What Working Mothers Must Do Before Starting Work

What You Should Do Before Getting Started

Your maternity leave is ending, you will return to work and continue to breastfeed your baby. This stresses you out a little bit. Working mothers find it very difficult to return to work when maternity leave ends and it's time to start work. This situation worries and stresses new mothers a lot. Many problems that we can't count, such as strict working hours, lack of nursery at the workplace, lack of maternity leave, no one to take care of the baby, milking problems at work, clothes that do not exist, and weight gained make working mothers feel like they are in an inextricable situation. We have prepared it for you by compiling the experiences and expert opinions of mothers about what to do before starting work, which we think will help new mothers who will start working after giving birth to some of their problems.

Get a Breast Pump for Milking

Your return to work is approaching and you are considering continuing to breastfeed your baby. In order to make your milk comfortable for your baby, you must first have a breast pump. In this way, your milk, which you will express and store beforehand, will be fed with your milk by the person who takes care of your baby when you are not with him.

Start to express and store your milk 1 month before starting work

Start expressing your milk and storing it in the deep freezer an average of one month before starting work. Make sure to note the date and amount of your milk on the milk storage bags or bottles where you put your milk. That way, you'll have enough milk for your baby for a while until you discover how long you can milk your breast.

Request a Clean Place for Milking from Your Employer

When you start work, your first job will be to request a comfortable and clean place from your employer to express your milk. If there is a refrigerator in the workplace to keep the milk you express in the correct storage conditions, you should write your name and the milking date on the storage bag to avoid possible confusion. If you do not have the opportunity to use the refrigerator, you can keep the milk in a bag filled with ice until you go home.

Get your baby used to being fed by someone other than you

Perhaps one of the most important issues in preparations for returning to work is undoubtedly feeding your baby when you are not around. Therefore, your baby needs to get used to being fed by someone other than you. During this period, you may find it difficult to accustom your baby to the bottle. Babies usually do not drink the expressed breast milk that you give, so it will be much easier for your baby to be given the bottle by the caregiver or father for the first time.

Keep Not Feeding Your Baby With Your Milk

It can be very difficult for both your baby and you to stay away from your baby in the first days of starting work. In this case, you can continue to breastfeed your baby and continue to support him with your milk, which is the best food for him.

Learn to Share Your Responsibilities with Others

It is time to share your responsibilities with others, as you only take care of your baby's everything from the birth of your baby. These people can sometimes be your spouse, sometimes your mother, sometimes a caregiver, and sometimes your best friend/neighbour. You should learn to trust them during this period. Because while keeping many things under control, you run the risk of wearing yourself out.

Practice Before Getting Started

You should familiarize your baby with the caregivers at least a week before you start work, not the day before. During this exercise, prepare the necessary foods in the refrigerator as if you were not at home. Write guiding little notes, watch how your baby is taken care of. In this way, both your baby and you can get used to the new situation more easily.

Take Care of Yourself

A little change will do you good before you go back to work. It would be beneficial for you to take advantage of this opportunity. You can make this change by completing your personal care or by shopping. What you should not forget while doing all these is what you feel, not the thoughts of the people at work. Whatever you do, do it for yourself.

Don't Try To Be Perfect

During this period, do not try to catch up with your spouse, baby and work at the same time. This behavior will wear you out in the adaptation process. Do not consume yourself by feeling inadequate over the exaggerated examples around you. Organize your time and try to make time for yourself. Remember that your baby feels all your sadness and distress.

Build Apps You Can See Your Home or Baby

Experts recommend that babies be in a peaceful and safe environment, especially in the first months. Get rid of the thought that this environment cannot be provided in the absence of the mother. Relieve your worries when you are not with your baby by creating applications that allow you to video access your home on your computer or smart phone at work. Use these apps at certain times of the day.

In the First Days, You Will Call Home Every Half Hour

In the first days of starting work, you will probably call home every half hour to check how your baby is doing. However, this situation will increase the time intervals to call the house day by day.

Ask Relatives and Friends for Help in a Crisis Situation

Seek help from your babysitter, caregiver, relatives and friends in unusual situations, such as your baby getting sick or on a business trip. Remind yourself that it is perfectly normal to need the help of those around you when trying to cope with situations like these.

Collect Your Milk Leave in a Single Day

Kindergarten etc. where you work. If you do not have such opportunities, you can collect your maternity leave in a single day at appropriate times by talking to your workplace. Such an arrangement can be very useful to reduce the time you will be away from your baby.

Never Feel Guilty

Undoubtedly , the feeling of guilt is the most common emotion experienced by working mothers in the process of starting a job. In the studies in which the 24-hour examination of mothers who stayed at home with their babies after birth, it was seen that the difference between working and housewife mothers was only 1.5 hours. In other words, mothers who do not work can spend only 1.5 hours of extra time with their babies. Because they take most of their time with housework rather than their babies.

Remember You Are An Individual

Remember that you need to be a healthy individual for yourself and your baby not only physically but also mentally and physically.

Ask Yourself This Question When You Can't Get Out of Your Work

Even if you do all these, there may still be times when you fall into contradictions. In such situations, ask ourselves the following question: Do you want to be someone who complains, whines, or isn't happy with your life in my baby's eyes? Or as a working and productive individual who can overcome many difficulties in his life?