When did you return to work after maternity leave?

[Nicknamegoeshere]

Had planned for 9 months min but not enjoying mat leave so hoping to possibly return earlier. Baby is 5 months old in about a week. Currently EBF.

Any advice much appreciated 😊

Ds was 16 weeks and EBF. It worked well as he settled in straight away and was fine having expressed milk in a bottle for the nursery nurses

20 weeks as company maternity leave is shocking and I'm the main earner. I'm pregnant with twins and will only be able to have the same amount of time off again. I had to wean from breastfeeding at around 12 weeks to be ready for full time childcare though

At 6 months. I only started enjoying mat leave a week or so before going back to work and regretted it a bit.

I will have had 13 months off by the time I go back, I could quite happily have another 13 months off with her, I’m dreading going back to work.

What are you not enjoying about MAT leave?
For my first I had 11 months and this time round I am having 9 months.

10 months with my first and it should have been 6 months with second but Covid happened and he went at 11 months. With hindsight, I’m glad of the delay.

I took my whole year with my 2 eldest and and 4 months in with DD3. I find this bit most difficult, the early peaceful, lovely to be home stage has worn off and sleep deprivation and life as a diary cow taken over (light-hearted) and I've missing "me time" - silence and space and the chance to get things done or use my brain... I'll adjust again soon I know. Luckily the older they get the more interesting they are... They go from little pink poop machines that make you doubt yourself to delightful little people that grin, roll over, learn to crawl and toddle. It's much more fun as they develop skills and little personalities... It's harder this time with lockdown and the lack of baby groups though. I'm missing adult conversation and the routine, even rhyme time at the library is sadly missed, lol.
Good luck in whatever you decide OP xx

I only started enjoying mat leave a week or so before going back to work

@Letsallscreamatthesistene Could that have been because you knew you had an end point in sight I wonder?

Hmmmmmmmm, my baby got easier around 5 months I think, so I think that contributed more.

I rejoined at 6 months, mainly due to Visa and work contract issues. I would have liked to do the whole 1 year personally. It was really overwhelming, esp as the lockdown happened just as I joined and the world went nuts. It really was too much to cope with, for me..

I went back around 8 months and that worked for me I started settling baby into nursery just before 7 months and they transitioned great. Going back to work was a real turning point in my PND too having some adult time made me appreciate the time with DC more. I’m in my second mat leave now and with covid shit show it’s totally different and there are elements I’m not enjoying too. I also got sent away from work early (frontline nurse) due to covid and although it was absolutely the right thing for our safety, in my head I wanted to be active and in my routine until 36 weeks. I will be going back around 8 months again. Prior to that will utilise KIT days is this an option for you?

10 months DD. I ended up leaving my job after DS, taking an extra year off and getting a new part time job when he was 20 months.
I wish I had had longer with DD, it was only fun from 6 months plus!

Can you do split parental leave? I went back at 3 months and DH took over, then i took another 3 months when she was 8m old.

I WFH though, so we didn't need to stop breastfeeding, which was good as she's a professional bottle refuser.

I’ll have taken 13 months once I go back and could happily never return! It’s definitely a tricky stage at 5 months, lack of sleep and lots going on for baby development wise. Does your baby take a bottle or a cup so you could wean off breastfeeding or express? My DD is a staunch bottle refuser and always had to nap on me so there was no way I could have gone back at that age. What is it that you aren’t enjoying?

After about six months, three days per week initially. DD was quite a challenging baby, so being able to spend some time doing non-baby related things (in a blissfully quiet and calm office) was good for all of us I think. I struggled with lack of sleep though, and on some days I was barely functioning. Now pregnant with DC2 and probably looking at a similar timeline. This time I'll be kinder to myself when I've had some rough nights and cut myself some slack.

5 months. I enjoyed mat leave more than I thought I would and was a little bit sad, but it was financially the best thing for my family.