Postpartum Guide for Couples: Week 10
Welcome to Week 10! This week, we’re discussing returning to work and preparing baby (and Mom) for that transition.
What’s Going On With Baby
Last week, we talked about how baby is starting to have a preference for things they like to look at, including your and Dad’s face. Soon, baby will begin recognizing family faces outside of their parent’s faces, such as grandma’s or grandpa’s. It really depends on whose face they seem most often. This will start instilling a sense of comfort in them when they are being held by someone else but recognize a familiar face.
What’s Going On With Mom
If you took the standard 12-week maternity leave, you’re likely starting to think about going back to work. Given you still have a couple of weeks left before you transition back into the workforce, now is an excellent time to start preparing baby with their new daily routine. This can help them transition into this new day-to-day phase as well. Here are some tips:
Having baby start daycare early can help them transition when you go back to work
Visiting the daycare center will help your child become more familiar with it
Establish a consistent daily routine that will match the routine you’ll have when you go back to work
Practice separation gradually (e.g., leaving them with a caregiver for brief intervals)
If you’re feeling emotional about this transition, that is entirely normal. Making these preparations ahead of time will help adjust both you and your little one.
What’s Going On With Partner
Speaking of leave, are you still on paternity leave? If so, enjoy your final weeks! On the other hand, if you’ve already transitioned back to work, you’ll be transitioning again, but this time to Mom going back to work and baby going to daycare. This may require you to drop off baby in the morning and/or pick them up after work. Whatever the case is, we recommend sharing these duties with Mom the best you can. You may also want to discuss the protocol if baby is sick and can’t attend daycare. Remember, you are a team!
RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
It's not uncommon for moms to experience a milk supply dip around this time. This may cause you to panic, especially if you're going back to work and want a little stash of extra milk on hand. If this is you, read this blog!
