Maternity leave gives you time to settle into your role as a new mother and develop a deep bond with your infant. Once it’s time to return to work, some mothers experience separation anxiety when dropping them off at day care and find it difficult to get back into a routine. Below, you’ll find helpful tips on how to ease back into work and make the transition as smooth as possible.

4 Tips for Ending Maternity Leave

1. Practice Your Routine

Make trial runs of your new routine so that it doesn’t feel jarring when you return to work. For example, set aside a few days per week to wake up early, cook breakfast, and get yourself and your baby ready. This will provide a sense of what you need to do each morning and how long the process will take.

2. Start Small

Rather than resuming work full-time, consider starting part-time and gradually working back up to normal hours. For instance, start with one or two days the first week, then three or four days the next week, and return to five days a week before the end of the month.

3. Talk to Your Employer

If you need time away from the office for pediatrician appointments, breastfeeding, or day care orientation, work the details out with your boss before you return to work. You might be able to take a longer lunch break, for instance, or get permission to leave the office a little early.

4. Find an Excellent Day Care

Use your last days on leave to browse your community for an excellent child care facility. Choose a day care near your workplace that has outstanding client ratings and makes safety a priority.

As your maternity leave ends, sign up your child for day care at Great Beginnings. This locally owned and operated center, located in St. Charles, MO, offers licensed child care services for infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged kids, including after-school and summer programs. Call (636) 724-5048 to schedule a tour of the facility, and visit them online to begin the enrollment process.