It’s not easy bringing a new life into this world. But what is not easier is balancing your life between work and family. Like all working moms, the rush of emotions that hits you at the end of your maternity leave is probably the most challenging thing you will face in your life.
While you may be excited about your first day at work, you may also be on the verge of crying at the thought of leaving your newborn and family in someone else's care. The stress of being needed at both the house and the workplace is not a piece of cake. The juggling responsibility might want you to question your existence and your potentials.
You may think at this moment that you cannot manage both work and family, but trust me when I tell you this, every working mother that ever existed ultimately found a way to overcome the stress of getting back to work after giving birth to a beautiful baby. No matter how challenging the responsibility may seem, planning and persistence is always the key.
Here are a few smart strategies that will help you to overcome the post-baby return to work depression and balance your work and family life
1. Overcome the fears
The post-birth period is filled with a lot of emotions; you are tired from giving birth, you are exhausted from breastfeeding, you feel exhausted because you have only slept only a few hours since the arrival of your little one. As you see the end of maternity leave approaching, you might even burn out at the thought of leaving your baby at home. But this is precisely the time you need all your strength to overcome your negative emotions and fears.
2. Find a good child care
One of the many ways to alleviate your guilt of leaving your newly born at home is to find good child care. But before making the big decision of leaving your child in someone else's care, make sure you do a lot of research and look through recommendations. Ask your friends and family. Walkthrough different child care centers and check references.
3. Divide and conquer
It's okay to let someone else be in charge of taking care of the baby and the house. Sharing responsibilities makes everything a lot easier and better. Bring your partner or loved ones into the picture and ask them to help you with the housework. Divide chores and coordinate schedule.
4. Take care of yourself
While you may think that there are already not enough hours to maintain a balance between work and your family, shrugging off personal care is the last thing you want to do. Your health and well-being are the only way to get around things smoothly. Scheduling an hour or two once a week for your personal care and well-being is as essential as taking care of your family, and you will be surprised to see how curative and revitalizing even a tiny bit of time to yourself can be.
It's never easy to balance everything. On those days when you feel like you are not doing enough, just tell yourself that you are the reason for bringing a beautiful life into this world, and that is the biggest accomplishment of all!
