Going back to work after baby

[Bobbins1]

Hi all! I’m new here 😊
I’ve always worked very hard in hospitality and ultimately would like my own restaurant. I’ve just had a baby and was planning to go back to work in a year. However! I now can’t imagine this & wondered what kind of part time jobs people have started purely to coincide with looking after their kids?

Are you a chef?

You might change your mind in a year. I was meant to go back after 6 months but extended this to 9 months. When 9 months came around, I was definitely ready to go back to work!

@hollowvictory I am

@NowWeAreSuckingDiesel fair point! My baby is 4 months old and I’m due back in October

I'm back full time now and it's fine but when my daughter was four months, I'd have never thought I'd feel like this so you may feel differently come autumn!

Just like others when DS was four months old I couldn't imagine going back to work and leaving him. I took the whole year and by then I was so ready to go back. Initially I wanted to go part time but decided to go back full time and it's great. DS loves nursery and I get to have adult time and hot coffee, does make the time i do spend with him even more special

My LO is 7 months and I've decided not to go back. I'm lucky enough that we don't need my wage but it is barely anything after childcare costs. I do need to do something though, I just don't know what yet 🤔

As others say, if you've just had your baby, you might feel differently in a few months time, but - if you are used to cooking and catering, would catering for functions be an option ?
Potentially just take booking for a Saturday when your dp is there to look after the baby and free you to work ?

Thanks for your thoughts all! I’ve been thinking about cooking for functions 😊

I would keep your plans the same and see how you feel. I wouldn’t have felt ready at only 4 months. But I was definitely ready by a year. Is there an option to go back part time in your industry? I imagine there must be plenty of part time jobs in hospitality, allowing you to ease back to full time work when you’re ready.

There is a part time option 😊

My friend works for a large utilities company that have "parent shifts" she starts at 9.30 and finishes at 13.30.
Another works as midday assistant in a school, while another is training as a TA.
My best friend started her own business doing catering for parties and functions. To start with business was slow, it has soon picked up and she is doing ok now, she won't be breaking any records yet, but it affords her a stable income.

I knew early on I wouldn't want to return to my career, I just knew what fulfilled me had changed. My DS is 21 months and I still know I will not return to work until he starts school. I will set up on my own in a consultancy capacity or even go down the midday assistant or TA route. Anything that enables me to fit around school hours really,

I am watching with interest to see what type of roles are available, incase some come up I hadn't even thought of.