A working mom’s guide to dealing with separation anxiety
A new mother is fraught with many emotions. While most of these are positive, some can regrettably be negative. One of the biggest negative emotions isseparation anxiety at being away from your baby. This is especially true for working mothers.
Eventually, a day will come when you have to return to work and make arrangements for someone else to watch over your child. This is never an easy transition and one that’s unavoidable for many new mothers.
Here are some tips to alleviate separation anxiety when you have to head back to work:
- Tell your child: The first thing to do is to inform your child of what is going to happen. If you think you have separation anxiety, the baby doesn’t really have it easy either. The child needs to be told what is happening and how it will affect your relationship. Even if you think your child is too young to understand, reassure him or her that you will be back soon.
- Rehearse your departure: Before you actually start going to work, have a few practice runs. Start by staying away for an hour and then increase the time of separation. Understand that this familiarization is as necessary for the child as it is for you. After a few sessions, both of you will know that nothing untoward will happen and that you can stay without each other’s company for a while.
- Have modest expectations: Whether you leave your child in a daycare, with parents, or with a nanny, you should know that others will care for your little darling a little differently than you do. You cannot expect others to care for your child the way you would and that’s not a bad thing. Trust the professionals – your parents qualify as such since they raised you and know what they are doing!
- Stay in touch: If you are gone for regular hours, ensure you phone home, send a picture, or ask the folks at home to send you one, at designated times. It becomes something for you to look forward to, and this communication with your child will ease stress for both of you.
- Don’t forget to say goodbye: No matter how late or busy you get, remember to always say a warm ‘bye’ before leaving. This simple activity will allow both of you to bond further and ensure your child won’t be upset about being ‘abandoned’. It gives the impression that you are not sneaking away. This is really important if you want to effectively deal with separation anxiety.
- Set a fixed routine: Ensure your child’s safety by setting a fixed routine so you don’t spend time at work wondering how he or she is doing – this can only increase your anxiety. From making sure their meals are on time and the child’s hygiene is thoroughly cared for at regular intervals, you can rest easy.
- Watch out for mosquitoes: Mosquitoes can be a big problem, especially during the summer and monsoon seasons. They can potentially transmit malaria,dengue, or chikungunya with a single bite. So, make sure that caregivers use Goodknight Fabric Roll-On on your child’s clothes. Applying just four dots on an article of clothing can deter even the hungriest of mosquitoes. They can also apply Goodknight Patches around the child’s rest area or bed. They are completely child-friendly and keep the area mosquito-free for close to eight hours.
You might feel sad to leave your baby and join the workforce, but if you follow these tips it may be easier for you to cope with it.
