When Maternity Leave Is Over: Get Past The Anxiety Of Leaving Baby

Nothing could have prepared you for the depth of the love you have for your baby.  Nothing could have prepared you for the anxiety you would feel when you have to leave your baby to go back to work, either.  It is inevitable that your maternity leave will end and you have to return to your job.  When that happens, there are steps you can take to reduce your anxiety to make the transition easier on you.

A good step you can take to help prepare yourself for the return to work is to leave your baby before that time comes.  Have the grandparents come babysit while you and Daddy go out to dinner or a movie.  This way you have got the initial first time over of leaving your baby and the shock of leaving them to go back to work is not so great.

You have undoubtedly carefully chosen childcare for your baby.  Reassure yourself of the care you have chosen and remind yourself of all the advantages of that choice and why you made that decision.

Prepare for your first week of going back to work to reduce your anxiety.  If you can, start back in the middle of your work week to make it a shorter amount of time you are apart from baby or work half a day for a couple of days to help ease yourself into the transition of going back to work.

Call and check on baby for a few days, multiple times if necessary.  This is not an abnormal thing to want to do.  It is perfectly understandable to want to have a check in phone call to reassure yourself baby is okay.

Expect a few tears.  It is a difficult adjustment but it will get better with time.  As you see that your baby is well cared for and content, your anxiety will lessen and you will fall into a routine again.

Image Credit: The Junction