Mummy Musings

Returning to work April 20, 2010

My maternity leave began on Friday 29th May 2009.  At that point in time, I couldn’t ever imagine coming back.  10 months seemed like a lifetime to be away from work.  I mean, a whole 10 months?  The longest I’d ever been away from work was 2 weeks & 2 days, and that was when I got married.

So, off I went on maternity leave.  The first week didn’t really count as I was revising for my final accountancy exam which I sat at 37 weeks pregnant!  But then I was free, until 3 weeks later when my beautiful daughter arrived, the day before her due date.

The next few months were spent getting used to having this little baby around.  We went on walks, went to playgroups and had lazy pj days too, I just couldn’t imagine having to leave her, ever.

Then, when we got into 2010, friends and family kept asking me the question of when I was returning to work, and time seemed to go faster and faster until suddenly it was April and the time had come.

So, at 8am on Tuesday 6th April, we arrived at my mums house and there I left my baby as I set off to work.  Within 2 hours of being there it was like I’d never been away.  And despite missing my baby, it really wasn’t that bad.  I think ‘enjoyed’ is the wrong word to use but it was odd, and kinda nice, to just be able to get on with work.  It was as if, for the last 10 months of my life, I’d just been a mummy and that was it.  I’d forgotten what it was like to be anything else.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ll always be a mummy first, and if the chance ever arose I’d leave work and be a SAHM like a shot but I think I was just more surprised at my feelings on that first day of work.

Now, 2 weeks later, and we’re both getting used to our new routine and it makes me realise just how special every moment I spend with C is.