Preparing to return to work after maternity leave

National Work Life Balance Week highlights the importance of preparing for the transition between maternity leave and back to work. Whether your return date is approaching fast or you’re pregnant but already conscious that those precious few months at home with baby will fly by, you may be worried about how you’re going to juggle it all.

Planning ahead is the best way to return to work feeling confident that you and baby will be happy, healthy and fulfilled.

So whether your maternity leave is ending soon or you’re one of those mammas who likes to prep ahead we’ve got some simple first steps for preparing to return to work that will help you strike the perfect work life balance. 

1. Plan your maternity leave: Take time to understand your maternity leave policies and fix your return date with your family and employer in advance. Motherhood is all about time management so planning out your maternity leave and prepping early for your return to work will get you into good practice for the years ahead.
   
   
2. Ease Back In: If possible, consider a gradual return to work, such as part-time hours or flexible scheduling, to help you adjust. And don’t be shy about asking work to meet your needs for an enjoyable work life balance – you’ll find most companies will try to be as accommodating as possible.

3. Practice your morning routine: Fix an early morning “return to work meeting” with your boss or work colleagues so you can practice your early morning routine. And if you’ll be working from home some of the time – do a trial run of that routine too. You know the saying “practice makes perfect”.
   
   
4. Plan in some time off before returning to work: Plan in your next big holiday and some smaller breaks too. Having those booked in before you go back will get you through the first few months when you’re trying to trying to strike the perfect work life balance. 
   
   
5. Keep talking to your line-manager:Have regular catch-ups with your manager whilst you’re on maternity leave – after all you’re still part of the team! And don’t feel guilty about asking for extra support as you settle back in.
   
   
6. Take your time finding the right childcare:Give yourself plenty of time to find childcare. Not only do you need to know that you’ll have a good relationship with your baby’s carer but it’s important to know baby will too.  Think about logistics – is it easier to have a carer come into your home, or drop baby off at a nursery near home or work? And don’t forget a backup plan is key!
   
   
7. Practice flexibility: Now’s the time to think about flexible work hours, or part-time employment, or working from home. And remember a good work life balance won’t just benefit you and your baby but your company too.
   
   
8. Ask for help: Work hard on building a support network of friends, family and professionals who will be there to offer you practical and emotional help as you prepare to go back to work. Network with other new mums – after all they’ll be going through exactly the same as you as they prepare to go back to work after maternity leave. Don’t be shy to ask for help.
   
   
9. Create a Routine: Change up your morning and evening routine as you get closer to returning to work so you get the balance right between baby and you. Remember self-care is important – a happy mum is a happy baby!
   
   
10. Be Patient: Last but not least be patient. Returning to work after maternity leave takes a lot of getting used to. Remind yourself that it’s perfectly natural to take time finding a new rhythm at work and home. Don’t be hard on yourself during this adjustment period.

Try to enjoy planning your return to work. By taking your time now to put childcare and routines in place you’ll find maternity leave and the transition back to work so much easier and fulfilling.

And for those mammas and mums-to-be who worry or feel guilty about their return to work, take comfort from a study  led by New York's Columbia University School of Social Work that found there were no adverse effects when a mother returned to work.

Just make sure you work hard on the perfect work life balance for yourself and when you get to your front door at the end of your working day, embrace what lies ahead, pick up on your baby’s mood and immerse yourself in the joys of motherhood!