Coming back can happen in stages – not as a leap into the deep end.
Before you start
- Clearly raise onboarding and handover times with your team.
- Discuss an hours model, bridging part-time or a share of home office with your employer.
- Plan childcare with a buffer (settling-in period, sick days, emergencies).
In the first weeks
- Realistic expectations: 100% work + 100% family = impossible.
- One logistics meeting a week with your partner or co-caregivers.
- A short handover routine between daycare and home.
Be gentle with yourself
- Tears on the first day back at work are normal.
- You're allowed to enjoy your job and miss your child – both at the same time.
- If you're very exhausted: your GP, a counselling service, or coaching for parents returning to work.
You're not less of a mum because you work – and not less of a professional because you need breaks.