How many hours did you work after going back from maternity leave?

[twoorthreeorfour]

My contract is changing to 3 days, 22.5 hours. I wondered what other people do. If you reduced your hours, at what point did you go full time again?

Full time after 12 month of maternity leave

3 days initially, then to 4 days about nine months after going back from DC2. 3 days was really hard, I was always trying to catch up from my non working day or getting things done before my non working day, 4 days was easier.

When DC1 started school I switched my 4 full days to 3 full days and 2 ‘half’ days (ie running out of the office at 3pm to get to school for 3:20), That was probably the best of the part time combos.

I went full time when I got a new job when they were aged 3 and 5.

Full time, but used my accumulated annual leave to take one or two days off per fortnight for the next few months.

At first I did 16 hours / 2 days but after my DC started school I did 22 / 3 days and still do. I don’t know how I’d ever have time to go back FT!

I would have liked that too

but couldn’t afford it. So went back FT after both - exhausting but is what it is

Remained full time after my maternity leave both times, wouldn't want to give up my salary and have to give up our lifestyle, holidays etc

Full time after dc 1, so about 55 hours a week.

Full time after 8 months maternity leave

Working FT doesn’t prevent anyone from watching their child growing up

I went back 3 days & clung on to those until changing jobs when my eldest was 9.

I now do 4 days & will do everything in my power to try and stay at 4.

2 days initially then after 6months up to 3 days which is a perfect balance

Back at work after 6.5 months on 32.5 hours and then increased to 34.5 after a year. We have twins and don’t feel like l can work much more for the foreseeable

Full time

3 days a week, then 4, then when Dts started school I did 4 days over 5and then finally back to Fat when they were going into y4 and there was more wraparound care available. Coat me financially and progression wise. Caught up when they were around 10

Full time both times. No regrets.

I went back 3 days a week after a year off, working 27 hours - that extra 1.5 hours a day makes a huge difference in salary!

I went back at 18m post partum. I did 14 hours (2 days) for the first 12 months then up to 28 hours, then after another 6 months 33 hours (3 long days and a weekend rota) and it works well. I was glad to have eased into it as it was a nice transcription for baby and me. Very glad to be back at work though but definitely couldn’t do more hours and manage everything! (Disabled husband)

13months off both times, and went back 32hrs a week after first DD done over four days, kept that after 13months off with DS and when DD went to school switched to working 5 days (9-3) so I could do all the school runs with the extra two hours done on my husbands day off as he works on a rota and has one weekday off a week when he can do all the school runs. Will probably up my hours once DS has started school in September and we have a routine with afterschool activities etc. I am really lucky that my job and boss are very family orientated and flexible

Why 16 hours?

Everyone gets to watch their kids grow up.

Full time compressed into 4 days to make childcare more affordable, I really value my midweek day off.

Back full time at 16 weeks….

I went to a 22.5 hour contract over 3 days after having my first child 8 years ago. Kept the same number of hours but changed it up to work 2 long days so I could have an early finish for school run on the third day when my middle one started school but still keep my days off with my youngest. I hope to switch to annualised hours when my youngest starts so that I can work more hours term time and less in school holidays. Should hopefully make childcare juggle a bit easier!

3 days / 20 hrs a week.

I went back four days when DS was nine months old, then full time when he was fifteen months. I’m pregnant again and, if it works out, I’ll have to go back full time when the new baby is nine months. I’m a teacher, though, and never being more than seven weeks away from a holiday makes it more bearable than if I were working 48 weeks a year (especially as I work in a private school, so our holidays are longer than in the state sector).

16 hours - 2 days a week. I would have just been working to pay a nursery. My mum could have her for these 2 days so that is what I worked. I loved it. I have now retrained and am FT+++ but DD is 18 so it was a long time ago that I was so part time and in a very different economy.