Hi there! My name is Amanda from Montreal, Canada and I run a blog called Hustle & Mom. Focused on the busy Mom lifestyle, I created Hustle & Mom to give moms everywhere a little inspiration through their hustle- whatever that may be. Today I’ll be sharing some things you can do to make your return to work a little easier, on both you and baby.

Maternity leave can go by in a flash and as a mom of three; I know firsthand what an overwhelming and stressful time returning to work can be, for any mom. From worrying about how you will leave this little human you’ve been spending every waking and (barely) sleeping moment with, to wondering how you and your family will settle into a brand new routine, there’s no doubt that returning to work after Maternity leave is a major life adjustment. Here a few tips to help make it a little less stressful.

1.Meet with your boss.

A few weeks before your set return date, try to set up a quick meeting with your boss.
This is a great opportunity to discuss:

• Your work schedule. Are your hours flexible if you need to come in late or leave early? What about the possibility to work from home if/when needed?
  Re-familiarise yourself with how many sick and/or annual leave days you are entitled to.
• Any changes that may have taken place while you were away. (i.e.: changes in management, department priorities etc.)
• What your main priorities/focus should be when you return. If you know what to expect and what you’re supposed to be doing ahead of time-it will put you more at ease.

2.Schedule.Once you know exactly what to expect in terms of your work hours, create a realistic schedule both parents can follow. Everything from drop off/pick up times, to pumping/feeding schedules. This will help you feel more organised and somewhat on top of things.

3.Dry Run. Start practicing your soon-to-be new morning routine. Set your alarm for the time you will need to wake and go through the motions of everything you will need to do on a typical work morning, including a test run to daycare. You may find you need to wake up a few minutes earlier to get baby ready or that it takes a bit longer to get to daycare during rush hour.

4.Baby Steps. A few weeks before your return to work, start easing into your new routine by leaving baby for a few hours once or twice a week. See if your new daycare will allow you to drop baby off for an hour or two while you run some errands. Baby will have a little time to slowly familiarise themselves with their new surroundings as well as get to know their caregivers.

5.Emergency Backup. Have someone you can call in case baby gets sick and you are unable to take the day or work from home. A parent or friend you trust who would be available during your working hours. It felt like my kids picked up every germ possible during their first year at daycare and sometimes calling in to work was not an option for me or my husband, so I made sure I had someone I could call in the event one of us couldn’t take the day off.

6.Figure out your wardrobe.Don’t wait until the night before to figure out your back to work wardrobe. Go through your work outfits and see how you like them. You may find some things don’t fit the same anymore and will need to buy a few new items. This is totally normal, by the way. You just created a human- don’t be too hard on yourself!

7.Stock your freezer.The first few weeks of being back to work will most likely be pretty hectic. Try to stock your freezer with healthy meals you can just pop in the oven or slow cooker on any given night. I still do this when I know I’m going to have a busy week. I usually take a Sunday and prep meals for the week. This saves SO much time!

8.Go easy on yourself.This will all be a big change so give yourself a break. As much as you prepare, don’t expect everything to go according to plan. It’ll take some time to settle into a new routine and you might face some hiccups along the way, but you’ll find your rhythm and what works best for your family.

Have any of your own tips to share? Let me know by leaving a comment below. You can also connect with me on the following platforms:

Blog: Hustleandmom.com

Instagram: Hustleandmom

Twitter: @hustleanndmom