Back to work after baby - a day in the life
Going back to work after maternity leave is no frickin’ joke. You read about it, you hear about it, you mentally prepare for it (or try to), yet when that moment comes it is MUCH harder than you were expecting. At least it was for me.
I went back to work this past week and I feel like the 2-3 weeks leading up to it, I had an overwhelming sense of #dread. Questions like “how am I going to juggle work and baby?,” “how am I going to deal with him away at daycare all day?,” “what am I going to do if I have to work with him from home?” – all of these thoughts crossed my mind at least 200 times a day.
My husband and I both work from home right now, so we decided to “wing it” those first couple of weeks until full-time childcare begins… “ehhh, c’mon…how hard can it be??” (famous last words).
Week 1 was a bit of a circus…
The face he makes when I put him in his walker so that I can get a bit of work done - the “I’m completely innocent” face as I’d like to call it. Also, yes, he tried to eat the corner of my notepad.
Day 1 with baby
9:00AM: Log on and catch up on email after 24 weeks of maternity leave (I’m spoiled, I know).
9:05AM: Rush project arrives in inbox.
9:20AM: Bring coffee into my office (aka, my bed) and attempt to start rush project. Hear baby crying in the other room and guiltily ignore cries in hopes that husband will attend to baby.
9:25AM: Success! My plan has worked and baby has stopped crying. Hear footsteps approaching and realize that husband is simply bringing baby into my office so that he can work in peace from his office (the couch).
9:40AM: Baby is babbling and grabbing at all of my work supplies. Baby attempts to stick pen in his mouth and now has ink all over his face. Try to open baby’s mouth to check for ink while simultaneously Googling toxicity levels of pen ink. Phew, we are in the clear.
10:05AM: Baby is again crying and inconsolable. Realize that we are way overdue for his second breakfast.
10:07AM: Begin feeding baby, who has decided to fight the feeding with all of his might. Back is arched, legs are kicking and he continues screaming.
10:20AM: Switch baby to the other side in hopes that he is simply boycotting the left nipple today. Nope. Apparently the right nipple is also in the doghouse.
10:30AM: Finally get baby to latch for 30 seconds and he keeps kicking the computer screen. Look over and realize that he has somehow opened up Zoom on my computer.
10:32AM: In a panic, try and reach for my computer so that I can disable camera access before my boss accidentally gets a surprise call.
10:36AM: Phone begins ringing with impatient client on the other end. Ignore.
10:40AM: Baby falls asleep while eating. Gently burp and put him in the Dockatot next to me.
10:41AM: Reach for my coffee, which is now cold. Contemplate adding ice and cream to make it a fancy “iced” coffee. Laugh to self quietly.
10:43AM: Finally log back into computer and open up email. Begin downloading documents for rush project and hear loud and suspicious noise coming from the Dockatot.
10:44AM: Baby is awakened by the sound of his own blowout and begins crying.
10:46AM: Pick up baby to get him changed and see that the Dockatot is covered in mustard-colored stains.
10:48AM: Rush project was due 18 minutes ago…has not yet been started.
For all of you parents navigating childcare during COVID, I cannot even begin to understand how you did it. Major props to you!
For now, we will continue trying to succeed at our balancing act until our full-time childcare begins. We will also invest in some camera stickers to avoid accidentally being stuck on Zoom while breastfeeding the baby.
Xo, Sara
