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AIBU?

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When to return to work

1 reply

Iammoana85 · 10/08/2021 16:39

I know no one can really answer this but me but just after some views from other people on what they did.

Currently on maternity leave after having dc2 ( 9 weeks) also have dd who is 6.

I absolutely love my job. After a few bad career choices I finally have a job I really enjoy, am good at and have worked hard at so am well respected. I originally only planned to take 5 months off, partly due to enjoying my role, but also that's when my enhanced maternity ends so financially it made sense. Plan was to return on 3-4days a week for a few months using my accrued annual leave. I would be wfh for this period. Dh would use some annual leave to have the time off when I am working to look after ds as he won't be going to nursery until he is 7 months. I will then be full time after then.

However since being on maternity leave I have been debating asking to take an additional 2 months off. Do taking 7 in total. Financially we can afford this but would mean dipping into savings which I would rather not do but we could. Dh has also had some of the leave he was going to use declined (its apparently a really busy period although the month has never been busy before!) So would make sense for me to take the extra time off.

However, I worked a KIT day yesterday and I hate to admit it, but I really enjoyed being back at work. I missed the dc like crazy of course (had to go into the office) but I really enjoyed being me for a while and not mummy.

I didn't get chance to speak to work yesterday about dh having his annual leave declined so if indo go back i will have to work around having ds at home, but my role is one I could do out of hours and around naps apart from an odd call.

I'm so torn on what to do!

OP posts:
UpToMyElbowsInDiapers · 10/08/2021 16:43

Could you split the difference and make it 6 months rather than 5 or 7? Then you’re not dipping so far into your savings and maybe DH can take the time to cover while you’re working?

For what it’s worth, I also love my job. With DC1 I went back at 9 months, with DC 2 and 3 at 6 months (but I went back full time). DH likewise took some parental leave to tide over the couple of months until daycare started, and those were terrific bonding experiences for him and our kids. Highly recommend! :-)

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