The top things Mums worry about when going back to work after maternity leave

Going back to work after maternity leave can bring up a lot of worries for Mum. After spending a significant amount of time at home with baby, the transition back can be multi layered. The overwhelm, challenges, anxiety, guilts and any other feeling a Mum has returning to work are all valid. Here are some of the top worries Mums face when returning to work:

Childcare – This can be multi layered for many mothers. The worry about finding the right childcare for their situation as well as the financial cost of that childcare is a huge concern for many. Mums may worry about leaving their child with someone else for large portions of the day/week.

Work-life balance: Mums worry about how they will manage it all. There aren’t enough hours in the day it feels. They may worry about balancing work responsibilities with their family responsibilities, and feelings of being the default parent.

Career progression: Mothers may worry about how taking time off for maternity leave will affect their career progression. They may worry about falling behind their peers or missing out on opportunities for promotion. They may feel like they need to prove they still “have” it and can manage it all.

Guilt: Mothers may feel guilty about leaving their child with someone else while they work. They may feel guilty about not being able to spend as much time with their child as they would like and worry about missing out on important moments in their child’s life.

Read more on Overcoming guilt

Breastfeeding: If a mother is breastfeeding her child, she may worry about how she will manage this while working. She may worry about having the conversation at work and be concerned about managing the time to express while getting all the work completed. Perhaps worrying about her milk supply decreasing or baby not taking a bottle.

Fatigue and stress: Returning to work after maternity leave can be stressful and tiring. Sleep at night may be fragmented. Mothers may worry about managing their workload, their ability to chat to colleagues, and worry about the overwhelm of managing it all.

Workplace support: Mothers may worry about whether their employer will be supportive of their needs as a working mother. Worrying about how to manage child sick days. They may worry about being judged or discriminated against because of their status as a mother.

Top tips for managers

It is important to be kind to yourself.

Lean on those around you in anyway possible.

Reach out to others who have gone before you.

Communicate openly with your manager on your needs and challenges.

Mothers want to feel supported, confident and empowered as they return to work after maternity leave, however support from those around you is key for this.

To explore whether 1 to 1 coaching may support you or your employees, in making the transition back to work smoother, book a consultation call HERE