Tips for Transitioning Back to Work After Baby

We are so excited to have sleep experts Brooke and Lindsay from Sleepy on Hudson as our guest bloggers. They will be addressing one of the most important topics they deal with when working with parents, how to transition back to work after baby. 

Lindsay and I talk a lot about transitions. We build simple, effective bedtime routines for our clients, as well as our own children! We show our clients how to guide their babies and toddlers through a transition that ends in a rewarding nap. Most of parenting truly is a series of transitions, and we do our best to help prepare our clients for each one in these first few years. 

However, not all transitions occur between you and your baby.  After a few weeks or a few months home after the birth of your baby, many moms need to begin preparing their children and themselves for the transition to childcare. Parents prepare for this transition in different ways. Some interview endlessly, while others live in denial and procrastinate about this decision until they need to scramble. Either way, it can feel very tricky when you reach the day when someone else begins to play a role in your baby’s life.  

Lindsay and I have been through this ourselves both as parents and as professionals. We have learned a lot about this transition and wanted to share a few tips with you to hopefully ease your emotions about returning to your own professional life. 

1. Don’t go back to work on a Monday. This is rule #1. Start back on a Wednesday knowing that you will need a few days to figure it out in the office and will then be craving the weekend. This also gives your new childcare situation a few days to practice and begin to work. 
2. If you know you will be transitioning your baby to childcare, work on routines and rituals that others can do. Do you love your Ollie Swaddle? Make sure your partner gets to prepare your baby for naps and nights, and then have your new nanny do a nap or two following the basics of your routine. 
3. Remember keep your routine simple and easy to follow! It will benefit both your baby tremendously as you allow others to take the lead on that routine. 
4. Have your nanny shadow you or do some daycare visits, but then after this initial period, let your caregiver have some time without you hovering. This is hard to do, but it is essential. Your baby needs to learn to be comforted by his new caregiver. Don’t undermine your caregiver -- if you step in too quickly, then you can deter this essential bond and trust from forming.
5. Like all routines, stay consistent. If you leave work and your baby cries, don’t go rushing back in to calm him down. Let him know that even though you're leaving, you will return. In the space in between, let him have fun and feel comforted by his caregiver. 
6. Finally and most importantly, it will get better. He will learn to nap at daycare. She will take a bottle from the sitter. It happens. It takes consistency and clear routines -- and of course, a lot of practice.

Eventually, this enormous transition will stop feeling so big and will finally begin to feel normal. Do you have any tips for working moms to help ease the transition back to the office? 

Want to get in touch with Brooke or Lindsay? Contact them here to see how they can be of assistance to you and your wonderful family.