What are your thoughts about returning to work after having a baby? Tell Fairy Non Bio to win a £300 voucher NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

As part of our partnership with Fairy Non Bio, we’ve produced the Mumsnet Babies Podcast. There are ten episodes in the series, and the ninth is about going back to work after having a baby. Fairy Non Bio would like you to listen to it here and share your thoughts and experiences on this thread.

How did you make the choice between staying at home or going back to work with a new baby? Do you consider your career an important part of your identity that you couldn’t bear to give up? Perhaps you’re happier at home with your children? Maybe your partner is better at domestic-life than you, making them the clear choice to be the primary stay-at-home-parent?

Perhaps the cost of childcare or the logistics of going back to work mean that being a stay-at-home-parent isn’t a choice for you? Or, is going back to work a necessity to afford day-to-day life?

Whatever your experience and thoughts about going back to work with a baby, post this below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

If you’d like to rate the Mumsnet Babies Podcast, please go to the iTunes store to add a review.

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

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After our first child i sat down with my other half to reassess our career objectives. The children are always first. I made sure my manager was aware if say i need to leave early for an appoitnment etc. Luckily my current post of seniority and company gives me the flexibility i need.

I dread going back to work. My little one is 19 weeks and I'm due back when he's 11 months. He feeds roughly hourly day and night so I feel too tired to do anything but be with him and I don't want to have to spend hours away from him, longing for him and worrying about how he is without me.

It's hard because you want to earn a living but feel a bit guilty leaving the baby with a childminder.

I think that there is no 'right' thing to do and it really should be up to each individual woman what she wants/needs to do dependent upon her individual circumstances

I took the full 12 months maternity allowance with both of mine then returned to work part time which I think is the best of both worlds. It means I have my independence, keep in the work place but still get to do the school run and spend time with them out of school hours.

I felt very anxious about going back to work, and was more nervous than starting my first ever job. I found it difficult to settle in despite everyone being suprisingly nice to me.

I didn't want to return to work after having each of my three children, but found that going back to work on a part-time basis was good for my mental health. I've taken some time out of work recently and am now looking for another job as I miss the routine and contact with colleagues, even though I know it will be difficult to juggle it with family life.

I know that it is hard to go back to work as you suddenly find yourself with a lot to deal with and conflicts, but for me I totally enjoyed getting back to having some adult company!

I didn't return to work after my eldest child - instead I started an honours degree with the open uni, I've had another child while I was doing the degree and now I've finished it (graduate in October :-D ) i'm looking at options to return to work. Unfortunately the system is against me :-/ With one at nursery and one at school i'd need someone to pick up one from nursery and then one from school, its so hard

Every woman should have the choice to do what feels right for her. I chose to stay home but I hear so many women 'bashing' stay at homers for 'slacking'. It makes me so angry.

I wanted to stay at home when mine were babies, and then start looking for work when they are at nursery. However I have struggled this time around my DS2 is 7 I worry the bigger the gap since I was last at work the harder it becomes for employability.

Absolutely dreading it. I'm not so bothered about going back to work, but leaving the little one with someone else will be painful

It's a joint decesion but ultimately mums have to feel its right for them.

With my first 2 children i stayed at home with them right up until they were in full time school, but with my youngest I went back to work when he was 6 months old. I really think it's up to you if you want to go back to work, there is no right or wrong as long as your child is being looked after .

I think the seperation is hard but you have to do what you need to provide for your family and also keep a life for yourself as well. It is hard to juggle time but you need to keep calm and power through some days.

i returned to work on a part time basis and i enjoyed it. it was my time to be me and i then fully appreciated my time with my daughters. it gave me a fresh outlook and it benefitted me greatly.

To be honest I found it really difficult after my first child as I was still getting used to lack of sleep but I did find it easier after returning to work after my second, my employers have been fantastic which helps!!

I didn't go back to work after my daughter, I was lucky that my husband could support us both. It meant I got to see all milestones and have the best role to play in her growing up. It was a time I willcherish.

My wife went back to work on a part time basis, and really enjoyed it. I believe that she appreciated the oppotunity to reconnect with friends and colleagues. And continue her life outside the home.

As a Dad I don't get too much off work and returning is horrible and hard to drag myself away from the new born baby

Its really hard these days much more pressure on mums to go back to work.I went back part time when my sons were little.

I returned back to work in July having taken 6 months maternity leave. I would consider it to have had a positive impact on myself and my small family. I work part time, Monday to Wednesday and my hours have been chosen to fit around childcare. My daughter goes to a small independent nursery just around the corner from home. She seems to love nursery and has come on leaps and bounds over the past 3 months and seems to be making a few little friends there too. Being at work makes me feel like a full well rounded person again, I have a work life where I can use my brain as well as being a mummy which I enjoy so much.

I also like the Independance of earning money myself, and although there's not much left after paying childcare, it helps us to pay the bills.

For me going back to work part time has been the right choice.

I'm about to go back in four weeks after 13 months off with my second and last dc. I'm looking forward to having some adult time but hate the initial period of feeling like the new person again!

I didn't return to work but it wasn't planned, I had a lot of ill health out of the blue which made it very difficult. It's so hard though whatever you do, you want to be there for your child but a career was so important to me. I feel like I'm letting my daughter down by not being a role model with a career! I would say though I feel very grateful that I've been there for all milestones, school events and so on.

There's no easy answer - but I don't think it'll get any easier until this is a question regularly asked about (and considered by) men.

I am lucky to be able to stay at home as my partner earns a very good wage... But if I had to work I would rely on family to provide the care because I could trust them without worry or concern.