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Work

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Original poster

Is it possible to wrk @ 40 hr week with a 3 month baby???

18 replies

MollMoll · 09/05/2011 02:52

HELPPP

OP posts:

nothingnatural · 09/05/2011 02:59

Easy if you're the father. Less easy if you're the mother imho.

Unless of course you have brilliant child care in place and you can handle missing your child.

midtowner · 09/05/2011 03:03

I did back in the dark ages when paid maternity leave was only 14 weeks. Dh stayed at home with ds1.

Parietal · 09/05/2011 04:56

Yes if the baby sleeps well and you have a wonderful nanny. Or a stay-at-home DH. And a short commute.

But it would not be easy, and lack of sleep or baby illness could throw everything off course.

MrsJamin · 09/05/2011 05:18

Depends if you have any choice over the matter. If you do have choice it would make me feel sad for the child that you're going back full time so early, if I'm honest.

leicestershiregirl · 09/05/2011 12:31

Can only speak from my own experience but I think I would've found going back to work when DS was three months very difficult. They are so little at that age and I really felt he needed me. It was when he was about 9 months-1 year old that I felt he needed me less and started to get twitchy, wanting to do something for myself again. My advice would be to at least take your 9 months paid maternity leave and enjoy it - you've got the rest of your life to work!

ziptoes · 09/05/2011 19:46

3 months is all the mat leave you get in the US, so yes.

Glad I don't live in the US!

Original poster

MollMoll · 09/05/2011 21:28

Ok ....thanks to everyone who responded so I'm not entitled to anymore maternity leave right??Ive tried researching and i just found something about sautory maternity leave i dont get it? any cali mums out there who found a loop hold in the system? Because honestly i dont want to leave my baby it actually makes me sick=| and time is ticking ="(.....

OP posts:

annh · 09/05/2011 22:09

MollMoll, which country are you in? When you refer to cali are you talking about California?

Sidge · 09/05/2011 22:15

It's possible but it's not very nice.

I had to do it with DD1, back in the olden days when you only got 12 weeks maternity leave. I went back when she was 13.5 weeks, full time shift work (including nights) with a DH away at sea for 5 months. It was HELLISH.

I had a fantastic CM who was also a great friend; I couldn't have done it without her. But I do think having to go back to work so soon contributed to my delayed PND when DD1 was 18 months.

ChunkyPickle · 09/05/2011 22:21

I worked from home and the only way I could squeeze in 40hours is to work evenings (while his dad looks after him) and weekends (free-lance so I was able to make my own hours).

Without doing that, I think that half days are all that's really feasible (along with an understanding that you can't respond to emails immediately because you might be looking after the baby at that point)

SagaciousCloud · 10/05/2011 17:57

I did this with both of my kids.

Firstly you must have good child care that you can rely on every day to cover all the hours that you will be working. That may mean that you have to agree different start/finish hours with you employer. Flexitime was a godsend to me.

Secondly you must work out your priorities: so don't hoover the house every day for example. Work out if you can afford a cleaner. Get organised. Get your shopping delivered.

Thirdly, get your partner (if you have one) to take equal responsibility for everything. If no partner, then take help from friends and family.

Fourth, relax when you can and don't sweat the small stuff.

frakyouveryverymuch · 10/05/2011 18:13

Yes, French mothers work FT when their babies are 10-13 weeks old. You need good childcare and it's difficult to EBF.

SagaciousCloud · 10/05/2011 20:28

Agree about it being difficult to EBF. I did manage it with my DD until she was 5 months old but it was difficult expressing enough. My milk dried up in the end, sniff.

Sidge · 10/05/2011 20:43

Oh yes re bfing.

I managed ebf until DD1 was about 5 months by expressing at work and feeding lots when with her. It was really hard especially as I wasn't in the sort of job where I could take regular breaks to express.

I mixed-fed from 5 months; she had bf whenever she was with me and ff when I was working. She often didn't have much formula and then would tank up when I got her home!

We carried on like that until about 9 months when she self-weaned.

LadyLapsang · 10/05/2011 20:48

That's what mums had to do in the UK before maternity leave was improved. Knew one mum who returned FT with a three year old and 12 week twins, her partner also worked full time. She looked like the walking dead at the time but it all worked out in the end....

Jaspants · 10/05/2011 20:53

It is possible but it is bloody hard work. I did it (along with a 2 hour commute) but I had rock solid childcare and a cleaner, and it was back in the dark ages where mat leave was not as good as it is now and I didn't have a choice.

Shanster · 18/05/2011 20:23

It is possible, but is absolutely shit. I'm in the US and so back after my 12 weeks unpaid mat leave. Baby is now BFing all night long, I have a chest infection and I'd describe this as existence rather than life. I did it after DD1 and don't remember it being quite so bad. All I can say is that it did get easier with her. Good luck, I empathize.

Shanster · 18/05/2011 20:29

Oh, and on the BF..DD was EBF until 13 months (pumping twice a day at work). This time I have already caved and will be mixed feeding...I expressed 24 ounces in the 10 hours I was at work the other day, but he is a big baby who can go through that amount in 6 hours. I feel bad about it, but what can I do?

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