Going back to work, whether part-time or full-time, can be a challenge for new parents. Leaving your new little one for the first time is hard even if you think you’re prepared. We asked our community about their experiences.

Go easy on yourself.

“I just wish I had been a little easier on myself. You feel like you are failing at life because you miss your little one when you’re at work and feel like you are dropping the ball/not working to your potential when you are home,” says Sharon B.  

“I didn’t really have a lot of support as a new mom so I would recommend leaning on family and friends a lot. It is better if they have kids and can truly understand what you are going through and what those first weeks/months are like for new parents. I used Baby Center and now I’m using The Bump’s app to keep me informed of milestones to watch out for articles to help me through different situations.”

Set realistic expectations.

Laura K. says, “What I wish I’d known and what I tell new-parent coworkers: your brain is TRASH when you first come back to work. It’s ok. It will return.”

Look into alternative childcare options.

There are some creative and lower cost methods of finding childcare. Consider family, friends, or neighbors first before paid alternatives. There might be a group of moms in your neighborhood who trade off watching each other’s kids.

Find out what resources are offered by your workplace – you might be surprised!

Laura K: “People help each other out with daycare and school recommendations, borrowing winter clothes for families temporarily in the area, suggesting nannies, clothing swaps, and even varsity-level pumping and milk storage advice (a lot of us travel internationally for work).”

Some of our Favorite Resources for Working Moms

• Care.com – Whether you’re looking for a full-time nanny or just someone to watch the kids during date night, this site makes it easy to find child care in your area.
• Baby Center – a great resource for all stages of pregnancy, postpartum, and infancy
• The Bump – We love this site – especially their parenting tools for tracking breastfeeding and baby’s sleep.  
• Facebook groups! Search for your local neighborhood Moms group.
• The Longest Shortest Time Podcast – Listen to funny stories from other parents.

Flexible and Creative Career Opportunity with Bella Baby

If you’re looking for a creative and flexible career opportunity, we might have just the thing! Bella Baby is hiring new photographers. If you love snapping photos of your little one or have always thought you have an eye for photography, we would love to connect. From the start, we offer training, followed by professional development and quarterly workshops that educate and challenge you on various topics to help you grow as a photographer and become a role model and mentor to aspiring photographers. You will have the opportunity to work independently with a flexible schedule. We have openings all around the country.

Take a look and apply here.