One of my work friends is coming back from 12 weeks of maternity leave the Monday after Thanksgiving.
I remember being so sad and stressed when I returned!! What can I do to make her first day/week better?
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@cmomma17: Maybe focus on welcoming her back to work... taking her out to a welcome back lunch, and having everyone chip in to pay for it?
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Lunch would be nice, unless she's pumping, in that case, ordering something in?
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@mrbee: @looch: yeah, I thought of lunch first too. She will be pumping though, at 10, 12, and 3. I pump at 10 and 3 as well, but go home to nurse at 12. Her LO will be in daycare.
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@cmomma17: awww take her out to lunch?!
hmmm....breakfast?
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I'd order in lunch and chat. I know when I first started back at work, between pumping and having to leave to pick up LO, I did not have time to go out to lunch.
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if someone had given me a donut and coffee on my first day back i would have been really excited. one with frosting and sprinkles. rainbow colored sprinkles. i am getting lost in my thoughts now.
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If lunch is out, maybe muffins or donuts and coffee for that first morning? I'm sure she will have a lot of chit chat, catching up to do, so that way everyone can come and enjoy while she does it, then she can get back to work with fewer interruptions. I know when my coworkers come back, the first day is a wash with everyone asking about the baby (which I didn't realize until reading it here, can be really hard!)
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Yes! Breakfast/coffee is great! Thanks guys!!!!
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Breakfast or lunch. I would have loved if I someone welcomed me back that way.
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@cmomma17: oh but find out if her baby is sensitive to coffee! Mine was and I didn't drink decaf till after the 4m regression. LOL hahah
I wish I had a work buddy like you!
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Gift her a package of BM storage bags? I found a "take, I'm done" donation in our mother's room the first week back and it made my week!
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@edelweiss: haha!
I agree on breakfast! Great way to start the work day.
For me, hearing "welcome back!" with a smile from all my co-workers throughout the day was great too!
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@locavore_mama: that's a very good point!
We have texted about our love/need for coffee many times though so I'm in the clear in this case I'm trying to be a good buddy to her, she's my first mommy friend IRL. We actually haven't even known each other a whole year yet! We met when I was pregnant and then she announced that she was too! We had the same OB and everything.
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@JoJoGirl: that's a great idea too! pumping stuff!!
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Just having everyone come up to me, say they missed me, that i was needed, etc, made me feel really appreciated. And having everyone want to see the baby and coo over her, etc. I like the pumping gift idea, too!!
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My boss (who I had previously not gotten along too well with) made me some homemade cookies, a handwritten card, and a few of those little cardboard books for the baby. It was really, really sweet and unexpected. Apparently she missed me when I was out
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I sent my SIL flower on her first day back off mat leave just to brighten her morning.
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Flowers would be so lovely! I'm thinking about doing the same for a coworker who is coming back the beginning of December!
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Maybe a nice picture frame for her desk?
I appreciated support in leaving early that first week. I couldn't concentrate on anything except leaving early.
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How about some flowers for her desk? Those brighten up my day and since you can deliver yourself, you can grab some from the grocery store which is a lot more affordable.
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everyone has such nice ideas! my colleagues also decorated my desk which was funny and very sweet.
but nicest of all, was that people asked about my baby and wanted to see pictures. and continue to ask about her, which always makes me happy. -
What about a gift basket with some yummy protein bars/fruit/nuts to snack on (nursing moms are hungry!) and some fun magazines or books to entertain her in the pump room? And maybe a really nice water bottle that would look pretty on her desk and keep her hydrated?
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I like the flowers idea a lot too! I'm sure I could pick up a little something from the grocery store.
@maybebaby: this lucky girl gets to pump in her own office! food/snacks are always good though!
She commutes too, so a food stash in the office is even more important for her!
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Oh...flowers would've been soooo nice. I like that idea!
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