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I mostly write about being a mom here, but I am also a veterinarian. I went back to work from maternity leave just two weeks ago, however I’ve decided to work part-time for a while to allow myself more time at home with my family, and I’m so thankful to be in a position to do so!
Even as a part-time veterinarian, I’m still gone for 10+ hour shifts. With my one-hour commute (each way!) that means I’m gone twelve hours a day, three days a week. I love what I do — it’s challenging, rewarding, keeps my brain active, and helps me support my family — but I do still struggle leaving my kiddos in the morning, and I work hard to get home at a reasonable hour to them at night.
If you’re curious what a day in the life of a working “Vet Mom” looks like, keep reading.
If you want to know a little more about me and how I got where I am today, check out my About Me section and my first post, This Is Us.
Day In The Life
5:45 AM — Alarm goes off. Everyone else is asleep. Pull sleeping Adeline from her co-sleeper into bed for a “dream feed” to keep her sleeping a few more hours. Sneak her back into her bed while desperately trying not to wake her.
6:00 AM — Get ready (quietly!) for the day. Pack pump bag and cooler, grab a Clif bar and to-go cup of coffee and sneak out of the front door.
6:45 AM — Leave for work. I pump for twenty minutes of my one-hour commute. Pumping while driving is a skill in itself, y’all.
7:45 AM — Arrive at work. Bag my milk and put in the cooler. Rinse pump parts and store in the fridge. Down some coffee before masking up for the morning while reviewing my morning appointment schedule.
8:00 AM — First appointment is here. I’m seeing appointments all day… no surgeries! Truthfully I could do without surgery most days — not my favorite part of my job!
8-10:30 AM — I see appointments all morning. I have quite a few healthy pets for their checkups, lots of itchy dogs (Florida is the worst for that!), and one angry cat!
10:30 AM — Time for a pump break. While I’m pumping I work on medical records and call back a few pet owners with questions. Bag milk, store in cooler, rinse pump parts, store in fridge.
11:00 AM-1:00 PM — I see more appointments, mostly routine stuff. Just before lunch a really sick dog comes in with very worried owners. Go to lunch a bit late so I can get some lab work started and get this dog comfortable.
1:30 PM — Pick up a Cesar salad curbside and eat in my car, while I call my husband to check on the kids. Both babies are napping, and he sounds wiped. Pump while I drive back to work and in the parking lot when I get there. Rush inside to bag my milk before my afternoon appointments start. Store milk, rinse pump parts, stick them in the fridge.
2:00 PM-4:30 PM — More appointments. It’s not the busiest afternoon, but not slow either! In between appointments I attempt to get some learning modules completed for some safety training I’m doing at work, but only make it two slides in all afternoon and finally give up and snuggle kittens.
4:30 PM — Pump break again. I call the owner of very sick dog from earlier to go over their not-so-good lab results and together we come up with a plan for what to do next. I get off the phone and disconnect pump to realize I forgot to restock my milk storage bags and I have no containers to store milk until tonight. I ask my very smart techs if there’s a sterile container that can hold four ounces of milk without leaking, while walking around the hospital with my milk in hand. Decide to use unopened medicine bottle to store milk.
5-6:00 PM — Two more appointments: a dog who is going deaf thanks to chronic ear infections and a cat with an upper respiratory infection. Make a few more client phone calls and clock out for the day!
6:10 PM — Lug my pump, purse, and cooler to the car and call my husband to tell him I got out on time today and I’m on my way home.
7:00 PM — Sneak in front door and rush to shower before anyone realizes I’m home (COVID precautions). Quickly unpack milk into the freezer and go see my babies!
7:45 PM — Tuck in Amelia after a few songs and books together (while nursing Adeline). Eat dinner leftovers.
8:30 PM — Nurse Adeline in bed then tuck her into her co-sleeper.
9:15 PM — Check email, social media, and the kids’ online academy mailbox for any updates on when school will actually start.
10:00 PM — Relax on the couch, watching The Originals and sipping La Croix. A wild night for me!
12:00 AM — Decide I’ve had enough TV, and I should probably go to bed. Make sure all kids are still sleeping in bed and fall asleep literally as soon as my head hits the pillow.
I’ve linked my Spectra breast pump here, as well as my new favorite pumping bag here. I use these milk storage bags and never have any leaks, and love these ice packs — I put three in a lunch box and my milk is usually already frozen by the time I get home from work!
