My little boy is 7 months old, I have about 6 weeks left of maternity & it seems to have hit me really hard. It feels like going back to work & having to leave him is just looming over me every single day & I find myself getting quite emotional over it a lot of the time to the point where I don’t know if it’s normal, although I have always been a very sensitive & emotional person. I’m only going to be working 3 days a week & I keep telling myself that I will still be home with him for the other 4 & that I should just count myself lucky that I am able to do that as other mothers have no choice but to work full time, it just doesn’t seem to make it any easier for me. I find myself looking at him when he’s smiling at me & breaking down into tears, I feel guilty even though I know it will do us both good, I worry that I’ve taken the last 7 months for granted & have I spent enough time playing with him etc, I worry that he’ll be upset when I’m not around, it’s a whole load of worries & feelings. He will be going to nursery 2 half days 8am - 12pm & then my nan will be having him 12 - 4 & on the other day my bf will be having him & again I keep telling myself I’m lucky to have family around to help with the childminding etc, it just feels like a massive deal to me to go back to work when I’ve been with him all day, everyday for the last 7 months & I’m really going to miss seeing his smiley, happy face all day, everyday. Can anyone tell me if they’ve struggled with the return to work as much as this? I was abandoned by my parents when they split up when I was younger & both moved away so I don’t know if maybe I’m worrying that he’s going to think I’ve abandoned him, which is making me more upset. I obviously know that he needs the time away from me too & that a few mornings at nursery will help with his development & also the break will probably do me a bit of good too, I know that it’s totally normal & I can’t have him with me 24/7 for both of our sakes, I’m just finding it really difficult & I know I’m going to be an emotional wreck on my first day back in work & I really don’t want to end up in tears & causing a scene & basically, what I think I’m asking is can anyone relate & tell me that it’s perfectly normal to feel this way?