https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:26:51 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801488 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 19:39:34 +0000 snarkybiochemist 2801488@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SugarMaple: I'm sorry you got asked if you were still pregnant. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801486 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 19:38:42 +0000 snarkybiochemist 2801486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SugarMaple: both of us had good days. She even took a 2 hr afternoon nap! My only downside is I only was able to pump enough for 2 feeds in 3 pumping sessions. I will see how it goes over the next few weeks before making any decisions either way. Low supply is hard </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801480 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 19:35:01 +0000 SugarMaple 2801480@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snarkybiochemist: How are you feeling? Did daycare go well for your daughter?</p> <p>My girl has a good first day at daycare, I am relieved. My day was really good too, apart from a student asking if I was pregnant again already (belly). Burn. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801311 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 11:12:01 +0000 snarkybiochemist 2801311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: @petitenoisette: I am going to see how these first few days go and then make up my mind about what I need. I also want to see how pumping goes and if it remains feasible to keep up pumping. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801308 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 11:03:49 +0000 petitenoisette 2801308@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snarkybiochemist: I would def do what you can to reduce the number of bottles you need to wash, so if you have to buy more and an adapter, so be it! Like @MrsSCB: I hated having to do all the bottle and pump part washing every day (and we didn't have a dishwasher at the time!) so this time I will definitely invest in more bottles and parts so I can just put them all in the dishwasher as much as possible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801307 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 11:03:21 +0000 MrsSCB 2801307@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snarkybiochemist: I ended up just pumping into the medela bottles. I pumped three times a day and would end up with four of those to clean at the end of the day (each time I pumped, I would combine the milk from both sides into one). I did get two sets of those and two sets of pump parts, so I didn't have to take all the same stuff every day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801304 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 10:46:36 +0000 snarkybiochemist 2801304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: thanks it feels good to be back at work</p> <p>I am trying to decide what to do about bottles, should I buy more bottles so I can pump directly into the bottles she drinks from or just deal with washing the medela bottles I pump into and the advent bottles she drinks from. She drinks best from advent but I have a medela pump and would need more bottles and the adapter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801303 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 10:45:13 +0000 pwnstar 2801303@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snarkybiochemist: I cried the first day too, with both of my littles. I still tear up sometimes, and my littles are 5 and 17 months! On the mornings I really struggled, I would tell myself that I had just gotten through the hardest part of my day, and that it was all down hill from there . . . which definitely not always the case, but it really helped me maintain perspective. So many hugs to you. :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801298 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 10:39:05 +0000 MrsSCB 2801298@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snarkybiochemist: :heart: :heart: I cried my first day, too, but it really does get easier. My son is 17 months old now, and he's happy at daycare and I honestly love being a working mom. You'll get into the swing of things, there's just an adjustment period. Sounds like you're doing great, though. </p> <p>Side note: The thing I hated about pumping was washing all the parts. I found a special dishwasher thing to hold all the tiny bottle parts (Dr. Brown's bottles = five billion parts) and that was so much better than handwashing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801296 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 10:36:07 +0000 snarkybiochemist 2801296@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So far so good, I cried a little dropping her off and driving to work but now I am pretty consumed with getting myself back in the swing of things. I'm sure over time this will get easier and I will work things out in terms of what works best for pumping and packing and staying organized </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801265 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 09:59:36 +0000 snowjewelz 2801265@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You will do great! With my first I was a nervous wreck too, so DH offered to stay home to take care of DD1 on my first day back and that helped me feel much better. Then I think I was so consumed with work and pumping logistics that I didn't spend too much time missing my baby :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801249 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 09:05:15 +0000 jhd 2801249@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snarkybiochemist: good luck today! She’s such a cutie!