Hand hold - new job after maternity

[Starlive23]

Due back on Monday to a brand new job after 9 months maternity leave. Unfortunately retuning to my old job wasn't an option and I'm absolutely bricking it. I've suffered with quite bad PND and am in treatment for that but not back to normal just yet.

I am scared to leave my baby, I'm scared I won't be able to do my job, I'm scared they won't like me...I just feel well and truly overwhelmed

Any words of encouragement or even better, anyone started a new job straight after maternity and loved it?

focus on why you are doing it. I went back to work in a totally new job that I had no knowledge in when my DS was 11 months old. The anxiety was horrible, but I had to do it or I would have lost our home.

In all honesty it was the best decision I made for us. I didn't suffer PND however was severely depressed due to the relationship I was in with my sons Dad which I had to seek help for.
Returning to work made me feel myself again, made me feel more than just a mom. It did wonders for my sanity and now my son is 4, he is a super confident, well socialised happy boy.

Good luck. You will be fine xx

Ah that's a very reassuring story thank you for sharing! Think I am just having a wobble now that it's actually here...when it's a few weeks away it's easy to pretend it's not happening!

Ours is the same situation, could never live on DH's wages alone so of course there is a good reason behind it, but I just feel overwhelmed and very nervous!

That's natural. I felt like I was starting over. I was to be honest as it was something completely new to me!

But I must admit when returning to work I compromised on the kind of job I went for. So many people have told me since I need to pursue other work, but my job works for me and my boy. I used to earn really really well. But I used to have to work every day virtually, any where in the country and every hour under the sun. Though I miss the wage I earned it was more important for me to be around my son. So I took work around him. I do love my job. I go above and beyond which is probably why people say I should pursue other avenues but it works around my son which is just as important to me as it is for me to work. I work around his school hours so I get to be a school mom but my job means I can leave it at the door. So when we get home it's family time and not worrying about work or deadlines.
I do sometimes miss the authority and knowledge I used to have through work but if I am being even more honest since having my boy my heart isn't in work as much as it was before him. I will always work, but I choose to be a better mom than a better career woman. My own choice.
I take my hat off to anyone, man or woman who holds down a difficult consuming job and is a parent as well. As I'm on my own with my son, my job at home is more important to me x

I haven’t had experience with this situation myself, but I was wondering how long in to your maternity leave did you start looking/ applying for new jobs and did you let your new employer know you where on maternity leave?