Livin My Best Mom Life

As a new mom, I did not know what to expect going back to work right after maternity leave. I took FMLA leave and let me tell you, those 12 weeks with your newborn baby go by oh so quickly. The first three months while being back at work after maternity leave, I faced so many emotions. Emotions I do not think many moms are prepared to deal with or know how to cope with. It was probably one of the hardest and toughest decisions as a family we ever had to make when we decided I needed to go back to work.

I quickly learned how fast a baby changes your priorities and that you need to be realistic in finding your balance with what works for you.

After working a full-time job and having the opportunity to be a SAHM for a short period of time, you are all so inspiring.

Working a full time job and/ or being a SAHM are both equally hard. I am still learning every day on how to find my balance.

Fear and Stress of Returning to Work

As much as I am ready for things to go back to life as it was before COVID, it has truly been a blessing to be at home with my daughter the past several months. I have been able to witness so many of her milestones and for that I am forever grateful. As I mentioned before, I am a teacher. My district has now been teaching hybrid classes a little over a month. When I first found out we would have to go back and return to our building, my heart sank. The thought of learning a new routine with a toddler is daunting.

I was not prepared to go back and leave my baby girl, I do not think I ever will be, but I am sharing a few things I am doing this time around to better ease my way back into work as well as transition my daughter back to daycare.

Tips to help going back to to work after maternity leave:

1. Pack your lunch and your child’s lunch the night before, along with snacks for the entire week. This will help save you a few extra minutes in the morning. I like to plan a lunch menu for the entire week. This also helps with knowing what to get at the grocery store and not putting random items in our cart.

Below is an example of our lunch menu. I usually try to include some sort of fruit, a vegetable, a protein, and yogurt. Sometimes her meal is as simple as using leftovers from the previous dinner.

Looking to download and make your own weekly menu? Click here to download!

2. Have snacks for the car ride and a portable container to put the snacks in. The munchkin snack catcher works wonders in the car. It allows my daughter to only grab a few pieces at a time.

Items that are safe and easy to chew- puffs, pirate booty, cheerios, snack bars

snacks for making going back to maternity leave more manageable

3. Have an entertainment center/ easy activities for the car ride. We all know toddlers and babies can get bored easily. Make sure you have some sort of activity to entertain them. Some of our favorite things to have in the car:

Books, teething rings, sing and song light up mirror, and crayola’s doodle board

4. Accepting it is okay to be emotional (especially once you drop them off, pick them up, or have to put them right to bed after dinner)

5. Bring a lovey to help make them feel more comfortable and like a piece of home is with them. (My daughter did not have an established lovey until she was about 14 months old.) Her lovey is a small beanie boo. If you’re wondering what that is, they are small beanie babies and can always be found at Michaels or Party City! She is always trying to add one to her collection in the checkout line.

If your baby has a lovey, I would buy at least one extra! It is always a safe choice to have another laying around just in case something happens to the original. Does your toddler have a lovey? If so, what is it?

6. Remember to breathe and know you are not the only one going through this! It’s always a great idea to join a support group of others moms! To get some ideas of how to join a support group, visit my postpartum healing tips.

7. Lay out your babies clothes the night before! I pick out our daughters outfits for the whole week. This has helped save me so much time in the mornings. Right after we eat breakfast it is a quick and easy change. I grab the outfit for the day and we are out the door.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that at no cost to you, we may earn a small commission for qualifying purchases.

What are some tips that have helped you slowly make the transition back to work?

The weather is getting warmer, and it is finally starting to feel like spring! Who is excited to start going outside and letting your toddler explore? This list of spring activities for kids will help give you some quick DIY ideas to entertain your toddler in hopes you can catch a few extra minutes to relax and enjoy the sun.

Create a Spring Playdoh Tray

Lets hop into spring with a new sensory activity. Create a DIY playdoh sensory tray with seasonal objects! What toddler does not enjoy playing with playdoh? It is so inexpensive to produce your own and so easy to create. My daughter was engaged with this activity for at least 15 to 20 minutes. In toddler time, that is a HUGE mom win! I used a tray I got from the target dollar spot for her to put the playdoh on. It is so versatile and can be used for so many different activities! They always have such great finds.

You will also need a small container to hold all the materials. I found a jewelry container on clearance that had removeable compartments at Michael’s. You could even use a reusable tubberware container to store all the materials. I loved using this specific organizer because I can reuse it again for other activities and it allows me to put big or small objects inside. It is also small enough to fit in my diaper bag for outings. It is the perfect activity to bring to a restaurant or to someone’s house if visiting family.

Some other objects to include:

Pipe cleaners

Cookie cutters (any cookie cutter to match the season)

Pom poms

Gems or beads

Mini erasers

Rolling pin

Playdoh- feel free to create your own, I haven’t had time to do this while working full time yet. Finding a good homemade playdough is on my to do list. ( For the time being, I cheated and just used playdoh brand and added glitter and sparkles to it.)

Spring Has Sprung Sensory Bin

Does your toddler love to snack? Try an editable sensory bin with insects! I used chocolate coco puffs for the dirt and added in some insects from the dollar store along with some editable worms. Grab some tools like a magnifying glass and a shovel so they can explore! We love using our flisat sensory table from IKEA all year long. They can be hard to come by, so if you see one in stock, make sure to grab one!

Water Beads

Water beads have been a huge hit in my house. They keep my daughter entertained forever and are such a great filler in a sensory bin. I love that you can get them in almost any color to match whatever theme you are thinking. They can last for a few days, but make sure to toss them after that because they can become moldy. I love to add in seasonal erasers and scoopers. My daughter is so fascinated with either sorting the erasers or pouring and scooping the water beads from one container to another. Which is a great way to practice hand eye coordination and fine motor skills.

Fun with Bubbles!

Do yourself a favor and grab some bubble wands or a bubble machine! Make sure to stock up on the bubble solution.

If your kids are old enough, you can have them make their own bubble wands out of straws, pipe cleaners, or plastic bottles. I loved doing this in science with my kiddos. We always tried to see who could make the biggest bubble and experimented with making different shaped wands.

Go On a Spring Nature Walk or Scavenger Hunt

Take a walk around the neighborhood and do a color scavenger hunt! My daughter is 21 months old and is starting to learn her colors. Download the free printable here. You can use this outside or inside on a rainy day.

Digging for Treasure

Grab a bucket and a shovel and let them explore outside. My daughter loves digging in the dirt and “collecting treasures.” Sounds so silly, but it is one of the easiest activities you do not ever have to plan for!

What are some of your favorite activities to do during the spring time? Please leave a comment to share.

GOING BACK TO WORK AFTER MATERNITY LEAVE: HOW TO MAKE IT MORE MANAGEABLE