Returning to work before 12 months maternity leave

[gbee99]

I'm currently on maternity leave and I'm starting to think about when to plan my return to work, which I'm thinking of doing when my baby is 8-9 months old (she's currently 4 months), but I'm wondering whether this is a good time as I know many working mothers use the whole 12 months available, or longer. This is mainly driven by finances, but I also enjoy work to some degree. Work would be part time, and childcare would be a mix of nursery and family.

I'm wondering what others' experiences are, and whether going back before 12 months would be more difficult than if I waited a whole year?

I went back when LO was 8 months. Literally a month ago. Need the money

I went back after 6 months.

I struggled with motherhood and my Childminder and working saved me.

Pros of returning

Money
Very easy to settle baby into childcare never had separation anxiety
Baby didn't get sick, this may be totally unrelated to age
I was able to pick up my career again very easily.

I had amassed holiday from two separated years so I could work for 6 months and only work 4 days per but get paid for 5 and still have normal holidays on top.

I've recently gone back with my third at 7 months. With my first I had a year, second nine months. I depended so much on finances with us. I don't think there's a right or wrong time tbh.

I went back when my little was 8 months and to be honest I was ready to go back then-mentally and financially. There are pros and cons to staying off the full year I guess it depends on your personal circumstances. I suffered quite badly with PND and getting back into a routine and doing something for me massively improved things. I did the same as you returned part time and DC did 2 days in nursery 1 day with grandparents. They settled very quickly on to nursery (started doing settling in around 6 weeks before return to work) I think if I had waited much longer it would have been more of a struggle. If you can afford it a year off would be lovely but for me it was also about getting back to a routine and having some independence.

I went back to work after 9 months maternity leave with both my kids, as I couldn't afford to take the full 12 months plus I enjoyed my job so knew I wanted to go back and see work colleagues, peers etc.

Went back at 6 mon post baby 1. Best decision ever.

Baby 2 now 5 months and I am going back next month. Can’t wait.

I love them to bits. But neither their dad nor I have experienced any desire to give up either of our careers to stay home full time. If baby 2 DD turns out to be anything like DS - we will have two wonderful happy we’ll adjusted kids too, in addition to happy making and fulfilling work pursuits.

Obviously if this isn’t for you, and you have money to support staying home then whichever parent wishes to take on Such a role should stay at home.

Went back at 7 months, did shared parental leave with DH.

The entire day before returning I kept bursting into tears but the day of returning I was fine - just had to get on with it and it was nice to have some of my old life back.

Shortly after returning we went into lockdown so been WFH these last few months which essentially means I've had the full year with my baby, albeit working crazy hours around childcare and now starting to feel pretty burned out. It has meant I've not missed some "firsts" which I would have missed had I been working normally so I guess I've been lucky, in a way.

We did it for financial reasons which probably won't be relevant if we have any other children so I think I would take the full year next time because I've seen what I would have missed if things were "normal."

That's all really helpful, thank you. It's good to know going back before a year has iworked out fine for others. Very reassuring as I think I'd like to get back to some kind of routine as well!