World's Scariest Sunday: Preparing to Return to Work

Truth: Worrying about going back to work took over my maternity leave. On top of not wanting to leave my baby, I was nervous to see my co-workers and get back into the swing of things for a few reasons: I looked different, I felt different and I didn't want all the first-day-back attention. Here are some things that helped me feel more prepared and get through my first day back to work.

1. Develop a childcare plan as early as possible, preferably while you're still pregnant. Our lack of a solid childcare plan was one of the main reasons I couldn't just relax and enjoy my leave. We had a few options, but none of them seemed doable to me at the time. Of course everything worked out in the end, and I was working from home due to COVID just a few weeks after my return. However, I couldn't have predicted that and would've felt a lot less pressure if we had a plan in place before I even had the baby.

2. Get your wardrobe together. I gained almost 55 lbs while pregnant, and about 20 lbs of that was still hanging on when it was time for me to go back to work. I felt like I looked noticeably different, and based on all the comments I got during pregnancy, I knew people would be looking and judging. Something that helped me was planning my full week of outfits the Sunday before. I would pick my outfit for every day of the week and have a fashion show for my husband to hype me up, and to make sure I felt totally comfortable and confident. This prevented early morning meltdowns and unnecessary stress.

3. Have a script. This one sounds crazy, but it definitely would have helped me! On my first day, I was trying to lay low. However, EVERY single person I interacted with asked me "Awww, where's the baby?!" This was so triggering and I was really unprepared for it. You'd think people would understand that could be a hard question for someone struggling to leave their baby. Some people also asked me how my "vacation" was, as if I'd had any sort of break in the past 12 weeks. Think ahead about your responses to these questions, and if you think you may get upset, have some brief answers in mind and maybe a few of your favorite baby pictures ready to show. Keep it light, positive and move on!

4. Pack an extra bag with some supplies to store at your desk. Depending on how long your maternity leave is, you may still be physically recovering from your baby's birth. I was lucky to get 12 paid weeks of leave, but I still had lasting symptoms that made me very nervous to be back in the office. Make sure you pack whatever medications you might need, an extra set of clothes if breastfeeding or struggling with incontinence, pumping supplies, etc. so that you are not caught off guard.

5. Lastly, write yourself a pep talk and read it a million times! Positive affirmations can be powerful, especially if you're stressed about going back to work. Repeat after me, mama: I am a wonderful mother. My baby is in good hands. I am irreplaceable. My baby loves me. I am brave. I can do this!

I hope these tips can help erase some of the Sunday Scaries before your first day back. I barely slept the night before my return to work, but I promise, it was not as bad as my brain made me think it would be. Obviously, I missed my baby, but once I let go of the fear, it was also a nice break to be out of the house and interacting with other adults. And of course, my baby still loved and needed me when I got home!

#truthmom