I've been in and out of work a few times since mid-August, when Paid Family Leave time ended. It worked out quite well. Sometimes I brought Cordelia, but twice I left her with Jason in the morning so I could do orientations with new families. My first time going out without her! It felt funny to be in the car and not have her in the back seat. I was able to pick her up from Jason, who took her to camp, so she was only minutes away and I only missed one feeding, if that.
Cordelia became 14 weeks old when I went back full time for our teacher institute week. But three of those days were spent on classroom prep, so Jason came to help out and we were able to have her there in the afternoons. She did very well and barely fussed at all through the chaos. She did get to spend two days at MeMe's house, once just the morning, the other all day.
Tuesday I had to be away the whole day. We went to the exploratorium and then back to the MV school for training. At the exploratorium, I figured, hey! this is San Fracisco. I asked if they had a nursing room so I could pump and they DID. Much more comfortable than standing around in the bathroom like my original plan.
Going back through Bay Area traffic was tough. Fortunately, we decided to carpool. Unfortunately, my coteacher got in someone else's car and they decided to get dinner to avoid some of the traffic. All of us forgot she was blocking me in the driveway! My ride took me home, and I planned to just leave my car overnight until I was informed the next morning was garbage day. (I was in front of the dumpster!!). I was too tired to go back out, so Jason and Nick went to get my car, while I nursed Cordelia. She nursed for the whole time that it took them to get there, come back, and then through hanging out. Over an hour and a half!! She continued to have marathon nursing sessions through the week. Heidi guessed that it was because she missed me, missed the closeness to mama. I realized she was probably right!
The trade off to these long fill-ups was.....She slept through the night every night this week. YAY!
On the days we worked in our classrooms, Jason would join us around 1 or 2 and he would bring Cordelia. She was super mellow most of the time and he was able to help us a lot.
I knew going back to work would be hard, and it is. There is a little ache that doesn't go away when you have to leave your baby. Also, I moved more slowly than I'd like... I mean, this week you are always doing 100 things at once and it was harder for me and I got tired. We'll see how it goes when there are actual kids there today!!!!!
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