No Work And All Play
- Nellachka G.
- Jun 11, 2019
- 2 min read
Fighting lethargy, back pain, and nausea, I continued to work full time during my pregnancy. I had to depend on myself to save up but also planned on returning to work after a couple of months of bonding with my newborn child. I was fortunate to have a relative care of my child while I worked. It was the perfect plan- continue working 30-40 hours a week and come home to my sweet baby!
However, life does not always go as planned.
I dreaded my first day back. I missed him. Strange fears and awful thoughts flooded my mind. I remember believing he will think the caregiver is his mother and I am just some strange lady. My phone was on my desk, and I did the typical Mom thing and show images of my baby to my colleagues. Because what else was I supposed to do? Oh, right, my job.
In addition to having postpartum depression and anxiety, I was unable to continue my previous working hours. My work allowed me to shorten my hours to part-time, which meant more baby and me time and less income. My emotions got the worst of me; I accepted this compromise and sacrificed money in order to spend more time with my son.
Attending Mommy & Me was beneficial, as I learned other moms felt guilty and miserable going back to work. Why is it so difficult for us??
Netflix recently aired a new series called "Workin' Moms." Moms, watch this show. It is EXTREMELY relatable. The three protagonists struggle with resuming back to their old working routines. I had flashbacks from when I returned back to work. It was a nightmare (going back to work, not the show, of course).
The main protagonist, Kate, is a PR executive and has earned her way to the top at her firm. Unfortunately, when her maternity leave is over, she painfully struggles with the idea of leaving her baby at home while she must resume back to her career. Kate attempts to figure out how to balance her once beloved work with baby time. She is more focused on getting home on time for bath time than worrying about an important and high end client at work.
I agree we should all be thankful to have our careers and be living in an era that supports Women's Rights and working mothers, especially since our children are in good hands while we work. But we cannot just shake our heads and blow away our emotions and fears like dandelion flowers. These are the moments in our lives that should not be brushed off by others. If someone you know is experiencing this, make sure to provide enough support for her. She needs it. If you are in this position like me, girl, you got this. It is alright. We will get through this and no matter what you choose to do, you child will always be grateful and love you always. Even if they might not show it sometimes.
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