Steph Peters My maternity leave is coming to an end this week and I’m mixed with emotions. I’ve enjoyed this time being able to just focus on taking care of the baby and learning how to juggle my day between feedings, crying babies, diaper changes, and fun family time. Now I have to throw work back into that schedule and I’m nervous! 
The baby has been my alarm clock these last 6 weeks, and now I will still have her waking me up and then brace myself for the alarm going off for work too. Baby’s schedule is still different every night so this should be interesting. When she wakes up to feed at 3am, and my work alarm is set for 4am, do I stay up and just get ready for work, or do I try to catch alittle more sleep? I know the answer and I don’t like it – just stay up and get ready for work after her feeding, boo!
Then of course part of me is excited to get back to work. Just being out of the house, with no crying babies, will be a burst of energy. The other day, I went to the store all by myself and felt like the cart was so light and I was able to shop so much faster. So maybe that will carry over to my job, I’ll be able to get work done even faster than before! And thanks to my nursing bra, I’ll be able to multitask at work while pumping and answering emails at the same time – I am woman, hear me roar.
In reality, the way to do it all, and do it with a smile on your face, is to get on a schedule. Following our pediatrician’s advice has really helped for feeding/sleeping schedule. Keep it bright during the day and dark at night. During night feedings, treat it as a business transaction. Keep it quiet and dark, do the diaper change, the feeding, burping, and get back to sleep. It works! On Monday, let’s rip off the band aid and jump back into work, get on a new schedule that works best for everyone and helps mommy stay happy. What has worked best for your family while you try to balance work and family?
