Do you feel that you're treated differently at work these days, or that no-one takes any interest in your precious baby?

While working mums shouldn't expect special treatment, your new status as a mum as well as an employee shouldn't mean you are treated badly.

Luckily, the majority of employers embrace the skills that working mums can and do bring to the workforce, but there will always be a few who ignore it. Legally, like any other employee you shouldn't be bullied or discriminated against as a result of being a mother, or sidestepped for promotion.

Work and families

Although attitudes to working mums have changed dramatically over the past few years, mums still report feeling excluded or resented by colleagues who are not parents. Problems might crop up because you have flexible hours, have to leave on time to pick your baby up from childcare, or are off when your child - or the childminder - is ill.

If you work part time you may miss out on meetings, and you may also miss out on the 'social glue' that helps to make us feel part of a team - impromptu drinks after work, and gossip over lunch or a coffee break. You might feel concerned that you'll miss out on promotion if you work part-time or flexible hours, or don't do the networking outside of work.

Your experiences will also depend on your colleagues' situations: if you work with lots of other mums - and dads - they may be more understanding than an office full of young men, for example. Mum of two Melanie says she has a good relationship with all her colleagues 'although I don't join them for drinks after work sadly anymore! There are quite a few part time mums here so they do understand and are very supportive if I am having a wobbly day because I am either missing them or feeling guilty.'

So what can you do when you return to your old job or start a new one to ensure a good relationship with people at work?

Know your legal rights around flexible hours and discrimination.

Try and give your confidence a boost before you step into the workplace so any negative comments or treatment are less damaging to your self-esteem.

Ensure you communicate extremely clearly. If anything, over-communicate. Make sure everyone knows exactly where you are, when, and where you are with your projects. Follow-up verbal agreements with an email. If you work part-time, make sure everyone knows where to find information on the days when you're not in, and get an update of what's been going on while you were away.

Do some of the social stuff - you might not be able to - or want to - be out for drinks after work every night, but joining in from time to time will keep you in the loop.

The expert view

Gillian Nissim, who founded workingmums.co.uk to connect employers with women returning to work, says it's crucial to develop good communication with your manager and build a network of support from other colleagues and friends in similar positions. 'You may go through bad patches, for instance, when your child is ill or you have been up for several nights with a teething baby, but remember you are not alone, that all things with children go in stages and things will get better.'

And mums' coach Amanda Alexander adds: 'As a working parent, there's always going to be someone somewhere judging you. Get used to it and build your own self-confidence so that you build your immunity to other's opinions. Treat being a working mother as a choice rather than as an impediment and it will help you to deal with the inevitable obstacles positively.'