A heartfelt letter from a mum to her nine-week-old son, on the eve of her first day back at work, has a struck a chord with working mothers everywhere.
Shared on Reddit, the mum, who goes by the alias "amacatokay", wrote the emotional note to her son to let him know how much she loved him.
She was heading back to work after three months of maternity leave, and like many mothers it was tearing at her heart to know she'd have to leave him.
"As I write this, you are asleep on my chest making soft, perfect cooing sounds and breathing your sweet baby breath onto my cheek," she wrote.
"I know you can hear my heart beating, just as you did for the nine months that I carried you. I cherish these moments more than I can ever explain with words ... you are everything I ever dreamed of. I don't know how the time passed so quickly, but tomorrow I have to return to work and leave a piece of my heart at home. Being away from you will be painful, and my heart aches at the idea of being away from you for so long. But I know we will be just fine."
She goes on to explain that she is safe in the knowledge that he will be wrapped up in his dad's loving arms when she goes to night shift.
"The way you smile at him like he is the best person you've ever met," she said.
"When you fall asleep on his chest as he reads you a book before bed," she wrote. "I know he will keep you safe, smiling, and fully snuggled in my absence.
"My resolve comes from the knowledge that you will grow up knowing that your mother is strong.
"That women are strong."
The mum said the time away from her son would not be "wasted" as she worked caring for "infants and children in their moment of need".
"I'll stand at their bedside and fully devote myself to their care," she said.
"I'll sit with their parents and offer them whatever I can to ease their pain. I'll support my coworkers during hard times just as they always support me. And I'll never take for granted the many blessings I have waiting at home for me when the night is through."
Her final message to her son tugs at the heartstrings of all parents who leave their children, for whatever reason.
"Remember that whenever I go, my heart will ache for you my sweet baby boy," she said.
"But when the sun rises the next day ... you'll open your eyes and I'll be there. Always. I love you."
Her letter struck a nerve with other parents, many of whom wrote messages of support.
"Thank you for this. I'm headed back to work myself tomorrow, and you expressed my heartache better than I could, Much love, momma," one wrote.
"As a mom whose maternity leave ends this week, with a husband who will be staying at home – thank you, It's always nice to know your not alone," wrote another.
And one more said it will get easier: "Sending many positive thoughts for you as you head back to work. Being away from my babe was so heartbreaking the first day and first week, but it just got better from there".