How do you work it?

[PlanetTeaTime]

First time mum and I'm not due to be back yet, I'm planning ahead

Have been speaking to my partner yesterday about both of us going down to 4 days a week and then my mum helping with childcare on 2 days (my partner can opt to work a Saturday)

I just don't want to leave my daughter with a childminder/nursery, the thought makes me anxious and also they are obviously a big expense.

I could try to go down to even less hours or be a stay-at-home mum even, life would financially be tight but we live in a small house and our mortgage is up for renewal at the end of the year, I'm confident I could get a couple of hundred pounds knocked off the monthly payments.

What did you do? I do think I need to go back to work at least part time for myself

I worked three evenings a week, after arranging a two year career break from my other job. I then applied for a further two year break when my son was two and carried on working evenings. It was tiring going out that time of day, especially as he was only 5 months old to begin with, but l did enjoy that special time and have never regretted it. In fact l actually carried on working just evenings only for many years with second son as the office l was working for disbanded.

I went back full time as for me my career is really important, and i wanted to be able to afford a big house, holidays each year etc.
I also didn't want to be a SAHP, and wanted to send my dd to nursery at least part of the week for socialising.

Everyone has different priorities though, and its good you are planning now

I went back 2 days and DH did 3 days so we had DC between us.

I guess it depends on what you can afford to do. Could you do 3 days, your DP do 4 days (including Saturday) and your mum cover a day/2? Or if you can afford it can you and DP both work 3 days so that you have more quality time together?

I went back to basic evening job, working around my husbands hours. Befor babies, I worked in account management/accounting, but I couldn't bear the thought going back 9-5 and putting DD in childcare. Financially we can afford me to be STAHM but I need to work or my MH suffers badly. This way I'm with the children all day and working from home in evenings. The extra money helps but isn't a deciding factor.