Returning to work after maternity leave

Returning to work after maternity leave (Photo: iStock)

As the end of my cherished four-month maternity leave approached, a mix of emotions enveloped me. The comforting routine built around nurturing my newborn clashed with the impending return to the professional realm.

Questions loomed large: How would my baby cope without me? Had work evolved in my absence? Was I mentally prepared to step back into the office? The internal dialogue intensified in the weeks leading up to my return, a familiar struggle for countless mothers navigating the delicate balance between career and motherhood.