Advice Needed from FT Working Moms

Even if he wakes up at 7:00 I don't think it is enough time to get things going. Between getting him fed and changed sometimes that alone can take your 30 min. I would recommend that you wake him up at least 15 min. earlier and I wouldn't worry about getting him dressed most home daycares won't mind and your baby is young enough that he won't notice either. Maybe you can ask your provider if it is okay for you to drop in during your lunch break every now and then. I think that is the only way I was able to handle having to leave my NB and return to work. I take a one hour lunch break and I go to see him each day and it gives me the chance to feed him lunch and spend some time with him. When he was your baby's age it was great because it was nap time so after his feeding I could rock him to sleep (It works well because he is with Grandma and it gives her a break too). Good luck and the routine will get easier as time goes on.

Hi A.,
I had a little girl back in 2006. I was a full time worker before she was born. Also i'm working still-full time. I was out for 3 months when she was born. we found daycare which was nice when she was about 6 1/2 months old. The time back was almost a blessing only because it was a great escape for me to get away from the crying and dirty diapers. i was much more happy to get home and see my daugher after the day only beacuse i think i apreciated loving her more wen i was away. i still got me a mommy's girl and she only comes to me no one else- er daddy uncle- nope just me. we clal her chicklet (gum) when she gets that way. recently we moved to san jose- so that a commute for me. my babysitter is in san mateo and so is my job. My morning starts at 5:30-early i know. her lunch is made the night before. she usually up by 6:20-6:30 and dressed & in the car by 7. we arrive by my mothers home around 7:40am, and then she'll eat breakfast. i'm supposed to be at work by 8:30 but i made arrangements to where if i'm late at laset i'm here since we have a small staff. they are ajust lucky that i do make it in!m Sure some days are wose than others if i could i'd rather work part-time and spend more time with my daughter- but she's with a loving family who takes great care of her and she also learning a second language! so for us this works out. i'm still able to keep my job and my daughter keeps her friends! Hope this helped! good luck.

well i unfortunately had to go back to work after 6 weeks but in the begining it was hard to figure out my schedule.....good thought ot ask before you have to go back I wish I had this site back when i was first pregant.

We just moved and so my commute is a bit longer 3 days a week. what I learned was I leave my lil guy in bad as long as he needs to be unless it is time for me to go and i scoop him up and by the time we get in the car seat he is waking up. he always goes to day care in his Pjs unless he woke up a while before we had to leave. I take my showers at night sometimes just to save time. I pack his diaper bag the night before and set everthing out i need for the next day by the door as to not forget anything.

Hi,
I dress my son in the night with whatever he will be wearing the next day. Our daycare provider also said she would change him if we wished. This way all I do is change his diaper and we're off. Good luck heading back to work. I feel your pain! :)R.

A.,

I've been back to work for about a month now after having my 2nd baby. We are fortunate to have the Grandpa's watching the kids, but we still have to wake them and be up and moving early in the morning. Here's what seems to work for us...

The night before I get the diaper bags ready with clothes, diaper or whatever else may be needed for the day. I usually have that ready to go by the front door or sometimes we get further by putting it in the car.

I wake at 5:30 to shower and eat breakfast and also to have a bit of time to myself before starting my day. My own little thing.

Around 6:30 my husband wakes our daughter (5 1/2 months) if she's not already awake and I bring her in and wake our son (3yrs). Because he likes to stay in his pj's I get our daughter dressed. I figure it's one less thing for the Grandpa's to do.

They all have to leave the house by 6:50. This leaves me with about 20 - 30 minutes to finish getting myself ready and getting to work by 8:00 that's about 20 minutes away.

I'm still not adjusted to being back to work. Our house is a disaster with toys, laundry and everything else. I figure as a little more time passes I'll get into a better routine.

As far as you making the adjustment from being away from the baby. It will be hard. I had 5 1/2 months off with my son and 4 1/2 with my daughter. About 2 weeks before I was due back to work this time I started in crying occasionally. The first couple of days are always the hardest. It sounds like you are really comfortable with the daycare provider and you will be close by. I think that I had more of an adjustment than my daughter did.

Just remember each day will get a bit easier. Bring a couple of pictures to put on your desk or do your screen saver as a picture. Unfortunately in todays world most of us have to have 2 working parents to get by.

Just know that you are not alone, lots of us have gone through it. Good luck!!

