Where are all our working moms at??! If I could see ya’ll right now, I’d give you a high five for being so awesome! Being a working mom is no joke. Goodness, I wasn’t sure if I’d make it through my first week back without falling asleep at my desk. Between the extreme exhaustion, all the emotions, and having to balance work and baby throughout the course of 24 hours, I wasn’t sure if I could do it. But somehow, we all manage through it. And I’m not sure about all of you, but getting advice from my own mom and all my friends has been a real lifesaver. So, today I want to share a few things that got me through that first week of work, how I transitioned to formula, and a few outfit ideas for what to wear in the workplace to hide your tummy area (for now). Leave me a comment and tell me what you think! xoxo – lauren
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How to Survive Your First Week Back to Work
Ease Into It. I started on a Thursday instead of a Monday and it was the best thing I could have done for myself. Knowing I only had to make it through two work days instead of five, made a huge difference in my attitude on the first day back. If you can, I’d highly recommend doing the same!
Have Low Expectations. I mean this in the nicest way. The first two days of work I didn’t do much “working,” but rather I spent that time catching up with everyone and showing them photos of Olive. It was nice to not feel pressured to jump right back into things full throttle. It took me an entire month to feel like I could work at full speed again.
Block Your Calendar for Pump Sessions. No matter what, block your calendar for this sacred time with yourself. I’m going to be honest with you, I lasted about one and a half weeks pumping at work. I felt too overwhelmed and my milk supply was very low, so Olive became a 100% formula-fed baby very quickly, but it was the best thing for ME. However, if you are choosing to pump at work, use that time to scroll through your phone and look at baby photos, get a good cry session in, catch up on personal to-dos, or even check-in on the baby. It’s your sacred time and use it to your advantage.
Re-Think Your Routine. Everything that you used to know about your schedule can be thrown out the window now that you have baby. I’m consistently late to work by about 15-20 minutes these days, and I would have never dreamed of doing that before baby! I do NOT like to be late. But guess what? I’m pretty much late to everything these days and I’m okay with it. You also have to decide what’s really important to prioritize in your day. Sometimes sleep is more important than getting that workout in, and that’s okay.
Here’s what the average day looks like in our household: I wake up at 5AM to get my workout in (this is the only time I will workout – it puts me at ease knowing that Olive is still sleeping). Then, I come home around 7AM to a sleeping baby while Andrew takes the dog for a walk. I shower, get dressed, make my lunch, and wake up Olive at 7:45 – 8 AM. I quickly get her changed and pack her bottles for the day. (PRO TIP – if you are doing a nanny-share like we are, I highly recommend packing a big bag for the entire week that you can leave at the other family’s home. I pack Olive’s bag every Sunday night with clothes, diapers, wipes, etc. so it lasts the entire week and I don’t have to drag it back and forth. I also leave a bouncer at their house). I head out at 8:20 AM, drop her off down the street with the nanny, and get into work at around 9:20 AM. Andrew does the pick up after work at 5:30, and then I’m home by 6PM. We make dinner together and I put O to bed (it’s my favorite snuggle time) at 7:30. We go sleep not long after, and repeat the next day.
Find Moms in the Workplace. They will get you. They will be there to offer advice, even if you weren’t friends before. Now you have an unspoken bond and it’s pretty amazing. It’s like being a part of a secret club that you never understood before.
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How I Transitioned Olive to Formula
I’ve gotten this question a lot. Like I said earlier, my milk supply was always super low and when I went back to work, it just got worse. I tried everything to get my supply up in the beginning, including nursing and then pumping right afterwards. I did this for a few weeks and it was mentally and physically exhausting. By the time I finished nursing AND pumping, it took a full hour and then I had to do it again two hours later. Plus, I STILL wasn’t making enough to feed Olive exclusively, so she’s been on formula to some extent since day one (we like Similac). Sometimes I look back and I don’t even remember those pumping days because it was like I was living in a permanent haze of emotion. It actually makes me sad just thinking about it because I was not in a good place, mentally. But, Olive was great at nursing and I already miss that part so much. It’s funny, most moms I’ve talked to have had babies that are great at nursing but don’t make enough milk, or have an over supply but their babies won’t nurse. There are very few mommies who are lucky enough to get both, so don’t beat yourself up.
When I went back to work, I was only pumping three times a day – morning, lunch, and night. If you’re wondering how I weaned off of pumping, I gave up one pumping session every 3-4 days, so I could go longer periods of time without doing it. I leaked a few times overnight, but nothing major. (Please consult your doctor if you have questions or concerns, I’m just telling you what worked for me.) Eventually, I was only pumping once a day and was barely getting any milk so it was very easy to stop, although, I kept my nightly nursing sessions for comfort for a little longer. Since Olive has had formula since day one, she didn’t seem to be bothered by the transition, but for other primarily breastfed babies, formula might be hard on their stomach. I’ve had friends who mix breast milk and formula in the same bottle and transition that way (again, please consult your pediatrician). I personally, kept the two milks in separate bottles, and gave her the formula as a ‘treat’ after she drank all the breast milk first. I also like that she knew the exact taste of formula doing it that way, and I haven’t had any problems with her taking the bottle. I didn’t do too much research on formula brands, to be honest. I’m not picky and neither is Olive, so we’ve stuck with Similac. (PRO TIP from a fellow mom follower – buy yourself a beautiful glass jar to store the formula in and display it proudly on your counter. Then you don’t have to look at the ugly formula containers all day long.)
Working Mom Basics
Here are a few of my favorite clothing items to add to your closet. Stick to the high-waisted jeans, flowy tops, and anything that buttons down if you’re nursing.
If you’re looking for post baby workout tips, check out Laura’s post here.
