Returning to Work After Having a Baby

Returning to work after having a baby is a big deal. For many parents, it comes with a complicated mix of emotions — pride, anxiety, guilt, and relief can all show up at once. Whether you're counting down the days or dreading the thought, one thing is true: planning ahead can make a world of difference.

This blog is here to help you navigate the return to work, UK-style — with practical steps, emotional support, and links to further resources, including The Birth & Baby Academy, which help you feel prepared not just for birth, but for everything that comes after.

Understanding Your Rights When Returning to Work (UK Specific)

If you're employed in the UK, you’re entitled to up to 52 weeks of maternity leave, made up of:

• 26 weeks of Ordinary Maternity Leave

• 26 weeks of Additional Maternity Leave

The first 39 weeks may be paid (depending on your employer’s policy and eligibility for Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance), and your job is protected by law.

✅ If you return within 26 weeks, you’re entitled to the same job.

✅ If after 26 weeks, you still have the right to return, but it can be a different role with similar terms and responsibilities.

What About Shared Parental Leave (SPL)?

SPL allows you and your partner to share up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay — offering flexibility to suit your family’s needs. You can take time off together, or alternate.

This option can be a game changer for co-parenting and keeping both careers on track.

➡️ Learn more: GOV.UK - Shared Parental Leave

Planning Ahead: What to Do Before You Return

Returning to work can feel like a logistical and emotional juggling act. Here’s how to prepare well in advance:

1. Explore Your Childcare Options Early

• Look at nurseries, childminders, nannies or family options.

• Book viewings and join waiting lists early — good places fill quickly.

• Arrange settling-in sessions to ease the transition for both you and your baby.

2. Know Your Rights to Flexible Working

You have the legal right to request flexible working (e.g. reduced hours, compressed hours, job sharing, or remote work). Your employer must consider it reasonably and respond within 3 months.

3. Use KIT Days or SPLIT Days

You can use up to 10 Keeping in Touch (KIT) days during maternity leave (or SPLIT days during Shared Parental Leave). These let you ease back into the workplace, catch up with changes, and rebuild confidence — while being paid for the time.

4. Communicate with Your Employer

Book a meeting a few weeks before your return to discuss:

• Hours and working pattern

• Workload expectations

• Any transitional support

Taking Care of You: The Emotional Side

This transition isn’t just practical — it’s deeply emotional too. It’s normal to feel worried about leaving your baby, nervous about returning to a changed workplace, or unsure about your identity as a working parent.

You don’t have to figure this out alone. Our courses — including The Birth & Baby Academy’s online antenatal and postnatal course — offer supportive guidance on postnatal recovery, identity shifts, returning to work, and how to find your footing again.

We Support You Beyond the Birth

At Beyond the Bump Warwickshire, our in-person antenatal classes help parents feel prepared for birth, recovery, baby care — and life after maternity leave. Whether you're local or joining us from further afield, our online Birth & Baby Academy course mirrors everything we teach in person.

💻 The Birth & Baby Academy includes over 9 hours of expert-led content, designed to help you confidently navigate pregnancy, birth, postnatal recovery, baby care, and the early months — including real-life topics like going back to work and managing the mental load.