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If you are returning to work after having a baby, you will need to start planning weeks ahead of time. Sometimes, you even need to start while you’re still pregnant.
Holly Menino sat down with nurse Dani Kurtz from Intermountain Moms on this episode of the Baby Your Baby Podcast. Together, they discuss how to prepare yourself and your baby for going back to work.
Daycare: who you’re going to leave your baby with is probably one of the most stressful aspects of going back to work.
- Search during early pregnancy for daycare.
- Factors to consider when choosing a daycare.
- Once you’ve picked a daycare, get to know them.
- Downside: illness. It’s bound to happen.
- Pro: socialization
Separation Anxiety: parents have more of it than babies.
- At the young age of 2-3 months when mothers typically go back to work, a baby doesn’t understand object permanence
- You can give your baby smaller and shorter doses of separation at home before having to do it the first time.
- While on maternity leave look for opportunities to leave your baby with a trusted caregiver for short amounts of time-go on a date, run some errands by yourself.
- That dreaded moment when you leave your crying baby in someone else’s arms is rough—but rest assured that you’ll probably cry more than your child.
Breastfeeding/Pumping: how does it all work when going back to work?
- It is definitely possible to continue nursing a baby after going back to work! The key is maintaining milk supply by pumping about as often as your baby eats while you’re gone.
- Nurse in the morning before leaving for work and plan the rest of your day’s pumping schedule off of that first feeding.
- Talk with your boss about a safe and comfortable place to pump while you’re at work.
- To be most efficient, purchase or rent an electric double breast pump
- Be prepared with videos of your baby cooing and crying
Plan ahead
- Pack bags and plan outfits the night before. Do whatever you can to make the morning easier.
- If possible, make plans with your boss to work from home part time.
Make time for you.
- This is much easier said than done, but think of yourself as a cell phone with limited battery power. If you don’t get charged, you’ll be just like your phone and shut down. At that point, you’re no good to yourself or anyone else!
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The Baby Your Baby program provides many resources for all pregnant women and new moms in Utah. There is also expert advice from the Utah Department of Health and Intermountain Healthcare that air each week on KUTV 2News.