Has anyone returned from mat leave without taking a whole academic year off

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

As is the way of real life, I seem to have become pregnant at a difficult (but not impossible) financial time for us. Basically, we won't be able to afford for me to take the full amount of additional maternity leave. I certainly won't be able to do the unpaid 12 weeks. Does anyone have experience of this, how did you manage? I was hoping to take all next academic year off (EDD 17th Sept), however, I may have to go back in the February.

I went back full time after 6 months. DD went to childminder. I picked up the timetable of the teacher who had done my mat leave, (mostly MFL, bit of RE, bit of PSHE ) from my return in Feb, then had full time MFL from the Sept.

I went back when DD was 4 months old, so I had the summer term and the summer holidays off. I managed because OH was a househusband.
Did the same with DS, had a term off.

I had two terms off. I teach sixth form and would have been very reluctant not to start my new intake off in September. It wasn't a problem - I found maternity leave rather boring and DD loves her nursery.

I went back after six and nine months, at January and June. It was fine. Expressed in a cupboard and school were really supportive. The first year each time was bloody hard due to sleep deprivation though.