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801246 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 08:43:31 +0000 krispi 2801246@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For me, the first day was the worst and then it got easier from there. It's totally normal to be upset dropping off your baby the first time. It was also hard for me to juggle work and home for a while too. I felt like neither of them were getting my full attention, and I was just doing the minimum to get by at each one. That got better over time too, although I can't think of anything specific that made it better. I think it was just getting used to a new normal where I can't always stay late at work to finish a project or I can't do everything at home either. </p> <p>Definitely get help with all the washing and packing of bottles, clothes, etc that you need to take to daycare. There's so much to prep each day when they're little. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801244 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 08:30:47 +0000 petitenoisette 2801244@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Good luck today!! It's hard at first but it gets better quickly in my experience. I adapted quickly to actually bringing baby to daycare/grandmacare and pumping but it did take me a while to get used to the fact that my time before and after work was VERY different than life prebaby. Just sort of non-stop getting ready in the am, pumping, getting everything unpacked after work and tending to the baby, etc. It just felt like a marathon to me until bedtime! But now that I'm used to it I honestly don't know what I did with myself with all that time pre-kids and my life feels much more full and rewarding. :happy: </p> <p>My advice is to make sure that DH is pulling his weight and that all baby things don't just automatically fall to you. It took a long time for us to get to a place where I felt like things were very equal, and still now I do all the prep stuff while he tackles more of the actual childcare. This usually works for us but sometimes resentment can bubble up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801243 Thu, 01 Feb 2018 08:25:59 +0000 Ajsmommy 2801243@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Good luck!! Been there twice and it's TOUGH! But you will get through and it will get easier. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801185 Wed, 31 Jan 2018 21:08:18 +0000 snarkybiochemist 2801185@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for all the ideas and support. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801175 Wed, 31 Jan 2018 20:42:47 +0000 LCTBQE 2801175@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@crazydoglady: totally, prepping the night before is key. If I'm really on top of things I'll even lay out my outfit/coat/shoes for the next day and set up the coffee pot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801174 Wed, 31 Jan 2018 20:42:05 +0000 SugarMaple 2801174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She's adorable! I was on the November due date board with you and I return to work tomorrow as well. I'm very sad!! I keep reminding myself the first couple weeks are the hardest. It's also nice that it's only two days this week, then we have the weekend to cuddle. I haven't left her for long before, so I am curious and optimistic that she will do great. But part of me knows she won't nap well and will be exhausted when I pick her up. We use an in home daycare, our 3 year old goes there as well. Since I know and trust them, we haven't done much trial time (1/2 day and a visit). Now I am wondering if I should of eased her into it more. Agh! I am slightly freaking out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801173 Wed, 31 Jan 2018 20:41:55 +0000 LCTBQE 2801173@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She is so adorable! I love my job but hated going back at 14w, the baby was just so young and I ached thinking about him being stuck at daycare all day. The positive thing about starting them that little is that it's typically much easier *for them* than starting at say, 8 months when they only know you and no one else. Our kid now LOVES daycare, so it doesn't hurt as much knowing that he's happy and stimulated all day. I thought it was incredibly hard doing night feedings and going to work the next day, I felt like a zombie and there was just no relief until we sleep trained (and it took months for me to catch up on sleep even then). To my surprise I didn't think pumping at work was that bad; I did twice a day for 20 minutes and it was nice to zone out a little. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801165 Wed, 31 Jan 2018 20:26:45 +0000 crazydoglady 2801165@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snarkybiochemist: What a cutie! My biggest suggestion is to tape a list of all the things you need to do/bring with you to work or daycare to your front door. Use it as a check off list in the morning. Also, prep everything you can the night before. Good luck on your first day back! :goodluck: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801160 Wed, 31 Jan 2018 20:03:58 +0000 Pollywog 2801160@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hugs! A few things really helped. I got hot coffee every morning and savored going to the bathroom (2 years in it is still a highlight). I'm not sure your job, but I was able to set up a flexible schedule where I finished my work at home after LO went to bed. It works out better for both of us. Lastly, if you pump, know it sucks and can be so stressful. Don't let your self worth be dictated by the number of ounces you produce. Any milk is great and there's plenty of ways we can help you if you need it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/starting-back-to-work#post-2801152 Wed, 31 Jan 2018 19:15:06 +0000 snarkybiochemist 2801152@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm starting back to work tomorrow, and gave a host of conflicting emotions thankful I got my full 12 weeks and that it was paid (through STD and my saved PTO) but sad it wasnt longer, excited to get back to my job which I love, nervous about leaving my daughter and the logistics that come with daycare. I'm sure others feel these same things, feel free to chime in to commiserate or offer suggestions for making things go better/easier. Its going to be hard to leave this cutie </p> [attach=7666/18/p3g3d6.450x600.20180122_124913.jpg]