Not returning after maternity leave

[Sunny56]

Hi everyone

I'm planning to return to work after maternity. My return date is set to be 16th October, all arranged and discussed. However, my partner has just come home with news that his work place are changing hours and there doesn't seem to be much of a choice that wouldn't impact my return to work as he would look after babe while I'm at work. Nothing has been agreed upon, his meeting is on 21st this month. In case the hours will not working with mine - what do I do? I think it's one month notice, is it different after coming back from maternity? What if I just can't return as won't have anyone to leave my baby with?

Could you ask to extend your mat leave into a period of unpaid leave to give you time to sort out childcare?
Can your partner put in a flexible working request on the grounds of childcare needs?
Could you both go part-time and cover the childcare that way, allowing you both keep a foot in the door for when you're in a position to increase your hours?

Did your work pay you maternity pay over and above SMP? If they did then check the policy because in lots of places you have to pay this back if you don't return.

We are no position for my partner to go part time, he has a good wage, I earn nothing compared to him, going back is more of having time away and something for myself.
I am aware of the extra money they have paid-we put that aside 'just in case' right at the beginning so if I couldn't go back then it would be too much out of our money to pay back. I'm more worried about leaving outside of the 1 month frame.

I don't actually know if I can extend my maternity leave as I took out a whole year.

Then your partner pays for childcare. Don't get yourself in the position of being unmarried and reliant on him. He may earn more but that does not mean your job is worthless and should just be jacked in.

Could you potentially put in a flexible working request to suit the hours better? If not then yes, usually your notice period is the same on maternity leave. As you already know you'll have to pay back the occupational maternity pay. As you've less than a month left, I'd have an honest chat with your employer and explain the situation. They may agree to reduce your notice period or give you a period of unpaid/parental leave to cover it. Hope it goes okay!

Can you go back part time? Use your holidays to cover the days off?

I do not want to put my baby in the nursery at this stage, nor there will be time to find someone and baby get used to them for me to leave him for five hours, I have already reduced my hours quite significantly.
I'm not sure how I go about this - if I have this conversation let's say tomorrow - and Thursday it all works itself out with the hours - I asked my partner to put his foot down he can stay with the same hours