Returning to work after maternity leave is hard. You are not the same person you were when you left. You just went through life changing events and you now have another little life that is dependent on you. Becoming a mother (or even just adding another child) comes with a learning curve and many challenges.
Maternity leave is not easy and before you know it, you have to return to work. You may not be ready to leave your child. You may feel like a stranger in your own classroom. Whatever your circumstances, I hope this is able to encourage you and help you through this tough transition.
In my experience, I had my baby right before Christmas break. I had planned to work up to Christmas break and then the substitute would start on the first day back from break. I had everything planned and ready to go (check out that article here). But my daughter decided to come early, so I left suddenly two days before Christmas break. I didn’t get a proper goodbye with my students, which was hard for me. I was prepared to leave though, so my classroom and substitute was ready to start.
Even though I had everything planned and knew exactly when I would return to work, it was still hard for me to actually leave my child. In this article, I hope to give you some tips to make the transition back to the classroom easier.
1. Set the date
You need to pick a day you will return to work. I would advise you to do this before you have your baby. Plan exactly how long you will be gone and make sure the substitute knows. I decided 6 weeks wouldn’t be long enough for me, so I made the decision to be on maternity leave for 8 weeks. I felt like this would give me enough time to adjust and be with my child. Then, I set the date that I would return to my classroom. March 1st, was my date and I couldn’t change it.
Setting the date and knowing you can’t change it is important. This way you can’t put off the inevitable. You have to return to work, so it’s easier to know the day and stick to it.
2. Prepare your first week back
Before you return to your classroom, have a whole week of lesson plans (or even 2 or 3 if possible) completely done and ready. Make all the copies, set out all needed materials, have everything in place for your return. Take one day (and one day only) to go into your classroom to prepare. Get organized and completely ready. But don’t analyze over every detail, just make sure you are prepared to walk in and teach.
That first week back is tough. It will take you awhile to get back to your routine. Having everything prepared beforehand, makes the transition so much easier. That first week, you just need to survive. You don’t have time to make copies or worry about what you are teaching.
3. Practice your new routine
Everything is harder with a baby. You need to figure out your new routine and test it out a few days before you return to work. It will take you longer to get ready. You also need to consider where you will be taking your baby and leave time for that. Doing this will save you a lot of stress on those first few days back to work.
4. Make Breastfeeding plans
Another really challenging part of being a mother is breastfeeding. If you choose to breastfeed, you need to consider how you will continue to do so when you return to work. It is a law in every state that women should be given time and a place to pump in their work environment. You need to think about how you will do this.
Breastfeeding is hard enough, but adding in pumping is even harder. Make sure you order a pump well before you return and start pumping a few weeks before you go back to work. It is nice if you have a little extra milk before you return to work.
Being a teacher and breastfeeding is extremely challenging. You need to decide when you will pump. You should try to work in as many opportunities to pump as you can. I planned to pump on my plan (40 minutes) and my lunch break (30 minutes). Those were the only breaks I had during the school day. This ended up not being enough for me and I occasionally left during small groups when another teacher was in my room to pump more.
You also need to decide where you will pump. I ended up pumping in my classroom, but it wasn’t always a private place depending on the day. Sometimes, I would go to another room. Talk to your principal to see what is available to you.
I would also recommend using a pump that is somewhat discrete. I ended up using the Freemie Collection Cups by NUK. These attach to any pump and can be completely covered by your shirt. This way, I could pump and have people in my room if needed. Sometimes, I would have meetings with other teachers during my plan or need to have a planning period with my grade level partner. This made it easier and less awkward.
Another thing to consider is how you will store your pumped milk. You can bring a cooler and ice pack with you or put it in a refrigerator. One of my teacher friends had a refrigerator in her classroom and let me put my milk in it.
Being a teacher and continuing to breastfeed can be challenging. If this is what you plan to do, don’t give up! Breastfeeding is so beneficial to your child and don’t make your job be the reason you stop. Now, if it becomes impossible or you aren’t producing enough, and you feel like you have to give up, do not feel like you were defeated. You need to do what is best for you and your child.
5. Find a balance in your work and home life
I decided that I would try my best to keep work at work and not bring work home. I tried to get all my lesson planning and grading done at school. Also, I left school as soon as my work day was over, I did not want to stay late. When I went home, I wanted to devote my time to being a mother and spending time with my child.
You need to find a balance that works for your life. You are now adding a new role of being a mom to your life so you need to consider how it will fit in. My advice is to keep work at work and when you are home, devote your time to your child. This will make you feel more fulfilled in both aspects of your life.
6. Make your teaching day more efficient
Now, my goal when returning to work was to keep all my work at school and bring nothing home. This can be extremely challenging since the job of a teacher is so extensive. I planned my lessons ahead and tried to stay at least a week ahead. I would use my plan and free time during the school day to get grading done.
If you want some tips on a more efficient teaching day, I wrote an article on how to stay more organized during the school day (click here to read) which helped a lot. This way, I was always organized and didn’t feel overwhelmed at the end of the day. This also helped me leave school on time when the day was over.
7. Manage the stress
You may feel extremely stressed going back to work. I was so overwhelmed and stressed my first few days back. Realize that this is okay and a feeling you will have on the first day or even all week. Make plans to relax, whatever you need to do.
Especially that first week back, you need to have a way to destress. Every evening, I would cuddle my baby and watch some of my favorite TV shows. This was a great way for me to destress and unwind after the stressful day of getting back to my teaching routine.
Going back to work after maternity leave is hard. Remember that you make a difference in the lives of your students and they need you. Teaching is such a rewarding job. Find the balance in your work life and home life and enjoy these years and your new little one.
Thank you for Continually Learning with us!
Sarah
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