office far from your house, going back to work full time after maternity leave and maintaining proper work hours would be difficult for you. Therefore, communicate with your senior clearly. If possible, talk to your boss as early as possible during your pregnancy days. You can also mention this query while you’re writing your maternity leave letter. Who knows you might get the opportunity of part-time work or work from home when your baby is born?

Schedule a Date to Come Back To The Office After Your Maternity Leave

Plan to come back to work somewhere in the middle of the week. With this approach, you can comfortably get back to work and adjust to the new situation.

Make a Plan To Take Rest

Getting back to work after maternity leave and taking care of your child is a tough job. So, it is very important that you plan a time to take a little rest in – between your work and later at night when your little one is asleep.

Going back to work after a maternity leave leaving your babbling little baby with the baby sitter, can make you feel guilty at times. However, with the best of arrangements for your baby, you needn’t feel guilty or worried at all.

Also, for any information related to pregnancy, postpartum and the benefits of stem cell banking follow our blog page.