How to Know When You’re Really Ready to Go Back to Work

Returning to work after having a baby is not easy.

By Deirdre Wilson

You’ve had six weeks of bliss with your newborn – getting to know his sleeping and eating habits, his cries and his smiles. But your maternity leave is up, and you need to return to work.

Are you ready?

It’s not unusual for a new mother to pack a breast pump in her briefcase, drop her baby off at a newly chosen childcare facility and head into work – only to find herself stressed, emotionally distraught and in tears before the day is out. Why? She could be having trouble pumping breast milk; perhaps her childcare provider called and said her baby hasn’t stopped crying; or maybe she’s reacting to the hormonal changes that come after giving birth.

Returning to work after having a baby is not easy.

A national survey of new moms conducted in 2008 – the first of its kind to gauge their experiences in the months after giving birth – bears this out. The survey found that nearly half of new moms who returned to work felt that they hadn’t stayed home long enough with their babies. Most said they had to return to work because they couldn’t afford more time off.

The survey, “New Mothers Speak Out,” conducted for the maternity support organization  Childbirth Connection, details the experiences of 903 mothers during their first 18 months after giving birth. Of those moms who were previously employed and returned to their jobs after having a baby, one-third returned within six weeks and most (84 percent) returned within 12 weeks. But these women reported numerous challenges:

• 79 percent said that being apart from their baby was a challenge.

• 50 percent had difficulty with childcare arrangements.

• 37 percent had breastfeeding issues.

• 36 percent didn’t feel they had enough support from their partner or spouse.

• 29 percent perceived a lack of support as a new mother in the workplace.