I expected to be off for at least a year, both times, and both times I went back at 8 months, and I'm not sure how I managed it, because the juggling was a nightmare. But I had an almost unnatural drive to be out of there. And my second job was monotonous, frustrating, no career advantage, and gave me nothing except adult conversation and a break from home.
In hindsight, I'm so glad I did. I've now had to be home full time for 5 years and, thank god I did something for myself then.
TBH, I think the whole SAHM thing is something of a myth. Yes, there are those who have able, NT kids, non-coercive DH's, and are at happy at home.
I know a ton of sahms, and I don't know a single one who doesn't have some underlying challenges that they'd swap for work in a heart beat.
- Children that need constant care,
- Children who are never going to manage mainstream school,
- Husbands who have convinced them it's the right road..I was actually going to put religious convictions in another line, but the handful I know, these are intertwined.
- Not well enough/able themselves to work and/or run a household at the same time and the family will always come first, obviously.
I know 2, maybe 3 who seem to genuinely live an insta life, children out 6 hours a day, help in the house, engaged husband capable of parenting alone.. and I'm a cynic, so still waiting to find their skeleton in the closest.
Sorry, the ramblings of a bored sahm! Go back to work! The baby will babble, crawl, walk, pile, cry at the weekend, and you will have those memories. Take away all the shit about whether you're there for the "first" anything. Doesn't matter whether it happens when you're work, or at home in the loo, those kinds of things are said to trap us!!
Blimey, I'm a bitter old woman 
