Returning to work early after ML

[NowwhatdoIdo123]

Did anyone return to work early after ML because they couldn't manage financially on SMP or MA?

If you did, how old was baby when you returned to work?

Thanks

I went back at 6 months with both mine. The rules changed between DD and DS and I didn't want to treat them differently. But actually as my employer paid generous maternity pay for the six months I could have stayed off longer, but as most people got only SMP it was quite normal to take no more than 6 months - although many people took longer too. Worked fine for us and doesn't seem to have harmed my DC or my relationship with them. As PP said, dads who only take a couple of weeks off don't get those comments so why should you listen when they say them to you?

DD is now 11, and I went back to work (having taken an additional month of unpaid leave) when she was just over 4 months old. But it was great - she loved her crèche, it was near my office so commuted with me (that REALLY reduced stress levels as I could deal with her by pulling over if necessary but I wasn't stuck in gridlock trying to get to her!), and I was back with adults who talked like adults.

It's a slight shock to the system, still figuring out this small person, getting the organization systems up and running again, and changing them to take account of the extra needs of the small person and reduced capacity to pre-plan or do wonderful dinners from scratch when you rock in home at 8pm after an extra long day and last minute meetings being called - but it was doable.

I'm in the US. Fortunately I'm a sahm but several of my friends went back to work after 6 weeks. 12 weeks is generous maternity leave here and usually it's unpaid. It's horrible