Home / Life 9 ways to stay super-bonded with baby as a working mother 3. Leave at least 2 hours between your return home and your baby’s bedtime, if possible. By Erica Komisar April 24, 2017 Rectangle Inside this article Here are some tips to help mothers who try to balance working with raising a young child— Remove distractions from the time you return home until the time your baby goes to sleep. Being there for as many transitions—waking, sleeping, leaving the home and returning—as you can is key. Leave at least 2 hours between your return home and your baby’s bedtime, if possible. Be flexible about schedules, particularly around bedtime. If you have been gone all day, expect your child to need you more at night and to wake more often. Keep your work life separate from your home life. Do your best to keep regular hours. If your budget allows, outsource as much housework and food preparation as possible, or try to clean and prepare meals when the baby is asleep. Ask for help whenever you need it! All mothers are working mothers; to say otherwise is to devalue what mothers do. If a mother needs or wants to return to work outside the home, she can still make her child her priority and be as present as possible. The key to being a present working mom is to embrace compromise not as an obligation, but as freedom. Be realistic about what you can and cannot do. It is also important to be honest with your employer and your colleagues with your limitations and priorities. Here are some tips to help mothers who try to balance working with raising a young child— 1. Remove distractions from the time you return home until the time your baby goes to sleep. A post shared by Motherly (@mother.ly) on Apr 21, 2017 at 11:27am PDT This includes all phones and technology. 2. Being there for as many transitions—waking, sleeping, leaving the home and returning—as you can is key. A post shared by Motherly (@mother.ly) on Mar 20, 2017 at 6:49am PDT 3. Leave at least 2 hours between your return home and your baby’s bedtime, if possible. A post shared by Motherly (@mother.ly) on Apr 18, 2017 at 11:35am PDT If your baby has not seen you all day and you try to put her to bed as soon as you return, she will fight sleep. 4. Be flexible about schedules, particularly around bedtime. A post shared by Motherly (@mother.ly) on Apr 16, 2017 at 12:33pm PDT It’s OK to sit in your child’s room with him until he falls asleep. You can calm and relax your child with soothing repetition, “It’s sleepy time and mommy is here.” This can be your time to relax and even meditate. 5. If you have been gone all day, expect your child to need you more at night and to wake more often. A post shared by Motherly (@mother.ly) on Mar 6, 2017 at 11:12am PST 6. Keep your work life separate from your home life. A post shared by Motherly (@mother.ly) on Feb 28, 2017 at 7:26am PST Be clear with your work when you will respond to after-hours emails or calls. If you have to work at home at night or on a weekend, wait until your child is asleep or napping. 7. Do your best to keep regular hours. A post shared by Motherly (@mother.ly) on Apr 20, 2017 at 5:59am PDT Even a very young baby will develop a sense of when their mother will be home, and get upset when she doesn’t arrive. 8. If your budget allows, outsource as much housework and food preparation as possible, or try to clean and prepare meals when the baby is asleep. A post shared by Motherly (@mother.ly) on Feb 18, 2017 at 6:24am PST 9. Ask for help whenever you need it! A post shared by Motherly (@mother.ly) on Apr 14, 2017 at 11:16am PDT Whether you stay home with your child or work outside the home, small changes in the way you manage your time, remove distractions, and handle transitions can make all the difference to the relationship with your child. Inside this article Here are some tips to help mothers who try to balance working with raising a young child— Remove distractions from the time you return home until the time your baby goes to sleep. Being there for as many transitions—waking, sleeping, leaving the home and returning—as you can is key. Leave at least 2 hours between your return home and your baby’s bedtime, if possible. Be flexible about schedules, particularly around bedtime. If you have been gone all day, expect your child to need you more at night and to wake more often. Keep your work life separate from your home life. Do your best to keep regular hours. If your budget allows, outsource as much housework and food preparation as possible, or try to clean and prepare meals when the baby is asleep. Ask for help whenever you need it! The latest Work & Motherhood 47% of parents still aren’t given enough time to pump at work News Here’s what moms need to know about Project 2025 and how it impacts us all Celebrity News Hoda’s heartwarming return home after the Olympics is every working mom’s tornado of joy, guilt and love Motherly Stories To the mama on vacation: Leave the laptop at home