Promotion or part-time dilemma

[LucyNewt]

I am having a horrendous dilemma and some advice from parents who have had to choose wether to go part or full time would be appreciated.
I'm a first time mum of a 9 month old, due to go back to work in January. I have been in talks with my boss about my return. I've been offered a promotion and pay rise if I go back full time, or I've been told I can return 4.5 days a week if I want part time with the job I was doing before I left. I believe I could appeal this if I wanted to as the promotion is a significant amount more work. My original flexible work request was for 4 days a week and I do think I could argue the case that the job could be done in that time. However, it's been made clear to me that the preference is the 5 day option. If I choose to appeal I may not be successful but I will certainly be binning any chance of career progression with the company.
I went swimming with my baby today and the enjoyment we both had was wonderful. I kept thinking 'how can I sacrifice this for full time work?' but then at the same time I am concerned that I am going to be penalised in a position that I've worked so hard to get to, and if my appeal fails it'll be for very little benefit and with a significant financial detriment. Can anybody give me some advice? I literally have no idea what the best option is! Thank you x

Hi Lucynewt

Can't give you advise on what you should do but can tell you what I did/felt when I went back to work.

I went back to work when my daughter was 13 months. I seriously considered returning part time and dreaded going back. I felt really immersed in the 'baby world', connected to my local community and felt I'd miss all the nice things my daughter and I did together.

However, I ended up going back full time for the following reasons:

My chances of promotion / a proper managerial job would be = 0 if I went back to work, even four days a week (so I decided to give it a year to see if my career prospects were as good as they were before I went on maternity leave, they were, and I've stayed full time. If that changes I will definitely consider going part time)

My daughter was, at 13 months, ready to start developing away from me and I found a really good nursery I was very happy to leave her in. There is a BIG difference between a 9 month old and a 13 month old. At 13 months she could eat on her own (messy, but even so) and walk. She thrived at nursery.

We started having very active weekends. When I stayed at home with my daughter, the weekends were mostly for relaxing, now we do lots of stuff, including swimming, gymnastics, trips etc; things we may have spread over the week before.

A final piece of advice - get lots of help e.g. cleaner / au pair etc if you can at all afford it, it ensures that you get to spend time with your daughter when you are off work, rather than doing all the chores (and see also the excellent thread on organising yourself if you are working (full time))

Good luck with your decision!

Not been in your situation, but in all honesty for the sake of half a day each week I'd go for the promotion. You will still have time at the weekends for swimming etc and as your LO gets bigger there are more classes at the weekends anyway :)

Brilliant, thank you both for your advice. It's great to hear how you fit stuff in as well as working full time. It'll be a real wrench, but if that's what I choose we will at least have a bit more money for help in the house etc..
Thank you!