Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think I could work from home with a brand new baby?

337 replies

SanitysSake · 10/02/2017 13:14

Just mulling over a few ideas to keep the funds coming in whilst at home.

Is it possible, or am I living in cloud cuckoo land?

Would be grateful to hear from any stay-at-home mums who also manage to work from home.

Any hints, tips, experiences, advice would be most appreciated.

OP posts:
DuggeeHugs · 10/02/2017 13:41

If you're working for yourself then you could give it a try, but I think it would be very hard.

My employer asks for proof of your childcare arrangements if you have set working from home days in your contract. They feel if you try to do both you won't be able to do either well.

Underparmummy · 10/02/2017 13:41

Some emails, odd phone calls, yes.

However, I managed this by dc3 mat leave. With dc1 despite being a workaholic pre kids didn't manage to turn my work phone on until about 8 weeks in.

MrsArchchancellorRidcully · 10/02/2017 13:42

I wfh and both DC have been in private nursery full time since 10m old......

Now DD is 8, it's possible for her to be ill and for me to continue working but if 5 yr old DS is ill, I have to take time off.

All depends what you do. If it involves any sort of phone calls then no, not a chance!

Underparmummy · 10/02/2017 13:42

My work is very fast paced, decision in a second type deal though...

GallivantingWildebeest · 10/02/2017 13:43

Do you mean carry on working at your current job, but from home, or setting up a new business from home?

I'd say neither are ideal with a baby. You won't do either well. And you'll be knackered.

How would you be able to concentrate on anything until baby is in a routine and you can guarantee a nice long nap in the afternoon? Also, depends on your baby and how much attention they need.

ElphabaTheGreen · 10/02/2017 13:43

Are people who are saying its completely impossible paying attention to the people who have said they have actually done it?
Does this not make you change your mind even slightly about the possibility of it?

Not even the slightest, because both of my babies were unputdownable, non-sleeping screamers. Any form of work would have been impossible. Those who were able to work seem to have a common theme of babies who slept and could be put down.

It depends ENTIRELY on the baby you get.

Theknittinggorilla · 10/02/2017 13:44

Agree possible with a young baby but not from 6 months or so onwards when they start needing more entertainment. But I couldn't have done it with my first baby. Not because he was particularly difficult but because having a baby for the first time was such a shock to the systems and I spent all my time and brain power in the first few months working out how to keep the baby alive, fed and happy! Now I expecting dc3 and could probably do something very flexible a couple of hours per day (on the basis this baby is similar to the other two) but only because it's my third time.....

SalmonFajitas · 10/02/2017 13:45

I couldn't have personally as my baby needed to be rocked to sleep and walked around a lot, I was also barely functioning myself as I was getting barely any sleep at night.

My friend's baby slept for twenty hours a day in four hour blocks since birth (and at 6 months still had a reliable 18 hours of sleep a day) so she would have been fine for the first 3/4 of a year. Once DC is crawling you'd have to be blessed with an incredibly easy toddler to continue working from home - and you'll probably want to start taking the DC out to parks, swimming, library, playgroup or something after a while anyway.

OneLumpOrSeven · 10/02/2017 13:45

With my refluxy baby who hated being put down some days I barely managed a shower.

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 10/02/2017 13:46

I could have done it between 10 weeks and 6 months - DS had brilliant naps.

But it would have meant not really getting out of the house because the times he napped were the middle of the afternoon and morning, peak times for groups etc (yes, he did sleep through a lot of things, but the getting out was for me).

NarkyMcDinkyChops · 10/02/2017 13:46

Not even the slightest, because both of my babies were unputdownable, non-sleeping screamers. Any form of work would have been impossible

Thats my point though, it would be impossible for YOU. But other people have said they did it, so why are people saying it is impossible full stop?

Impossible for you is not impossible for everyone.

Whathastheworldcometo · 10/02/2017 13:47

It does make me wander though... to those who are saying to even be dressed by mid day would be a miracle etc. Not judging kids are tough. But what if you have a new born and an older child you have to get to school....? It's not easy. Never is. But it really depends on the child (ren) and your job. Can you say what your job is and perhaps people would be able to better judge if it is possible or not

rightsofwomen · 10/02/2017 13:49

I work from home. I am a single parent to a 7 and 17 year old.

Obv I can work if the 17yo is around, but the 7yo....if he's ill from school and flopping around I can, and there are times I take conference calls (I work from a garden office) in the evening when he's around, but it's not ideal.
I feel like I am doing neither role (worker or mother) particularly well.

As I work from home I prefer to have the line between work and family firmly defined.

GinIsIn · 10/02/2017 13:49

whathastheworld - if you have a baby and an older child, you have been through the experience before so can be a. It more prepared for it. I should imagine that the shock and the learning curve for a new new parent are largely responsible.

brooklyn66 · 10/02/2017 13:50

Yes, you could work from home with a newborn. For about 5 minutes a week, if you're lucky.

Sallycinnamum · 10/02/2017 13:51

If you're in a professional role then absolutely no way.

I have a great manager and WFH two days a week but there is no way he'd be happy with me working with a small baby at home.

Now my DC are at school I can work if they're poorly on ocassion but when they were babies and toddlers it would've been impossible.

TwoTicketsToTeesside · 10/02/2017 13:51

I managed - I was writing a book and had a deadline, so not much choice in the matter. It was my second baby so I wasn't knocked for six like with the first.

I wouldn't say I worked full time, far from it, but I managed six weeks of work and met my deadline.

Much harder now they're older - forget it!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 10/02/2017 13:53

I could have done for about the first 3 months with ds I reckon. Now he's 16 months- not a chance. I can't even go for a wee without his help.

Crunchyside · 10/02/2017 13:53

YABU. Yes, a few people do manage to make this work but it's really not ideal. Neither your work nor your baby will be getting the attention they need. It's a bad deal all round really.

Artandco · 10/02/2017 13:54

I have. Have worked from home or with children in my office the last 7 years. Have two children. Various hours over the years.
0-12 months I only worked from home, around 40-45hrs a week.

Emboo19 · 10/02/2017 13:55

My mum has her own business and I went back to helping her, from my DD being a month old. Run up to Christmas is very busy for her and my DD was born in October.
I think people cope and manage very differently, you will know how you generally cope with reduced sleep and stress. I'd honestly be bored, just being home all day doing baby related things.
From coming out of hospital after birth, I've never gone a day without getting dressed and showered, it takes me 5 mins max!

missm0use · 10/02/2017 13:55

I managed to run a b&b with a young baby! I had guests staying with us since my daughter was 6/7 weeks old - she's now 1 and 'helps' (or thinks she does) with changeovers, laundry and hoovering!

It can be done - it's exhausting but totally doable!! Smile

EpoxyResin · 10/02/2017 13:56

Sally why do you say it's a definite no in a professional role? I have a professional role but I'm ahead of the curve with my work and I'd be very difficult to replace so my working from home with baby is tolerated quite amicably for now.

NarkyMcDinkyChops · 10/02/2017 13:57

Neither your work nor your baby will be getting the attention they need. It's a bad deal all round really

That's a little bit offensive to the people who have done it, don't you think?

Bohemond · 10/02/2017 13:58

I went back to work approx. 1.5 days a week when my baby was 4 months. It is a professional role but my own consultancy business. But, my husband also works from home so we juggled until DS was 1 at which point he went to nursery.