When you read this I will be at my first day back to work after maternity. Having done this day twice before I know what to expect. Here is my list of things to do to help on your first day back.
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YOU WILL CRY, even if you don’t think you will, you will. Find a cupboard or a quiet toilet cubicle that is near to where you will be working as you may frequent it on more than one occasion over the course of the day, week, month.
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Take tissues. See point 1.
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Take make up. See point 1.
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Avoid ALL conversations about your baby as it is likely to make you have to do point 1.
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DO NOT look at the screen saver on your phone or photo’s on your phone unless yes, you guessed it, you want to do point 1 again.
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Take some kind of chocolate treat with you so that after doing point 1 numerous times you can try to make yourself feel a bit better.
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Get ready to do point 1 again after feeling guilty for realising that it’s quite nice to be able to eat the chocolate treat without a baby trying to grab it and to be able to go to the toilet in peace without having to entertain the baby.
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If you are feeding your baby still DO NOT forget the pump. This is embarrassing and uncomfortable.
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If you haven’t done point 1 yet, get ready to do it after you realise you haven’t thought about or missed the baby for a while.
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DON’T try and join in a normal adult conversations straight away, remember that your brain wont function properly for a while yet, so ease yourself in.
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Be prepared to repeat all of these steps for the next few days, weeks, months and whenever the baby cries or is ill when you leave.