Going Back to Work- What am I Forgeting?

[hez]

Hi all,

I haven't posted much lately as DH has been home for 2 weeks of vacation, and I'm enjoying lots of family time :)

I can't believe January has crept up on me, and my first day back to work will be a week from Tuesday (the 13th). I'll be working 4 days/week (M-Th), so my first two weeks will be 3 days since I'm starting on a Tuesday and MLK Jr. Day is the next week. Phew!

What am I forgeting to do in preparation? I read most of "Nursing Mother, Working Mother" but I still have this sinking feeling that I'm going to wish I'd done something differently...

I've been pumping ahead (400+ ounces in the freezer), DS is doing a little better with a bottle thanks to lots of advice I've picked up here. I'm working with the woman who 'owns' the pumping room at work to schedule my time there-- and they've got the same Medela Lactina pump I've been using at home so I'm set on pump parts.

DS goes to the sitter's next week for a couple 1/2 days with the other kids, and a separate evening of playing with the sitter by himself (yay! DH & I'll go out on a date!). She's looking forward to having him, and this way I think I'll be more comfortable with her taking him, though I'm still not (and will not ever be) ready.

I have work clothes that fit and I'm scheduling a haircut for next week while DS is at the sitter's.

I've logged in to my work laptop and cleaned out 4 1/2 months of old emails that collected while I was out. I've emailed the coworker who currently has my projects to get the meeting schedules (so I can schedule my pumping sessions appropriately!), and to get the lowdown on the projects so I'm not going back into it the work blind. I have a feeling I won't lack for work to do!

I've worked out the family budget for dealing with my 20% pay reduction & new expenses with daycare, etc. so that we don't get surprised later. Even got DH to agree to it! Also worked out some meal plans for a couple weeks in advance.

Other than spending lots of time enjoying my son, what else should I be doing in preparation? Any tips on surviving the first day (week, month) will be helpful.

TIA!

[McQ]

Sounds like you've got pretty much everything covered. Just be prepared that the first few days (heck weeks) are going to suck but it will get better.

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03

[janeybwild]

Wow! You are doing great at this. I think you may have done everything humanely possible to be ready. Now all that is left is to cut yourself some slack if you do happen to forget something. On my first day back, I had all my pumping supplies but forgot storage bags. My second day back I forgot to pack food for beakfast or lunch and had no money. My third day back I fell asleep at my computer. My fourth day back I left all the milk I had pumped at work when I came home. Oh well, it got better. DH wrote me out a check list for both going to work and coming home, and I kept cutting myself some slack. I blamed it all on being sleep deprived!. Well done for planning everything so well and good luck on your first day.

[LD92599]

ITA w/ everyone else...you sound like you are VERY prepared! Try to bring a picture or two of DS and maybe load some onto your laptop.

I keep a few extra bottles & caps at work just in case...i haven't forgotten my pump yet...but I am sure that day will come! It's when I'm going home that I always look twice to make sure I have it, since I pump more at home than at work!

It is hard at first...but it does get better. Fortunately you're only doing 4 days/week. I do 5 and sooooo wish I had just one day free (aside from Sat/Sun!) to do stuff w/ other mommies. That's got to be one of the hardest things for me x(

Laura
mom to William
3.5.2003

[kransden]

Since your child is going to a sitter this might not be a problem, BUT just in case. Budget some sick time in your work schedule. Kids that have older siblings often bring germs to the sitters too. Better to be safe than stressed. Otherwise it sounds like you have a great plan.

Karin and Katie 10/24/02

[sntm]

i'll second the checklist idea. we had one attached to the diaper bag and one to my bag of everything needed for jack and me respectively.

shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[hez]

Thanks, ladies. I appreciate the tips (checklist, putting pics on my laptop, etc.) that you've shared! I'm definitely a list-maker (if you can't tell by my post!), so the checklist will be right up my alley. I think I really needed reassurance that I can do this, and you all helped me with that, too. Now, on to enjoying my little guy as much as possible.

Thank you!

[Elilly]

I had "issues" returning to work too. On my 3rd day back, I was soooo tired that I forgot to attach the bottles to my PIS and pumped onto my lap! At that exact moment, I was completely overwhelmed and burst into tears. Needless to say, I had to go home and change and just decided to stay at home and enjoy a couple of hours with DD. So, my advice would be to have an extra basic shirt in the car that you could use if you had to. Especially if you still have leaking episodes when thinking about baby while away. This also happened to me alot when people would ask how she was etc. HTH.