Returning to Work in a Couple of weeks...will My Baby Remember Me? S

YES! :) I had to go back to work when my daughter was just 6 wks. I was worried that she would want to be more with her care taker then me. Not the case, her babysitter was great. But she could not wait to go home with mommy. :) The same for my son he was 5 months and he really love his sitter. :) But can't wait to come home with us. He just started daycare this passed week. The 12 hrs sounds better only because you get 4 days with him. :)

Oh, yes, he will remember you no doubt!
I went back to work after only 6 weeks off for her birth. The following week, I had to go to Market out of town for 2 weeks! Yikes.. My husband took care of her took her to her caregiver.. It was one of the the hardest things I have ever had to do, But she remembered me no doubt about it.. I said her name and she searched in my direction, when I held her she actually snuggled towards me..

I know it is hard. But you can do this. Take a photo of her with you and look at it at any moment.

My dad was in and out of my presence my whole life, and I mean by MONTHS (deployed out at sea, Navy). I've always been VERY close with my father, and loved him dearly. Of course, I have no idea if *I* remembered him as a baby, but as the oldest I watched all of my sibs remember him :) Some of them he didn't even get to meet until they were several months old. We're ALL very close with my father.

There are 168 hours in a week... you're looking at being gone for 36-40 of them. And a significant percentage of which ... at least 1/2 in the beginning... he'll be sleeping.

Personally, I've done it all. WM, Student Mum, SAHM, Homeschooling Mum... they're ALL different, and not one is better than any other. *I* happen to like some more than others, but they're just different. Not better or worse.

Honey, you'll be fine.

Word to the wise... however. 2 things I found:

- When I worked 3 12's my son NEEDED me my first day home (koala baby), and then was fine/normal the rest of the week. So first day off, I learned to plan nothing. His preschool teacher, later on when I had that schedule again, even let me "disrupt" the 3 in a row policy so that kiddo could have a "mommy" day.

- When I was gone in the daytime kiddo quit eating much in the daytime and slept more. He adjusted his schedule to be awake more at night. Despite TIRED mommy. When my schedule adjusted back again to my being home in the daytime and gone at night, he flip flopped again, so that most of his waking hours were with me.

He's part of you, of course he'll remember you! You two are connected by a love that is unfaltering. As soon as you walk in the door, he'll light up.

We have an 11 week old son (our third baby) and I stay home with him and my husband works. Come 5:00 and the door opens his little face lights up like Christmas. It is so awesome. And daddy doesn't even come home everynight, sometimes he's gone all week. But that's his daddy, he'll never forget that.

No worries momma, he is yours and you are his for a lifetime now! Go back to work and enjoy your time there knowing your little son is in great hands and will be soo soo soo excited to see his momma.

YOU BET HE WILL!!!! Remember, he's been hanging around inside you for 9 months and knows you better than you may realize! No one replaces mommy!! Leave your worries behind, go to work and you'll have the pleasure of having your precious one to come home to. - Of course, he may not always be the perfect angel when you get there, but he'll find the comfort in his mother's arms.

Of course your baby will remember you!
Don't worry about that.
All the nurses I work with at my hospital have very close bonds with their children even though the moms work a lot.
Nurses are nurturers and I'm sure your baby will never question your love for him.

Best wishes.

oh yes! One tip our caregiver gave me was to sleep with a clean baby blanket under me and then baby will have my scent while I'm gone. It did help.

Also, remember baby is sleeping a good part of the time, so his awake time is much shorter that you're not there.

If it works for you, have your son sleeping nearby because parenting doesn't have to end at night. You will be surprised how it contributes to your connection with him even though both of you are sleeping. (and when he wakes up, your trip to feed him will be shorter :) )

Yes your baby will definitely remember you. Please don't let your post baby hormones drive you crazy because they will definitely try to do just that. Enjoy your baby as much as you can.

Babies don't "forget" mom during the work day. Babies have much greater capabilities than people believed 50 years ago when people though babies couldn't see, couldn't recognize people. Baby knows mom and several hours apart don't make them "forget." A baby recognizes his own mother within a few days after birth and you would need a very long separation (not hours or a few days) for baby not to know who mom is. A baby just a few days old will differentiate between the smell of a pad worn in his mother's bra and that of a pad worn in another woman's bra. Babies' memory tracks are simply not that short.
Good luck

Of course he will. My daughter is 4 months old, and I think about that too. Especially when I see her smiling at her teacher at daycare. But, I then think that it is great that she likes her teacher so much, and she still smiles at me too. My son is almost 2.5 and has been in daycare since he was 2 months. He DEFINITELY knows us! :)

If there's one thing I've learned by having 2 children...they always, always know, remember, and love their Momma. Don't fret for one second longer. The love you give him beats all the rest, hands down.
Lynsey

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Absolutely. I responded to your other post about bfeeding so I understand what you are going through. I am gone from the house 50 hours a week and my kids know me and love me all the same. They are used to it, it is a routine. Feel it out. Make changes to your routine as you need to keep the balance. And most of all, enjoy your time away from your kids. I look forward to work because I love what I do and who I work with. When I get home I feel energized because I have had great adult time and then I am mentally prepared for diapees and thrown food. I have found a nice balance, and so have my kids.

Oh my goodness! YES! That baby will remember you! You are his mama! He knows you now even more than he knew you at birth. Remember that you are the first person he ever knew even before being born! Don't worry (I know it's hard not to) and just look forward to that sweet time with him after work!

He will absolutely remember you! And not only that, he'll probably have very strong childhood memories of you! I'll tell you a story.... when I was little, my Dad worked full time and often returned home well after I was asleep. My Mom was a stay at home mom. ALL of my childhood memories involve my Dad. I always joke with my Mom and say "were you even there??" Because I have no memory of time with my mom, but I guess time with my Dad was so special, that it's all I remember!
I work full time and went back to work when my kids were 3 months old. We have a full time nanny. They absolutely know who mommy is and who the nanny is. Don't worry....

Of course he will remember you your his mama. Your his heart and soul.
The photo people a couple of years back had stuffed animals with laminated tummies. You would put in a photo for the child to look at.

Good luck.

YES. I went back when my son was 10 Wks. Full time - Mon through Fri.

Yes of course he will. My mom used to work a daycare and my favorite part was when the parents picked up their kids. The kids would be SOO happy to see their parents. Don't worry you are his mommy and you'll always be.

Your baby would definitely remember you!!! They don't forget your face, your voice and especially your scent. The bond between a mother and her child is really a mystery but it is there and it is one thing you can count on even if you are away from your child for long hours.

To make things easier for him when you are away, make sure that there's something of you that reminds him of your scent. I used to spray my everyday cologne on my boys nap mats so that when they take their naps, they can smell me.

I got my nap mats from www.royalnapmats.com. They sell all in one custom made nap mats. They are handy to carry everywhere so if you are taking your baby to your mom's house, babysitters or just at home, the nap mats are versatile.

As a new mother, it can be tough for you to start working again. Here are a few tips that could help you get back into the groove.
https://www.parentcircle.com/article/tips-for-new-moms-on...