I have a five month DD and am currently on maternity leave until around May 2018. I always expected to go back to my job part time when my maternity finished. I even had the nursery place secured before my DD was born.
However, having had DD, my way of thinking has changed. Although I was always very ambitious with my career and had felt rewarded by my highly stressful job with long working hours and tight project deadlines, I seem to have lost all my drive for it.
I have also worked out that in going back to work part time, after the nursery costs, the amount I would bring home in no way makes the amount of travelling and associated stress worth it. Unfortunately, it's not the sort of job you can just leave at the front door. I can easily picture myself not switching off whilst trying to bath and reading a story to DD, which could really affect my relationship with her. I have therefore already decided that it is
unlikely that I will go back to work for that particular company.
However, instead of finding a less stressful part time job (which would more likely to pay less anyway), my DH and I have worked out that we are lucky enough to afford for me to stay at home with DD instead if we tighten our belts.
I do have a concern about this. Am I going to disadvantage DD socially by not putting her in nursery? We already attend lots of Sure Start baby groups, but as she gets older, do nurseries teach babies something socially and developmentally that I may struggle to?