If you are planning on returning to work after maternity leave, you’ve likely got plenty of questions! Who will look after your baby? What is a licensed caregiver? Is there a local childcare center with availability? What are the characteristics of an excellent baby care program? How do I transition and settle my baby into childcare?
To help you and baby begin this next step in your lives together, we’ve put together some great advice on returning to work after maternity leave.
Easing the Way Towards Returning to Work After Maternity Leave
Being home and bonding with your new baby during the first few weeks and months is such an amazing experience. As you both get to know each other, you discover ways of communicating with each other and understand what certain noises and movements mean. You develop a routine when it comes to feeding and sleeping and enjoy plenty of warm cuddles.
When it comes time to head back to work though, that’s when things can become tricky. Choosing a childcare provider is one of the most important decisions you will need to make. Some parents will research and visit centres before baby is born, while others will begin looking closer to enrolment time. Others may have decided to stay at home fulltime, but plans changed and they need to find a place for baby urgently as they head back to work.
Thankfully, childcare centres are used to all these circumstances and are well placed to help you through the entire process. They are a wealth of useful advice to help both the parents and their baby, including:
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Ask for childcare recommendations
Ask family, friends, and colleagues for recommendations on local childcare options. It can be very helpful to have the opinion of someone you trust when deciding who is to look after your baby.
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Visit prospective childcare centres
Do some research and identify a few childcare centres you would like to find out more about. Make an appointment to visit and chat with both management and the carers. Look around the property to see how well it is resourced and maintained. Does it have a valid license? Do the staff and children interact positively?
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Talk with both staff and parents
Have a chat with staff you see. Are you greeted and made to feel welcome? How do they interact with your baby? How do they interact with other parents? Talk with a few parents about their thoughts on the care their child receives and if the carers meet the needs of their child.
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Remember self-care
Returning to work after having a baby is both physically and emotionally challenging. From the anxiety of having to trust another person with your baby, through to the feelings of guilt, recovering from the birth and dealing with a lack of sleep, there’s a lot going on. Scheduling some time for self-care, be it coffee with friends, a relaxing bath or taking a walk is very important for your wellbeing.
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Make a feeding plan
How will your baby be fed while you are at work? Will you express and leave breastmilk for the carers, or will you come in and feed baby yourself? If providing formula, are the caregivers aware of how to store and prepare it? What about baby bottles? When solids are started, who will provide them?
Going back to work after having a baby isn’t an easy thing to do. But with assistance from your baby’s carers, it can be a positive experience which benefits your family.
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