Going back to work

[Alliswellihope43]

DS is coming up to 5 months and I'm going stir crazy being inside. I moved at beginning of the year and am in a completely different place, so I don't know anyone/know where to go so stuck inside a lot. I've been to classes but the mums aren't really very inviting/ have made their friendships
I really want to go back to work, and do something that I can make a career, I'm considering a full time dental job where I get dental nurse qualification. But at the moment I spend all my time with DS as I'm at home with him and the thought of him being with someone else when so little almost makes me cry! Is there ever a good time to go back to work? What have other mums done?

I've had to give up work to care for DS so no direct experience but would say if you're feeling this uoset, maybe it's a big step to go somewhere full time.
Could you look at getting a little for now job? Something low stress and short hrs? Perhaps whilst OH is off work so he can have the baby? See it as a practice run

I know someone who is a dental nurse who works 3 days a week and then the rest of her time looks after her daughter
I'm really looking for that kind of work where I have something to my name so I can go full time once he's in school (providing I don't have another) and I'm think maybe if I go full time now for this I can gain a qualification and later have a better position job
I've looked into retail jobs aswell but I've worked in retail before and know that you don't go anywhere fast, but also know they demand weekend work unless you're lucky, and I at least want to spend one day with my son and OH if possible

I'm absoluty not saying don't gl for it, i think it's great. I just meant he's 5 months old, you've never really left him before and you're already feeling emotional about it. Maybe going from where you are now to working full time dental job with additional study in one go might be quite stressful is all i'm saying. Also does it pay enough for full time childcare?

I love with my mother and she's offered to pay for private childcare ( she's not doing to bad money wise and we have a cleaner, so she said she wouldn't mind looking into au pair type) but only if I'm happy with that
I just want to amount to something, show my son how hard I worked even with a child and just like my mum, how I missed opportunities at my own fault but redeemed myself by working hard
But again my mother was with my sister until she was 4 but me only 4.5 months
Admittedly she did about 4 hour shifts because of breastfeeding but my sister and mum have always had a better relationship than we have ( I know she couldn't help it, she was a single mother and had to work)
Should I just take the opportunity to be at home with him and maybe when he's older look into it?

Au pairs are not recommended as childcare for under 5s.And not meant to work more than 5 hrs per day. They are afterschool care, really.

There's no rush when he's SO little is there? You can take a decent maternity break and still have lots of time to 'amount to something' You're being very hard on yourself. I wouldn't have left a 5 month old either.

What are the college based routes for dental nursing like in your area? Anything PT? Do they have a college nursery? Next September he'd be 18months old. Maybe that's a good age to aim for something?

I wouldn't rush yourself if the support is there and will be there in a year. It's not about not amounting to anything, its about making your needs important. If mom is happy to help with childcare maybe look into something you can do part time to work towards it? Any part time college courses? Some short courses (level 2 stuff) are a few hrs a weekm. You'd get put the house and meet new people and ot would help you feel like you're working towards something. I did short courses in counselling for instance - its good for people skills.

Haven't looked into actual college, but good idea. I just thought I'd do apprenticeship type thing as want to be earning something aswell, just to ease costs. I do have a lot of help from mum, purely because she knew how hard it was, but I'd like to be independent with DH.
DH ex went back to work 5 weeks after their daughter was born. Don't know how she did it. She has very odd relationship with daughter.
Thank you for all advice will look into college