Returning to work after maternity

[Sara4rt]

My LO is currently 5 months and I have taken 12 months mat leave so will go back to work when LO is 11 months, however its only realistically going to work financially for us up until the statutory maternity pay ends so when LO is around 8/9 months.
my current job is full time (8:30-5 mon-fri) and the nature of the job means I end up bringing work home with me. I really don’t enjoy the job and don’t intend to go back which means finding another job.
I have had an offer for a job which starts at 2 days a week and will most likely go up to 3 days in the future which is ideal for me and it starts and finishes earlier (3pm) so I can still spend late afternoons with LO.
The only problem is they want someone immediately so would mean returning to work when LO is 5 1/2 months.
just wondering if anyone else has had any similar experiences and wether they would personally take the part time job now and sacrifice the last few months of maternity or not take the job and risk having to go back to a full time job that they find really stressful?
I really wanted to have as much time as possible off with LO and if I take the job we won’t be any financially better of for the 3 months as I would be receiving around the same amount in maternity pay anyway, however I’m worried if I pass up on this opportunity there isn’t going to be another one.

Take the job! You can absolutely do it. Plenty of women go back sooner.

There are quite a few threads about women taking shorter maternity leaves if you search.

Don't forget mat leave is very cultural - in America, women are lucky if they qualify for 12 (unpaid!) weeks and in France, 3 months is standard.

You can do it!!

Think about which you will regret more. I'd take it.

No way would I have gone back to work cutting maternity leave that short! That time with your tiny little baby is so valuable, imo

If they called and said right now the job has gone to someone else, would you be sad you'd missed your opportunity? Or glad you had more time to enjoy your mat leave?

@LuckyMum1989 im not sure to be honest 🙈
I’m thinking logically by taking the job I am spending more time with him in the end by going part time but I just don’t know if I can leave him so soon.

Thankyou @Mullercornerbliss, very good point about the culture! I think it’s making it harder to think about going back to work when most people we see at playgroups are either SAHMs or have taken long maternity leaves so your point does offer some perspective.

I'd take the job. It's harder to find part time jobs.

I would also think longer term. Does it matter more to have a longer maternity leave or will you enjoy a few extra days with your child a week in their early years?

Agree with your point on baby classes as I feel the same! But, remember we are listening to a select group at these things. I wonder if there is a correlation between women who take longer leaves are more likely to attend these groups, for example? Just a thought!

Which do you want more, a longer maternity leave or working part time? Personally I’d take the job, a good part time job is too good an opportunity to pass up and working full time would be very hard.