Returning to Work – Share Your Story << Childbirth and Beyond << Healthy Pregnancy << womenshealth.gov

No matter how long your maternity leave, you might not feel ready to return to work when the time has come. Although the idea of working again might appeal to you, you might wonder how you will juggle work and home life. You might wonder how you will be able to keep up with the demands of motherhood. If you are breastfeeding, you might worry about finding a private space to pump. You might feel guilty that you are leaving your new baby under the care of somebody other than you.

Many new mothers know exactly what you're going through. Nowadays, more than half of all mothers with infants work. And even more mothers with older babies and children are working. Read these stories shared by mothers who have been there. Their advice and lessons learned can help you through the transition.

Before I had my baby, the 8-week maternity leave I had arranged with my employer seemed like an eternity. But after giving birth to my beautiful son, that time flew by in a blink of an eye. Although I only had to take care of myself and my new son, it took me at least 6 weeks to feel somewhat human again. No one can prepare a new mother for the exhaustion she will feel in those first few weeks. Once I felt well-rested enough to enjoy my new baby, I only had a couple weeks more before I needed to be back on the job. Thankfully, I already had daycare arranged. So I used this time to practice pumping (I was breastfeeding) and feeding my baby with a bottle. To be honest, I was looking forward to going back to work. But I felt guilty for feeling this way. And I was scared that I couldn't handle the demands of my job and the demands of a new baby — especially with limited sleep. Even so, I knew that we couldn't afford to have me stay home full-time. I also knew that I liked working and that it was an important source of personal fulfillment. So, now, when I feel guilty about leaving my son and heading off to work in the morning (and I still do sometimes), I remind myself that all his basic needs are being met. He is in a safe and loving environment. And it turns out, I have more energy to give to him at the end of the workday then I did when I was at home with him all day long. I think that's better for both of us.