https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 26 May 2026 09:56:04 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/returning-to-work-anxiety#post-337638 Fri, 12 Oct 2012 07:48:11 +0000 winniebee 337638@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: That is great that they are so comforting! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/returning-to-work-anxiety#post-337596 Fri, 12 Oct 2012 07:27:07 +0000 mediagirl 337596@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was really easy at first because I left her at home with my Mom for three weeks. It was exceptionally hard when I left her at daycare, though. I cried and cried and cried. She was only 14 weeks when she went to daycare. The women at daycare really helped me feel better about leaving her there, though. They love her and tell us so every time we drop her off and pick her up. It's comforting knowing she's well liked there and doing good. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/returning-to-work-anxiety#post-337575 Fri, 12 Oct 2012 07:20:57 +0000 winniebee 337575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@krsmall: That's really cute about his art work! My son really loves other kids and I think he'll learn a lot from them. So, in the end I know he'll be just fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/returning-to-work-anxiety#post-337572 Fri, 12 Oct 2012 07:20:02 +0000 winniebee 337572@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for all of your positive comments! I think you are right that once I get into a groove, it won't be as bad. I'm returning to work, and that's that, so I have to make the best of it. I'm staying home Monday's with him, which I'm taking a huge paycut for, but I'm really glad I"m doing it.</p> <p>@skibobrown: Luckily my first day back is a Tuesday and my mom will be with him Tuesdays! He'll be in daycare W, Th, F and the week prior to my return to work he's going for a few hours every day. I think that will help to ease the transition when I'm back in the office.</p> <p>@mungbean: Another lawyer here too. Good for you for recognizing what you need and going for it!!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/returning-to-work-anxiety#post-332680 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 22:39:42 +0000 pinkcupcake 332680@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took an extended leave (about 4.5 months) and I had a really, really rough transition back to work. I absolutely loved being at home with L, and my maternity leave was the happiest time of my life :) I had so much anxiety over going to work and cried my entire last two weeks of leave. My work was pretty flexible and let me work 3 days a week to ease back into it (I am a lawyer). Although I was miserable, I decided to give it a shot before I made any decisions. Ultimately, I decided to quit my job and be a SAHM. We've had to sacrifice quite a bit, financially, but I'm so much happier being home, so it's more than worth it :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/returning-to-work-anxiety#post-332568 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:52:02 +0000 littlek 332568@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I cried the first day I left B at daycare. However, every day it gets a little easier. We put B in an awesome daycare and he's learning so much. He actually painted a fire truck the other day and he's learning sign language. I'm a CPA so as much as I would love to be home with him, I know he's learning more than I could teach him, unless he wants to learn accounting. :) I was told by someone to give being back at work 3 months before making any serious decisions about work. So far so good, I've been back at work full time for 2 weeks now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/returning-to-work-anxiety#post-332549 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:35:51 +0000 skibobrown 332549@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One foot in front of the other. Make a good plan for where your baby is going to be while you're at work. Make a plan to check in multiple times on the first day... maybe even visit briefly at lunch time. And just focus on making it through that first day. Then focus on making it through the second day. It *will* get easier. And if you find that you hate being back at work and just want to be a SAHM, you can cross that bridge when you come to it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/returning-to-work-anxiety#post-332539 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:16:40 +0000 mamimami 332539@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For me the anxiety was worse that going back. I know it's hard, but when you let yourself be anxious you're also sort of putting an early end to your time off, so try to enjoy every moment and when you go back you'll deal with whatever you have to deal with! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/returning-to-work-anxiety#post-332538 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:11:55 +0000 CATWOMAN 332538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Every ounce of my body wanted to stay home. After a few weeks- I found my groove. I think I would kind of lose my mind if I were home. During maternity leave I almost punished myself for being home by setting unrealistic expectations of myself in regards to cooking, cleaning, &amp; working out- as well as feeling inadequate as a new mother. Work really was, as they say, good for me! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/returning-to-work-anxiety#post-332533 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:57:50 +0000 pastemoo 332533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know exactly what you mean. I ended up not going back and we're eating a lot of pb&amp;j, veggies on sale.... cloth diapering.</p> <p>But a lot of moms go through that anxiety and do go back to work. It is possible! And if you hate it, live frugally and quit after you have enough extra cash.</p> <p>I'm sorry it's so stressful--it is normal though.</p> <p>Hugs!</p> <p>ETA All the women in my family told me that the first week was the hardest (and doesn't get easier from day 1 to day 5) but it does get easier after that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/returning-to-work-anxiety#post-332518 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:48:43 +0000 Tidybee 332518@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't really have any feedback -- just wanted to give you a huge hug and say you'll have to decide what is best for you and not worry about what everyone else thinks. Maybe you can try it for a month and if it's definitely not working for you, you can switch and stay home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/returning-to-work-anxiety#post-332494 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:30:08 +0000 winniebee 332494@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I go back to work in 3 weeks. I've been on maternity leave for almost 5 months and when I go back, T will be 5.5 months old. I was also on bedrest at home for 2 months before his birth (though I did work from home during that time). Last night, I could barely sleep I had so much anxiety over returning to work. I just don't want to go back and the thought of leaving T makes me tear up. Everyone says how it will be "good for me" to go back and I know they are trying to be positive. There's not even one part of me that wants to go back, but financially I must -- I only had 2 months of paid leave. I feel like in some ways it would have been easier for me to go back to work at 12 weeks...at this point we have all of our little routines and we (ok me) are so attached. I have really enjoyed being home and I know how fortunate I am to have been able to take an extended leave.</p> <p>Anyways, I'm not sure what I"m looking for. I know going back will suck and there's no way around it. How did you get over your return to work anxiety? Was it as bad as you thought it would be? </p>