So, I officially have 1 week before I go back to work, and the anxiety is beginning to set in. I'm nervous about so many things.
I only have 10 4-ounce bottles stored in the freezer. I'm sure that it will be okay, but I already feel behind in pumping. I am also just guessing about how many ounces to put in a bottle; breastfeeding doesn't really lend itself to precise measurement. I'm also guessing that she will need about 3 bottles while she's at school, but I really don't know for sure.
I'm probably most anxious about the time issue. I won't get home until around 6:20/6:30 pm. So how do you get dinner ready, do laundry, give her a bath, feed her, and get her in bed at a decent hour? Then, where is the time for me to do my things like work out or even update the blog?
Then there is the sleep issue. Now when she doesn't sleep well at night, it doesn't affect us as much because we can sleep in in the morning or catch an afternoon nap. Those days are soon to be gone. How do you function in the real world on 1/2 the required amount of sleep?
Then, of course, there is the issue of handing her over to someone else for the day. I know that I am lucky because I will still be in the same building that she's in, so I can check-in on her and be right there in case she needs me. But, the fact is that someone else will be her primary caregiver for 9 hours a day. That is a little hard to swallow.
I know that going back to work is good for professional fulfillment and for financial reasons, but I am just mystified at how this is all going to come together. I know that many, many women do this but I guess you just can't truly appreciate or understand it until you do it yourself.
June 2023
1 week ago
2 comments:
Nothing that anyone says will help with the emotional side of it...you just have to go through it, and have faith that you'll all be okay eventually. (You will.) As for the other stuff, do laundry on the weekends, make as big of a meal as you can on Sundays so you have lots of leftovers you can reheat on the weeknights, and do bath and bedtime as soon as dinner is over. As for the bottles, you'll get that figured out too, but it may take some time. She'll let you know if she's hungry, I'm not worried. :) I still haven't figured out how to find time to work out, let me know if you do. Good luck...the next couple of weeks will be rough, but then you'll realize that it will be good for all 3 of you. (At least, it has been for us.)
Nadine is right on the money. It's rough to get going, but it's a good thing once it does. And when it comes to finding time for everything... well, I've found that what needs to get done, get done. And what doesn't... doesn't.
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