how soon did you go back to work after baby?

[moomin35]

Just wondered when people returned to work after having a baby?

Oh and full time with DS1.
DS2 3 days a week for 3 months, then 4 days. Still doing 4 days now (spread over 5 days) and he's 5 and in Reception. Perfect.

I'm going back when DD will be almost 9 months old. I would rather be a SAHM indefinitely but think it will be better for both of us long term if I do return. Having said that I'm going back to 70% of my old hours and as a teacher I get lots of holiday as well so that makes me feel better.

I worked until I went into labour and returns full time after 2 weeks of annual leave. It has always worked brilliantly and can be best for babies too never mind being much for of a rest for the mother at a desk rather than minding a new baby, toddler and 3 year old which is not restful. Not surprisingly all 5 children have done very well and I have had a lovely balanced life with successful career and high income. We reap what we sow in life.

Do not be conned into long maternity leaves. They are a poisoned chalice.

Different working conditions and family arrangements mean it's hard to compare the same return time between two people

I work from home and am self employed and have worked within a week of having two of my three children. I'm now doing 4-5 hours a day and have a 2.5 week old. It's fine.

With my first I went back to an employed position f/t when he was 3.5 months old and although I enjoyed working I found it all a bit soon.

Heh. Hello jane. I recognise you from orange world. Im the one people often compare to you.

Hello back....

I do think a lot of women are subject to unfair peer pressure to take a year off without thinking it through.

I don't think it's unfair. It's life. There's so much bullshit around having a baby I'm not sure I can extract this one aspect to get het up about

I went back 4 days a week after 9 months.

I could have gone back earlier or taken longer but that felt like the right time to me.

I actually had 10months off but DS was 9 months old as he was overdue.

I agree that going back earlier would have been much easier in some ways as you haven't adjusted to being at home.

it is not a poisoned chalice.
you take off as little or as long as suits you and your circumstances.

i went back when DS was 10 months, in the september, I had the summer with him. The proposed childminder booked when he was 6 months, in May, fell through,
it was angst ridden.
and eventually sorted.

each to their own.

BUT i really wanted more than 24 hours a day working full time when i went back.
DS is 19 now though. and we all survived.

KIT day at 10 weeks!

After 7 months went back 2 days a week. Would have been more but dh's huge hours, planning a wedding and knowing I wanted another one asap meant I kept it down.

I'm planning on going a back at 4 months. Worked until 39 weeks and now just waiting for baby to arrive. Obviously something may happen that my prohibit me doing so but this is my plan and if all goes well will be sticking to it.

It's not for everyone, but for myself and my partner its what will work for our situation. I also know that I am in a very lucky place to have a choice to do this as the decision is not 100% driven financially, although its a factor. I'm not sure if I would be in the same place if I had no choice but to go back that quickly.

Interesting about peer pressure - I never have had anything of the sort. I just said what I was doing and made plans around that. A few raised eyebrows, yes, but I think that I would have got them anyway if I had of wanted to take a year.

I returned when my first was six months and second five months ( we lived in a country where there was no mat pay!). I took a year off with my ds3 ( had 3 kids under 5) and then 6 months with dd.

Back full time after 16 weeks with DS1 (now 2.9) and will be 17 weeks with DS2 (12 weeks)

As much I would love to stay home with him until 6 months, that just isn't an option here and the pros definitely outweigh the cons of going back so early and I remind myself that.

If I was back in London I would have to commute into the city and pay extortionate childcare costs, but here day care is reasonable along with a full time helper, and my office is 2 minutes from home and daycare/pre-school so I can nip over to see him whenever I want.

For me, I think it would have been harder going back to work after a year as that amount of time out of work would have meant I felt disconnected. But as it was, putting DS1 into daycare at 4 months meant that he had instant connections with his carers and other kids from a very young age and has always been a happy, sociable kid - I figure it will be the same for DS2.

From my point of view, I think proximity between work and where your baby is has a lot to do with feeling comfortable about going back to work. Knowing they were/are only round the corner means I'm far more relaxed at work.

6 weeks, 3 months, 4 weeks

DH became SAHP when we had number 3 which made returning to work early a lot easier than it would have been.

8 weeks with DS1 and 7 weeks with DS2, I was climbing the walls with boredom and was turning into a right slob.

I agree with strokethefurrywall (brilliant name BTW). If I had taken a full year I would have struggled to get back into work. Also working part time just wasnt an option in my industry (very much hairy arsed).

I took a full year (to the day, as it turned out) with dC1- I work in a high pressure very "live" job so in theory I could have (should have?) fallen behind rapidly. However, I felt no disconnection or disadvantage having been out for a year, and picked up where I left off within 2/3 weeks.

This time I'm going back after 8 months, part time (3 days a week). It feels very early and my big concern is that I'm going to be leaving dc2 just at the point when he's forming his primary attachment (7-9 months, IIRC).

I feel no peer pressure in taking extended maternity leave. Do people really feel like that? The only thing that bugs me is that the shared parental leave doesn't apply yet, and even if it did, DH and his line managers would find it a very hard concept to grasp, requiring a complete attitude change. It massivley affects us as I earn 2x what DH does, so feel really disadvantaged by it.

12 weeks, it was early but part time, I'll probably do the same this time. I really like my job though and don't want to jeopardise it.

19 weeks after DS birth and FT.

In an ideal world I would have like longer as maternity leave and would still love to work PT

6mth returned ft
Had kept in touch by email and visits on mat leave
Delighted to return,i found the baby groups stultifying and meeting all the used to be's

finished my masters full time when my ds was 1.5 years....worked for six months when he was three and a half....then stopped as i felt i was missing two much....went back 4 days a week when he was 4 .....hes now almost five....and im thinking wow it has gone sooooo quickly ! wont have the luxury to stay off if i have another,,,,,but definately appreciated seeing him grow although the monotony almost drove me potty at the time! do whatever is best for you and your circumstances and the least stress to your family

forgot to add that i was made redundant when he was 2 months old or i would hyave gone back 2 days at 9 months

7 months, purely due to financial reasons. Would have liked another couple of months.

With both maternity leaves I took 14 months. TTC no 3 and will be taking 14 months again.