It’s been one year since I went back to work from maternity leave.  Going back full-time was rough but I guess it’s painful regardless of how many days per week you have to work.    I gotta say that it hasn’t been easy but it’s been manageable too.

I thought I’d reflect on some things I’ve learned over the past year:

• Getting Kumquat on a schedule a month before going back to work really paid off.
• Pumping milk and storing it ahead of time made it less stressful for me the first week back at work.  I didn’t have to worry as much about how much milk I was expressing during the day.
• The transition back to work was made a little easier with husband and grandma watching Kumquat the first month.
• Finding a reliable nanny that we trusted made a big difference in how productive I was at work.  I didn’t have to worry very much when Mirian started caring for Kumquat.  She also sent photos of her once in a while to keep me posted on their activities and Kumquat started to sleep through the night once she started.
• Pumping once per day at work wasn’t enough.  My milk supply started to dwindle until I increased the pumping to twice per day at work.
• Balancing life and work is hard but it’s worth it in the end.
• I think Kumquat is more social and well-adjusted without me being around all the time.  I’m not sure I would have taken her out and met as many people as she has this past year with Mirian.
• The 2-3 hours between work and Kumquat’s bedtime is so precious.  Skipping Happy Hours is a real bummer but when I get home to my little one, it’s not as bad after all.
• I’ve learned to be creative with how I use my time after work.  For example, I run with the baby in the stroller and the dog on the leash to maintain my health.  We also go to the store together and I make meals for Kumquat after she’s gone to sleep.
• Making baby food is actually pretty fun.  I just wish I had more time.
• Taking daily photos and/or videos has really helped me remember and cherish all the funny, sweet, and hard moments.  Time really does fly by when you’re not paying attention.
• I’ve learned to accept that I’m not going to be the perfect mother and that the house will never be as clean as I want it to be.
• Sleep and time to do nothing is now a luxury.
• I now use some days off to have a day without the baby.  If I’ve gotta pay the nanny, I might as well make the most of it.  I usually just spend the day shopping and getting a pedicure but we’ve also taken a day trip to Napa.
• I miss going out to nice dinners every Wednesday.  One day I will be able to sit down for a tasting menu with wine pairings again.
• We eat dinner much earlier now.
• I realized that I don’t really go outside after 7pm on the weekdays.
• I worry more about bathing my baby than getting to the shower myself.  Don’t worry, I still shower everyday.
• I make decisions at work based on whether or not it will put me at risk for bringing home unnecessary germs.
• Yes, my co-workers were right when they said “it’s different when it’s your own child”.
• Getting to work every morning never gets easier.