What was your experience as a first-time mum returning to work?
June 24th 2009 00:13
I knew going back to work full-time would be a struggle – only because the thought of parting from my son after six and a half months of being tied together at the hip (at times, literally) was unbearable. I had a vision of me in my work clothes tearfully saying goodbye to my son who would also be tearfully reaching out for me and, somehow, already so well advanced, he would be warbling, “Mama, no leave”. And as my maternity leave came to an end, I cursed the huge mortgage, the stupid black cat who would only give away millions to a lucky few, and even Paris Hilton who could well afford to part with some of her millions but choose not to.
But what I didn’t realise that going back to work full-time is like being catapulted back to those first days of being a first-time mum where everything was just a grey blur.
First up is the lack of food. Having no time for grocery shopping or cooking, hubby and I have been rummaging the pantry and snacking on olives, peanut butter and old wedding chocolates, going to the fridge every so often in the hope that cooked food would magically appear out of thin air (and maybe even arranging itself on the dining table) or hoping that in that little corner of the freezer would be a hidden compartment with a frozen casserole. Discovering there was none of that, it was back to frozen meals and junk food drive-thrus, ordering enough so we could have the leftovers the next day.
Second is living like a hermit again and ignoring phone calls and social outings. With only 45 minutes in the morning and 1 hour at night spent with bub on weekdays, weekends become sacred that I resent the thought of going over to families’ houses and sharing bub’s attention.
Third is not finding suitable clothes to go out in. During the first several weeks, this was due to not being able to fit into my maternity clothes and my pre-pregnant clothes, limiting my options down to about 3 dresses. But these days, I can’t seem to find any clothes that bub hasn’t spewed and left a stain on.
Fourth is the brain freeze or as my friend would call it, ‘the return of the placenta brain’. Just when you think you’ve regained your memory and can actually tell your right from your left (resulting in your hubby having confidence to let you drive down the street on your own), your hectic schedule wipes out what little brain you had regained and you’re back to wondering how to add two and two together. And staring at the train ticket machine, wondering why it won’t accept your $50 note for a $30 ticket and stupidly staring at the writing scrolling across, “This machine will not accept notes if the change amount is more than $19.90”.
Fifth and most important of all, the return of the four-hour sleep. For some reason, bub seems to realise the change around him and is none too happy with it, so he’s been waking up more than usual at night, only settling once you’re fully awake and can’t go back to sleep yourself. As a result, you’re tired and cranky by the time you get up for work and just want to snarl at the whole world – except, ironically, at your little bub who lets out a giggle when he sees you first thing, unaware he’s the reason for your foul mood.
So, what was your experience as first-time mum returning to work full-time?
But what I didn’t realise that going back to work full-time is like being catapulted back to those first days of being a first-time mum where everything was just a grey blur.
Work and a baby - a juggling act
First up is the lack of food. Having no time for grocery shopping or cooking, hubby and I have been rummaging the pantry and snacking on olives, peanut butter and old wedding chocolates, going to the fridge every so often in the hope that cooked food would magically appear out of thin air (and maybe even arranging itself on the dining table) or hoping that in that little corner of the freezer would be a hidden compartment with a frozen casserole. Discovering there was none of that, it was back to frozen meals and junk food drive-thrus, ordering enough so we could have the leftovers the next day.
Second is living like a hermit again and ignoring phone calls and social outings. With only 45 minutes in the morning and 1 hour at night spent with bub on weekdays, weekends become sacred that I resent the thought of going over to families’ houses and sharing bub’s attention.
Third is not finding suitable clothes to go out in. During the first several weeks, this was due to not being able to fit into my maternity clothes and my pre-pregnant clothes, limiting my options down to about 3 dresses. But these days, I can’t seem to find any clothes that bub hasn’t spewed and left a stain on.
Fourth is the brain freeze or as my friend would call it, ‘the return of the placenta brain’. Just when you think you’ve regained your memory and can actually tell your right from your left (resulting in your hubby having confidence to let you drive down the street on your own), your hectic schedule wipes out what little brain you had regained and you’re back to wondering how to add two and two together. And staring at the train ticket machine, wondering why it won’t accept your $50 note for a $30 ticket and stupidly staring at the writing scrolling across, “This machine will not accept notes if the change amount is more than $19.90”.
Fifth and most important of all, the return of the four-hour sleep. For some reason, bub seems to realise the change around him and is none too happy with it, so he’s been waking up more than usual at night, only settling once you’re fully awake and can’t go back to sleep yourself. As a result, you’re tired and cranky by the time you get up for work and just want to snarl at the whole world – except, ironically, at your little bub who lets out a giggle when he sees you first thing, unaware he’s the reason for your foul mood.
So, what was your experience as first-time mum returning to work full-time?
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