It’s unbelievable how incredibly fast 12 weeks of maternity leave goes by. Multiply that speed x10 for each subsequent child that is born afterwards. By the time it’s your third, you already know the routine. If you are breastfeeding, you’ve become the most prolific yet efficient pumper with your freezer stash of liquid gold set for the next 3 months, with bottles and cases of Nutramigen at the ready. Prepared ziplock dinners and Instapot recipes are stacked up high in the freezer. You’ve got extra underwear for anticipated potty training regression, extra pull-ups for anticipated sleep regression. You’re even planning on dropping the big kids off earlier to account for the extra clinginess when you drop them off at school.

Baby cries on bed while man with glasses reads book and girl in pajamas walks over baby. Woman flosses other girl’s teeth on bed

But let’s be real. Life with a new baby sibling is completely unpredictable and often times chaotic. And by baby number 3, the kids outnumber the grownups and boy do the kids know it. You’ve officially become an ergobaby wearing human jungle gym. A look that Dad also seems to sport well.

Ultimately you know everything will work out, but it doesn’t matter. None of those preparations will ever lessen the feeling of scarcity when leaving your babies to go back to work. So cherish the tantrums and the crazy moments. Embrace the clinginess of your older children. Hang on to every “just one more” your children ask for. Once you get your sleep back, I promise you’ll be looking back at this time with loving fondness.

Man, woman and two children walk on street while woman pushes snap n go stroller. Girl holds woman’s hand while eyes closed

Just one more walk. The sun is setting and it’s starting get chilly.

Just one more game of hide and seek. I love the way your face lights up with excitement even when you find me in the same hiding spot every time.

Just one more time on the swing. It’s not fair big sister got to go on it twice!

Girl in blue dress and green jacket smiling and running while woman wearing glasses runs behind girl

Girl cries while parent wearing gloves wipes tears from her face

Just one more stop. If we don’t stop at the grocery store there won’t be any milk in your cereal tomorrow

Just one more apple. Mine dropped on the floor when big sister was pushing me!

Just one more aisle. Our ice cream stash is running low

Woman pushes toy car shopping cart into ShopRite grocery store at dusk

Two girls sitting in yellow toy car with steering wheels while eating red apples

Baby smiles and looks up from bucket carseat placed inside a shopping cart with red and yellow car in front. Walking down frozen aisle in grocery store

Just one more bite. Isn’t cauliflower your favorite?

Just one more bite. Those veggies won’t eat themselves!

Just one more bite. I promise you can have ice cream afterwards!

Girl takes a big bite of cauliflower with her hand. Woman sits with girl in background with a bowl of clams

Woman feeds asparagus to girl sitting in chair at table.

Woman sits in chair while opening ice cream bar. Girl in blue bites into ice cream bar. Little girl in black holds ice cream bar in air while looking at woman.

Just one more towel. I don’t think I have enough

Just one more “Ahh”. No cavities on my watch!

Just one more kiss good night before I leave for my shift.

Woman flosses girls teeth on floor while girl stands in bathroom doorway wrapped in towel

Girl lays on bed with mouth open while women brushes her teeth

Girl closes eyes and smiles as woman in glasses reaches over to stroke girls head and give a kiss

Are you or someone you know going on maternity/paternity leave soon? What preparations are you making to to help your transition back to your work run more smoothly? Let’s talk, I’d love to hear about it!

*****

P.S. This family’s Slice of Life Album is still a favorite bedtime book for the children!

Black leather photo album with image of family, on a wood floor

2 girls sitting on a couch looking and pointing at photo album. One girl is in a white and red polka dot shirt, the other girl is in pink dress with red swirl.