It has been a busy period for you, sleeping only a few hours a day to take care of your crying baby, cleaning after him/her and changing diapers every hour. Before you know it, it’s the end of your maternity leave, and you have to return to your full-time job. It can be worrying to leave your little baby at home for work-
and hence, here we have, the 4 must settle issues you need you take care of before the end of your maternity leave.
1. Childcare arrangements
Finding the right childcare arrangements for your child while you are at work can be tricky, and the childcare facility you want to send your child to may not have a spot for your child. There is a shortage for childcare facilities in Singapore, so if you don’t plan early, you might have to end up asking your parents to take care of your child at home. The price of childcare facilities these days are also not cheap, and thus, you need to start looking early to find the most suitable childcare facility for your child that is within your budget.
2. Post-natal checkups
It is important for you to go for checkups once in a while after giving birth, and also, bring your baby to the doctor to ensure that he/she is doing well and healthy. SIngaporena mothers have 6 days of government-paid childcare leave, and while this may vary depending on the HR policy of different companies, make sure you speak to your HR manager and go for regular checkups even amidst your busy schedule at work and home.
3. Pumping
If you plan to breastfeed your baby even after the end of your maternity leave, ensure you bring your pumping device with you when you are working, and make sure there is a lactation or nursing room at work for you to pump. Otherwise, you need to speak to your boss to have separate arrangements for you to do so.
4. Getting some rest
Amidst all the arrangements to ensure that your child will be well taken care of while you are at work, it is also important to set aside time for yourself to get some rest before you start work again. The past few months have been hectic for you; you barely had enough sleep because you were too busy taking care of the baby. If you do not have sufficient rest before returning to work, it is not going to be easy for you to survive the long hour meetings and workload. Also, you should not ignore the stress you are going to experience while you juggle work and taking care of your child once your maternity leave ends. Hence, make sure you set aside some time for yourself to get some rest too.
With this, we have discussed the 4 issues that you have to settle before you end your maternity leave.
