Returning to Work After Parental Leave
Becoming a parent is a huge adjustment. Returning to work can make this transition even more complicated. Outlined below are some tips for your return to the workplace:
- Plan well in advance for your child care arrangements.
- Start leaving your child for a few hours with your caregiver to transition you and the baby into this new situation.
- Do a trial run to work one morning, to see how much additional time you may need with the baby.
- Make a visit into work or call to catch up on what has been going in your company.
- Check to see if you can ease back into to your routine by working part-time for a couple of weeks.
- Make sure you have a backup child care arrangement in case of emergency.
- Familiarize yourself with your company's policies regarding sick time. You may need to take time off if your child is ill.
- Realize that the first day will be the toughest, but as you ease back into your position things will run more smoothly.
- Make sure you are beginning to get focused on the job and your goals and objectives for returning back to work.
- If you live with a partner, try to balance household and child care duties as fairly as you can. If you both have full-time schedules, ask for help from your family, friends, neighbors, or others whom you trust. Perhaps they can help around the house or with transporting your child to child care.
Breastfeeding and Working
Some mothers will continue to breast-feed when they return to work to continue that bond with their baby. It will provide a close time for mother and baby at the beginning and end of the day.
If you want your baby to have only breast milk, you will need to pump during your workday. Since March 1, 2010, employers with more than 50 employees are required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act to provide nursing mothers with a private place and break time to express milk for her nursing child until that child is one year old. Employers are not required to pay an employee for break time used to express milk. However, if your employer already provides paid breaks, you should be allowed to use this time to express milk. Check with your employer for details about the resources and rules at your company.
Other considerations follow:
- Make sure before you return to work that you have a plentiful supply of breast milk.
- Invest in the right equipment for pumping milk during work.
- Be sure your baby is willing to take the expressed breast milk from a bottle or cup before you return to work.
You may prefer to offer your baby formula while you are away and breast-feed when you are together. This eliminates the need to express milk. Your milk supply will adjust to the reduction of some daytime feedings over a period of time.
Looking After Yourself
Working and being a parent can be stressful, but there are steps you can take to get yourself organized. It is important that you leave some time for yourself:
- If you have a partner, sort out what needs to be done and who will be doing it.
- Build up a support system, with family, friends, or neighbors, if possible.
- Try to balance your time at work and at home.
- Get help around the house with household chores; consider hiring the work out.
- Eat a well-balanced diet; eat high-energy foods.
- Drink plenty of fluids, avoiding caffeinated drinks.
- Make sure you get plenty of rest; take a nap when possible.
- Plan some time for yourself, working out at a gym, shopping, and the like.
Workplace Options. (Reviewed 2025, April). Returning to work after parental leave. Raleigh, NC: Author.