What I wish to know before back to work after maternity leave?

It's been 2 months plus after I go back to work after my 2 months maternity leave.

To be honest I'm really excited to get back to work after my maternity leave for two months. I'm grateful for this 2 months.

It's been a different kind of experience for me. I am first time working mama. So, based on my experience, here is what I wish to know before back to work after maternity leave?

If you're working mama too, if you have any others wish, please do comment below.

1. There will be a lot to catch up

During my maternity leave, my boss informed me that there will be a change in my team and job scope. So, meaning I will do totally new tasks after I back to work. I'm a bit sad when hearing the news for the first time but I look at the bright side, its time to challenge myself and learn new things again. So, during my maternity leave, I tried my best to mentally ready for the new challenges. When its time to be back, I can say, I have a lot of things to catch up and I am just a human too, some of it I can catch up easily and some of it, I think its take time. So, allow yourself to adapt it and don't be so hard on yourself. Take it easy.

2. Breastfeeding journey

Before I become a working mama, I just worry about myself and my husband things but after we got our baby, there's added responsibility which is breastfeeding my baby. During the first and second months of my baby, I already start to mix my feeding. Yes, it's so early, I know you will judge me but that's my situation. During my first month back to work, I will go pumping for 20 minutes and I still able to produce the milk but by end of my second month of working mama, I no longer able to produce any milk, I tried many but it's just dry up. I know, one of it is I am stressed. Some people said, don't stress but I just can't avoid my work stress. I feel really bad for not able to feed my baby with my breastmilk, who doesn't right? But, I don't want to blame myself. I will go according to my situation, not the people situation. So, if you want to exclusively breastfeed your baby, you will need to be strong and go for it!

3. Strong heart

Every morning, I need to say this to myself, I need to be strong.

When I kissed goodbye to my son, I feel my heart is broken into pieces, not being dramatic but I just feel that way. After two months we fully spend time together and now, I need to "separate" from him, its just hard. But, it's my choice to be a working mum so I need to be strong on this.

But, now I am WFH occasionally so I sometimes no need to say goodbye every morning but I will just at my working area during working hours and its make me feel bad too. When you choose to be working mum, you need to always have a strong heart.

4. Endless tasks

After back to work, you will no longer have time to rest or have a long rest. But, I'm thankful I have my husband and our friend, Wiwi so I can at least have a good rest sometimes. But, again its endless tasks for me. I worked from morning until evening, from evening until midnight I will do the house chores and taking care of the baby. After midnight, me and my husband "bergilir-gilir" feed our baby and change his diapers if its wet already. Or some night, need to "ooi ooi" him because he can't sleep and we don't know what to do sometimes. What I can say here for this endless tasks is you need to do this together with your husband.

5. Self-image

After giving birth, your body will be different.

Sometimes, I wish I can be slimmer than before, I heard post giving birth can be slimmer. But, that's not happening to me. I am getting bigger and bigger. I don't want to be so hard on myself on this and someday, when the day will come, I will definitely want go back to ideal weight. Don't be so hard on yourself.

I think, these are what I wish to know before back to work.

I hope this will help the mother out there and if you already working mum, you can share any comment down below.

Love,

Aya