Having a baby is an experience like none other - the nine months of unrelenting anticipation, culminating into your little bundle of joy fills you with unbridled happiness, joy, and also some anxiety and fear. If you are a working mom, chances are that at some point, you will have to go back to the grind, leaving your little one at home, either with family or a trusted help. Like it is with ALL (no exceptions here) new moms, the initial few days back to work will be riddled with anxiety, stress and a mountain of guilt. However, there are some things that you can do to keep stress at bay, and make the transition smooth...
Get robust support at home
Most of the guilt new moms go through stems from fear and stress. What will my baby be doing right now? What if he gets hungry and no one feeds him? What if no one is equipped to understand his needs? Questions like this often crawl into a new mom's mind, especially when she re-joins work after a

maternity break

. To ease this, invest in a trusted help (along with a live-in family member if possible). Take references, do a background check, offer competitive pay (and perks), and most importantly, trust your gut when it comes to the right help. Installing CCTV cameras in your house will also go a long way in helping you feel relaxed when away.
Ask for flexi working hours/remote work

If possible, opt for a hybrid working module for the first few months post return to work, so that you can spend more time with your baby. If remote working is not an option, then you (or your spouse) can check for flexi work hours a few days of the week, so that you can adjust to your baby's schedule and be around when he wakes up, or has his first morning feed. You can also ask for a two hour leeway either side of the working day, to avoid traffic snarls, in order to reach home/office at a decent hour (offer to finish pending work at home, though)
Confide in colleagues who have had babies
If you are a first-time mom, chances are that you might feel yourself at sea over a lot of things - feeding, changing, sleeping schedules of your little one etc. While your own mother, mother-in-law or someone older might give great advice, what will REALLY help you is confiding in mom colleagues. Not only will they empathise with you, they can also offer quick, practical solutions to the return to work post baby dilemma.
Don't get paranoid (even if that sounds impossible)
Moms, especially first time working ones, get increasingly paranoid about their babies, and while it is always better to err on the side of caution, do not go overboard. To keep anxiety at bay, identify normal baby behaviors, seek support from other parents, and always remember, each baby is unique, and so is yours. Do not compare your little one with someone else's, and learn to trust yourself first.
Take some time-out
We get it. Becoming a working mother has completely engulfed you, and you can't think of spending a moment away from your little one after you return from work. However, no matter the constraints, it is important to spend some time on yourself too. While it does not have to be anything huge like taking a holiday without baby in tow (though that is okay too), a simple two hour lunch with your friends/spouse, or a quick salon dash to get your hair done, can go a long way in rejuvenating you. Remember, your baby is well-fed and taken care of by trusted members at home, so no harm in indulging in some self care. At the end of the day, happy mommies lead to happy babies!
Finally, keep the bigger picture in mind
As much as babies bring you unparalleled joy, bringing them up is an expensive process. While the decision to stay at home or work is personal (and is okay either way), one should always look at the bigger picture in mind. If you need the finances to bring up your baby, then find ways around it to make the transition smooth, rather than questioning your decision, and getting trapped in an endless cycle of guilt.