Back to work tomorrow in the city....Dreading it

[cherub59]

Am back to work tomorrow after mat leave with ds3 who is 7.5 months.

I have gone back between each baby but feel more upset this time round. Ds3 won't really drink from bottle/cup during the day and as he was ill whilst we were on holiday this half term, he had gone back to fully bf and have had only 5 days to stop daytime bf again!

Last time I went back to work I got some serios crap from the guys on my team who didn't feel that i could head up the team and not work the exact same hours (I get in 30 mins later at 8.30 and leave at 5.15 which is the same time - and they disappear off to the gym at lunch!!). They also said stuff like I wasn't committed to my job as I hadn't kept in touch so much whilst in leave (I was on leave!!). Anyhow, those guys had to leave the company and I recruited new team members.

I am just worried it will all repeat itself!!

I work in the city in a very male dominated environment where mums usually resign nor long after going back because of the stress. I do enjoy my job, and it is hard making it work but I juggle it and my boys have always been happy.

Probably just venting a bit as am worried about tomorrow, about leaving my boys and always feel guilty about not being sahm.

Any others, especially in the city feel the same way?

Xenia "Plenty of women on their death bed say - I wish I'd not sacrificed my career for an ungrateful man and thankless children but plenty will say - wow I had a great career and family life."

Turn it around and not sure I agree. How many women lie on their death bed saying "Darn it I wish I'd seen less of my children growing up?", which is essentially what you are saying.

Cherub - City mums support group a good idea...Maybe Facebook or Twitter or both and here? Might even be one. Will google and see what I find....

I like the City mums support group too.

I also agree that FT is better and an "informal" flexible working request is a lot less hassle. When I started back at work, I just left at 5 without specifically asking to. People got used to it. They also knew that I would work from home in the evenings if I had to meet a deadline. The work gets done, I get to put my DSs to bed; everyone is happy.

However, I have found that some firms are better than others and even in the same firms different departments have different rules.