Working from home with a baby

[MusicalTrifleMonkey]

How do people work from home with a baby? I have a 14 week old who mostly naps on me. I have a little tray table for my laptop but I need to be back at work in a couple of months time, only part time, but I can’t understand how I’m going to do it!

Those of you who work from home with a little one, how do you do it? Can you give me any tips? My time will be flexible but I’ll have deadlines. The problem I find is that their attention is short so it’s 10 minutes on this and 5 minutes on that. Is it even possible?! I will have no support except DH who is now increasing his work hours as his work place are struggling.

Thanks

I'm not sure people do. Work is still work, so you need childcare, I should think.

It's not really possible tbh, you can't work from home full time and care for children full time and be a good mother and a good employee. Not until theyre 8 or 9, IMO.

They don’t really

Really doesnt sound fair on your employer or your baby! Are nurseries/childminders not available?

Do you have any other family support?

They don’t, if parents go back to work then the baby goes to a childminder or nursery

I have looked after a baby and worked. I was a shit mother and a shit employee.
Tbh if it was doable I’d have saved £1.2k/month and cracked on without nursery!

It's not possible. You need childcare.

The panda mic had meant some people have done it but it's by means ideal and in normal times workplaces don't allow it.

Oh okay, well that’s put me in my place then! Work will have to go hang because baby comes first...

Could your partner take shared parental leave? That's what we did - I'm the breadwinner, so i went back to work when DD was 4 months, and he took the rest of the year's worth of leave.

Have you always WFH?
Are you self employed?

@Ohalrightthen I wish but he earns so much more than me! And he only gets statutory paternity pay, nothing from his work place so we’d be really struggling.

It’s a shame as I did want to go back but I don’t want to put my DS in childcare so soon, especially not during a pandemic, so I will have to chat to my boss about not going back so soon!

Try and work whilst baby is sleeping, it’ll be exhausting if you plan to work full time though. Can you use annual leave your reduce your hours?

@Twinpeaksdancingman no used to be in an office but can WFH easily (when not with DS). I have hopes to go freelance but that will be when DS is older I think

OP, have you missed the widespread meltdown across forums like these because parents are having to try to combine wfh with providing childcare? It doesn't work. You will exhaust and stress yourself trying to make it work.

It’s just not possible I’m afraid, it’s not fair on work, you or baby! Plenty of people go back to work when their babies are tiny, there are lots of excellent options for childcare. Or don’t go back to work.

Nobody's 'putting you in your place' @MusicalTrifleMonkey we're just the voices of experience.
You might be able to manage it, but it's clear that previous posters, including me, didn't

@Suzi888 I was going to do part time flexible but as I say I would have deadlines so that would restrict me as if I didn’t make them I’d be letting people down! I don’t think I’d have any annual leave hours as you don’t accrue them on maternity do you?

[quote MusicalTrifleMonkey]@Suzi888 I was going to do part time flexible but as I say I would have deadlines so that would restrict me as if I didn’t make them I’d be letting people down! I don’t think I’d have any annual leave hours as you don’t accrue them on maternity do you?[/quote]
Yes, you do! Or you do at my company, anyway.

@Whenwillow I didn’t mean that to sound sassy, I hope it didn’t! Just didn’t realise that the answer would be such a resounding no to be honest!

No @unmarkedbythat I’m new here really! I honestly didn’t realise. I thought people genuinely just got on with it. But I will definitely reevaluate for sure

@Ohalrightthen ah okay, I’ll take a look at my contract and see what it says, didn’t know that was a thing!

I’m a bit naïve about all this I think!!!

Good luck. Hope you're able to work something out :)

That’s quite a short leave if you aren’t self employed . Are you in the US or going back for money/security? There are a few things like getting a bounce chair. Having a sling and walking around using laptop standing up and using it off to the side of you while holding baby.

@MusicalTrifleMonkey I'm sorry, I just realised how snappy and spiteful my reply sounded and I really didn't mean it to be

Don't do it to yourself! It's an utter ovary ache and you end up feeling like a crap employee and a crap parent all at the same time.

Going to be quite tough...

Reduce your hours
Can husband reduce hours
Work out with normal hours eg before/after/weekends when husband is about to help
Childminder

Have a chat with your employer and hopefully you can come to a suitable agreement.

@unmarkedbythat not at all, I understand that I may have missed a fair bit!

I like the term ‘overy ache’ I can sympathise with that already! Thanks, I think I have not understood how difficult this can be...