Even though my plan was to be a SAHM for a year, I got offered an incredible position at a university. With the great pay and benefits in THIS economy, I decided I couldn't turn it down. I start Jan 3 and it's full-time (and I haven't been able to stop crying since).

But this post isn't about the emotional turmoil of leaving my freaking amazing daughter. It's about how to figure in exercise to this whole equation. Any moms out that went back to work want to share how they got exercise in?

My plan is to pump while at work and keep Little G on breast milk. But that means pumping at least 3xs during the day.

Where does exercise FIT? Currently, I walk or run with her during the day with the stroller. I don't want to spend my few hours with her in the morning or at night with her in the stroller though.

I suppose I could wait until she goes to bed and go for a run? Anyone else? She's five months old now (will be 6 when I go back to work). Does this get easier?

Thank goodness I am starting to get a handle on the food part of this!

I exercise early in the morning (5ish) or after my little ones go to sleep (sometimes as late as 8:30). While my evening exercise gives me a great night's rest, I enjoy the morning much better.

Good luck to you

I go on my lunch hour.

Congrats on the job sounds reallly great, but i understand your wanting to stay home. I almost always exercise on my lunch hour. I work at a university as well and there is a great deal of trails outside myoffice that includes hills and stairs. It becomes habit after a while.

If you are pumping while you are at work I'm going to assume you will not be able to do it during the day at work. I'm voting for early morning. At the end of the day you aren't going to want to do anything but love on her. For me once I stop and sit down with the little man its game over for me. I don't and won't end up doing anything else until he is sound asleep and by that time I am usually almost asleep too.

will she take a bottle? I went back to work when my first was 5 months. It was only part time but he refused to take a bottle even when it was breast milk. He was eating a little pablum and his caretaker really put a lot of milk in it but he was one hungry grumpy boy when I got home. Thank goodness I only worked one full day a week.

I would try a variety of times and see what suits you best. Many moms find that very very early or after baby's bed is best. My baby always woke at 04:30am for the first 10 months (ugh!) so naptimes/after bed time was my only choice.

Congrats on the new job! What kind of position are you in? If you feel comfortable, there are pumping bras available where you can just sit & work while being pumped (I used a Medela double electric hospital grade) so that would give you more break time during an actual break (assuming you have some kind of desk job).

Congratulations on your job!!! It must be such a complicated decision - in one sense exciting and exhilarating to start a new project, but difficult to leave your daughter earlier than you had planned.

I was a night time exerciser. I loved the freedom of putting my (two babies - 18 months apart) to bed, then having completely 'me' time. DH would stay home with the babes, I'd lace up my sneakers and head out for 1/2 hour. I found it truly enjoyable.

I'm sure you'll figure out what works best for your schedule though - GL with everything!

Thanks for all the responses. You have all given me hope that it IS possible!

Yes, I am pumping while I'm at work. My hope is to go at lunch eventually but I have my doubts that I'll be able to get away at first. But that's okay, once I get settled in, I think I could pump and race out the door.

The nighttime exercise appeals to be the most because I won't have to worry about waking her (currently, she's a dream to put down at night, of course that changes every month) and I feel safe in my neighborhood BUT it's a small neighborhood. Morning exercise would be fantastic too but she's a light sleeper and an early riser. That could a challenge but I'm more likely to do it.

Oh geez! It's all so complicated!

@Sacha - I'm a geek translator. It's a tech position where I coordinate efforts to get system administrators on the same page. I'm super excited about it. The people seem great and my skill set is a good match. Unfortunately, it's in a cubicle so pumping at my desk is out. Le sigh.

@cherrypie - She's a good bottle eater. We were lucky/unlucky enough to have big issues breastfeeding at first so I was pumping and bottle feeding. It means that now she's an old pro. She prefers the boob but she prefers eating even more.

Hello you are one of the few faces I see from when I was here in 2006! Nice to see you. I have a little boy, he's two now.

On the pumping front, if you have a double, a major cheat is a sports bra, cut two holes where your nipples are and insert the cups of the pump through them, much cheaper than the properly made expressing bras.

I haven't made a return to work full time, due to my son's circumstances, however I think early mornings might work best. You can pump, then exercise. It might also be worth, in terms of supply, though annoying, expressing once through the night.

I expressed for a long time for my little boy whilst he was in NICU.