My son wakes me between 5:30 and 6:00 and I have him at daycare (5 min drive away) between 7:30 and 7:45. If I were able to get up before him it would take less time, but I still think 30 minutes is not enough. Because we are separated for 8 hours a day, I like to have time to play with him in the morning. Having your husband help so that your son doesn't have to face 10 hours a day with strangers right away is good.

Your son still may protest this change in some way. Our son was fine with the first 2 weeks of 6 hour days in daycare, but when my husband returned to work and we started leaving him there for 10 hours a day he went on a sleep strike. He woke me every hour through the night for 2 weeks. Finally I took a week off to rest and cut my hours so that my son is in care for 8 hours a day. We are gradually increasing his time there and he's fine. He was 3 months old when I returned to work and now he's 6.

Regarding your adjustment: I was not at all productive my first week at work, but things got better over time. I like my career which helps. Having daycare that you really trust is the other essential for peace of mind.

Best of luck!

Try to make the morning as relaxed as possible is about all I can tell you. I've always tried to make it so we are never rushing around trying to get out of the house. It's not always that way, but usually it is.

How soon after your son wakes up is he ready to go? Is 7-7:30 enough time for him to eat and be changed, etc. Is that enough time for you to do what you need to do with him? I have always tried to let my son wake up when he does so naturally. But if 30 minutes isn't enough time, you might have to wake him up a bit earlier.

I would probably leave him in his PJs unless the caregiver has a problem with that. He's just a little guy, so it's not like he is going to be walking around outside in his jammies and the caregiver will probably have to change him a few times during the day anyways.

It'll be hard, but you aren't far away and sounds like your work schedule isn't horrendous.

If there is a way perhaps for you and your husband to have somewhat staggered schedules that might give your son more time with each of you. Perhaps you go in early and your husband goes in later, spending a little more time in the morning with your son. Then you get him at daycare and spend a little time with him before your husband gets home.

Good luck to you. It'll work out!

I went back to work when my son was 5 months old. His planned wake-up time was 7:30am each day, giving him the same schedule while at day care too (this helped them know when he should nap). the key for us was that I got up and got completely ready with the car packed before getting him up and I planned the clothes he'd wear and anything needed for day care the night before. This generally got us out of the house in 30-40 minutes, which worked, since I needed to be at work by 8:30am (luckily his day care is at my office).

As far as the transition, each kid is different. At the younger ages, it seemed like most of the babies were fine within a day. The day care workers know exactly what to do. Honestly it was harder on me! Make yourself feel better by giving your day care specific written instructions on anything you expect, so there is no confusion about your style and how you want your baby cared for.
Good luck!

Hi A.,

I went back to work after two months and now that my little one is approaching her first birthday, we have our morning routine down to a science.

In order to be on the road at 7:30 (to get to work at 8) I get up at 6:15 and get myself ready. I heat up her bottle while I am getting ready so it is ready when she wakes up.At about 6:45/ 6:50, I wake my little one, change her diaper, get her dressed and serve up her breakfast. My husband makes my lunch while I am feeding Amelia and then at about 7:15/7:20 we grab my bags, Amelia's daycare bag with food, diapers, etc. and the dog and hop in the car and go. A few things that makes the process quicker is:

1. On Sundays I pull Amelia's clothes for the week so each morning I reach into her draw and pull out the clothes for the day.

2. I pull my clothes the night before so I am not standing in the closet wondering what I am going to wear for the day.

3. Pack Amelia's daycare bag the night before so it is ready to go the next morning.

4. The night before set out a bib and spoon for her breakfast and determine what solids she is going to have for breakfast (in conjunction with her bottle). Sometimes it is Yo Baby yogurt, sometimes oatmeal with a little pured fruit mixed in, sometimes a banana/ tofu mixture I concot ahead of time.

If I can get a bunch of these logistical things done the night before, I save myself a lot of time in the morning. Some other mom's don't feed their little ones breakfast in the morning but have daycare take care of that. Since I don't get to be with Amelia all day, I like to do breakfast so I can spend time with her in the a.m.

Best of luck to you and your family. Your morning routine will certainly evolve as time passes. As for your emotions, it will be tough for a little while, but that to will ease with time- going back to work and leaving my little one with others was miserable for me, but I have adjusted and appreciate the great care my sweetie is recieving.

~ J.