Mums make it work

You've spent the last six to 12 months at home looking after your new bundle of joy but now the time has come to return to work. It can be both an exciting and daunting feeling as you get ready throw yourself back into the 9 to 5 lifestyle.

From filling your days with play dates and coffee mornings, you are now probably thinking about childcare arrangements and what you may have missed while you've been away.

The first day back can be a shock to the system but there are ways to help you ease back into your job and make your new routine work for the whole family.

You are allowed to work up to 10 keeping in touch (KIT) days during maternity leave without bringing your leave or pay to an end.

This can make the return to work less intimidating by allowing you the chance to catch up and try out your new routine. You don't even have to work a full day if it's agreed by your employer.

If you've been away for a while, there could be some new faces in the team so ask a colleague to introduce you to them.

Schedule a meeting with your boss beforehand and discuss your job duties so you will know what is expected of you after your maternity leave.

If you've accrued any holiday during your leave then consider using it to have a phased return to work while you get back into the swing of things.

This will give you the opportunity to iron out any issues with childcare. It will also help you to feel less tired if you are working fewer hours at the beginning as you may need time to get back into the work mind-set.

If you don't have any holiday owed then consider starting on a Tuesday or Wednesday so you have a shorter first week back to make it more manageable.

When looking at childcare, research your options early. Mother of two Helen Brown, aged 34, from Wolverhampton, who works as a communications manager, recommends making arrangements for your childcare as soon as you can before your return to work.

"If your baby will be attending nursery there can sometimes be a wait for places.

If family members are able to help out they may need to rearrange work or other activities on certain days and will need some notice. "The last thing you want is to have to worry about where your baby will be when you are trying to get your head round returning to your job," she says.

Helen also advises getting a family planner calendar to make organising childcare and work commitments easier.

"When it was just you to worry about it didn't matter so much if you were working late one night.

You'll find you and your partner have to start planning your work diaries with military precision – and that's before you start scheduling in any play dates for your little one," she adds.

Make sure you have a contingency plan should your child become sick or you get stuck in the office later than you expected. Knowing you have a system in place and that if anything goes wrong you will be prepared for it, will put your mind at ease.

Expect to miss your child, it's only natural that it's going to be difficult being away from them for so long but it will get easier and you can enjoy looking forward to seeing them again at the end of the day. Try to remember that they are in good hands while you are at work. You could take a picture of them to work so you have something to look at if you are feeling sad.

Don't struggle alone, always ask for help if you need it. If you don't say anything, your colleagues will simply assume everything is rosy.

Questions

Don't be afraid to ask questions if you feel out of touch with what's going on.

If you still feel like it's not working out for you, then you may need to make a change to better balance your job and time with your family or childcare needs. It may be that you can ask if your employer will consider a more flexible working arrangement,

It's also important to remember to be easy on yourself. Try not to beat yourself up at home or at work. It can be challenging as you get used to working life again and a new routine as well as time away from your baby so don't be upset if you find it harder than you imagined.

Making sure your child has some quality time with you during your days off is a good way to make you feel better and will also give you something to look forward to during the working week.