How soon is too soon?

[chelseyarnold]

I'm currently 32 weeks pregnant and became unemployed during my pregnancy I'm due 13/10/2017 and was wondering how soon is to soon to look for a new job? I was thinking January' but my partner keeps telling me it will be too soon? Anyone else been in this position or have any ideas or advice for me?X

I had to find a new job during both my maternity leave periods. How long are you planning to take off? 9 months? In which case January will be 3 months in giving you 6 months left. If I were you I would get your cv up to date now whilst it's in your head before baby comes. Then in January start looking to see what's around. By early march I would consider applying for some jobs. Good luck.

It depends on how much you need the money, and what childcare you have in place.
When I had my dc, you only got 3months maternity leave - it was 'the norm' then and so you got on with it.
There's a famous poster on here who used to casually drop in to many threads and say how she was back at work after 2 weeks.
Many people seem to go back after about 9 months.
Some folk never want to go back.
It will also depend on how 'easy' or 'challenging' your baby is. What sort of a birth you have. How relaxed you are and how naturally you take to parenting, etc.
If you need to, thenit will be fine. If you have the luxury on not needing to, then current maternity leave is longer, suggesting you could leave it a bit longer.
Also, 'starting to look for a new job' and 'starting work' could be months apart.

I went back two days a week when DC2 was three months. Similar situation to you - redundancy when pregnant, interviewed for job which was too good to pass up when enormously pregnant and started earlier than I would have done if I had been returning to an old job ( I would probably have taken around 9 months off otherwise). Only made possible by rock solid childcare - DC2 was either with DH or at the onsite nursery so was able to pop over for BFs. If it had been my first child, there is no way I would have felt ready though.

Thank-You, I've updated all my CV so it's ready and waiting for when I'm ready. On one hand I want to go back to work asap so I'm not the 'Typical young mum on benefits and to be able to support my baby with all she will need and on the other I want to be the one who watches her grow for the first 9 months of her life. I'm sure once she's here I will know what's right for us both X