Hello! Psychologist Veronica V. is in touch! Motherhood is an amazing part of every woman’s life. The smell of a baby, the first smile, small hands, the first steps, joint activities, and then she comes... the need to go back to work. Someone returns to work with a flying gait, beaming and fragrant, or does not stop working at all - I know several such examples, in Working for yourself is the norm. But if you worked for hire, the upcoming changes are usually not inspiring, but frightening. Women who are accustomed to being at home with their beloved child experience stress from the upcoming changes. In the current, already nervous schedule, you will need to fit another 8-10 hours of work, but how? Peculiarities of maternity leave in Russia In Russia, maternity leave ends 3 years after the birth of the baby, and maternity payments after 1.5 years , so many young mothers choose to return to work before the age of 3. The HeadHunter portal also conducted research in which it found that the less time has passed since the employee left, the more actively they are expected to return. And vice versa, after 3 years the manager usually does not expect the employee back, most often because he has already found a replacement. To be fair, I note that most often women who care for a child under 3 years old and themselves do not want to return to last place, but prefer to look for something new. Deciding exactly when to leave maternity leave is based on the baby’s development, your desire and willingness to work and, of course, the ability to attend kindergarten / hire a nanny / ask for help from relatives. Why is it difficult to return from maternity leave? One thing I can say for sure is that the first time will be difficult, since several difficult emotions will arise at once: stress from change, guilt in front of the child, fear of being a bad mother. The main psychological difficulties that young mothers talk about: - Stress from workload. The brain is unaccustomed to concentrating on work tasks, you will have to remember a lot in emergency mode. - Lack of time. You need to devote at least 8-10 hours a day to work, while household and “children’s” affairs do not go away. - It’s hard to part with a child. For the last 2-3 years you have been together 24/7, and now you need to leave this little man for so long. Did everything go according to schedule? Did you take a nap? Have you eaten? - New team at work. It is necessary to establish social connections, which, taking into account all of the above, seems simply an unrealistic task. Advice for mothers who are preparing to return to work from maternity leave: Ask questions to those who have successfully accomplished this task - they were able to work and raise a child at the same time. Ask how to improve everyday life, share responsibilities, tell us about your fears and ask what was the most difficult. Accept the fact that from now on you will have to part with your child for a while. This is also necessary for his development and socialization. The first times will be very difficult, then he will be more independent, and you will be calmer. Redistribute household responsibilities. Discuss with your husband how he can help (for example, vacuuming the apartment a couple of times a week, going to the grocery store, or taking the child for a walk). Considering that you will have additional income, perhaps some household tasks will cost less than your nerves and fatigue. Find time for yourself. Due to constant nerves, there may be poor sleep, emotional burnout, and a feeling of loneliness. Be sure to find free time when you are not doing housework, work, or your child. But don’t lie there and stare at your phone, but change the environment - take a walk, meet a friend, play sports. Chat with colleagues at work. Choose those you enjoy, go to lunch and spend time with. If every free minute you call your grandmothers or try to find out how things are going on at home without you, you will only waste your nerves. Have you ever had maternity leave in your life? What advice do you have for young mothers? For the purpose of self-knowledge, you can go through