I know the party line on mat. leave is that it can't start soon enough, why I am feeling so ambivalent about mine?

[beansprout]

the later you start it the longer you get with your baby- so if you're ok at work then carry on for as long as possible I reckon

I think for PFBs the party line is that it can't start soon enough. For any subsequent child, you might want to keep working up to the very last minute so that you get longer after baby is here. Depends on whether you feel late pregnancy is more tiring that newborn stage, I suppose, and there was a good thread on here recently which divided that issue right down the middle!

Why do you ask? Have you got particular issues?

I was off for a year last time and, despite my best efforts, felt isolated and yes, quite bored sometimes. It was a shock after working for years. When I spend too much time at home I start to sweat the small stuff and get caught up with trivial domestic concerns (how much washing dh has done or how annoying the woman upstairs is) and I don't like that version of myself very much.

Then keep your mat leave to a minimum and get back to work as soon as you possibly can, if you think the same will happen this time .

Hmm, was really wondering if anyone else felt the same rather than go for the blardy obvious "so go back to work then" suggestion!!

praps you'll be too busy this time for smallness.

I felt really wierd when I stopped working first time round, it just wasn't normal and I really looked forward to going back to work when dd was 9 mo. Turns out the reality was hard, hard to leave her and work seemed less important. Second time round it felt totally different. I enjoyed going to work and did miss the social aspect a bit, but it did seem fairly normal to not go to work when I went on leave. Ds now 9 mo and am just starting to look forward to going back to work when he is one. {fgrin}

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