Because Debugging Code Is Easier Than Debugging Sleep Schedules
So, you just had a baby. You’ve conquered sleepless nights, survived diaper blowouts that defy physics, and discovered that you can, in fact, function on 2 hours of sleep and 4 cups of coffee. Now… it’s time to go back to work in tech.
First of all—you’re amazing. Not only are you keeping a tiny human alive, but you’re also about to step back into a world of PR reviews, Slack pings, and maybe even Kubernetes. (Let’s be honest, even pre-baby you didn’t fully understand Kubernetes.)
Here are my top tips for returning to work after maternity leave—packed with honesty, and some much-needed real talk.
1. Accept That You’ll Have to Reboot
You’re basically like a server that just came back online after an unexpected (but beautiful) 12-week outage. Yes, you’ll need some time to catch up on codebases, Slack threads, and a whole bunch of emails.
Pro Tip: Schedule a few 1:1s with teammates to ease back in. Also, don’t be afraid to say “I don’t remember” or “I need a moment to re-immerse”—you’re rejoining, not restarting.
2. Don’t Pretend You Slept Last Night
Did your baby wake up 4 times last night? Probably.
And yet, we moms have this superpower called “pretending everything’s fine”. You don’t have to do that. It’s okay to log on with a messy bun, dark circles, and a coffee IV. Your team will survive.
Pro Tip: Use your baby’s nap schedule to your advantage—if you’re still working remotely, protect that time for deep focus.
3. Set Boundaries Like a Boss
Before the baby, you might have jumped into late-night deploys, weekend bug fixes, or casually started a new side project at 11 p.m.
Now? You’re lucky if you get to pee alone.
Set boundaries early: your working hours, your meeting limits, and your non-negotiables (like feeding time). Your time is valuable—protect it like your baby’s favorite pacifier.
4. Automate Everything (Except the Baby)
You might not be able to automate diaper changes (yet), but you can definitely streamline your workflow.
- Use email filters, calendar blocks, keyboard shortcuts, and scripts
- Turn off notifications for anything that isn’t absolutely necessary
- Reclaim your time like the boss you are
Fun Fact: Your brain might feel foggy, but your multitasking game is now elite. You’ve trained in the real-world version of multitasking bootcamp: Motherhood.
5. Be Honest With Your Manager
Good managers will understand. Great ones will support you (I was lucky to have some great ones when I returned).
Tell them how you’re doing. Be upfront if you need a phased return, flexible hours, or even just a weekly “no meetings” day. And if you’re in a company that doesn’t support that? You’ve got choices, mama. The tech world is vast—and full of supportive teams.
6. Let Go of the Guilt
Working doesn’t make you a bad mom. Being a mom doesn’t make you a bad developer.
You can love your work and miss your baby. You can miss work and love being a mom. That middle ground? It’s called being human. And you’re doing great.
🐾 If You Have Pets Too, Good Luck
Returning to work with a baby is one thing. Returning to work with a baby AND five dogs (yes, that’s me 🙋♀️)… that’s chaos with a Wi-Fi connection. I don’t have a tip here, just solidarity.
Final Thoughts
Returning to work after maternity leave in tech is a wild ride. You might feel behind, out of sync, or like you’re wearing two hats (and both are stained with mashed banana).
But you are not alone.
You’re a tech mom. You write code, build products, fix bugs, attend meetings while warming a bottle, and still manage to show up for your team.
Welcome back. You’ve got this. 💪
