I returned to work full time at the beginning of December when DS was just 6 months, also out of necessity. It was really hard that first week. All I did was think/worry about him ans really did very little work. But then it got a bit easier, I started getting involved in the work and I started to really enjoy the time out, hot coffees and adult conversations.
I do have the option of being able to work from home if DS is sick and I have found that a real comfort as I feel like I can still be there when he needs me.
I found a daycare centre that I was really happy with before he started as I knew they would never be as good as me LOL but at least I would still be comfortable with their standards when it got down to the nity grity and seeing how many sleeps & feeds DS was having there. We did 5 stay and play sessions (which apparently is alot) because I wanted DS to feel comfortable there and with the carers before he started.
Frustrated bubba here so gotta finish there - I hope you can work out something you are comfortable with. Good Luck
Are you having any luck Megan? - I have eventually found something - looking since October - in same field as before and is a mix of full-time/part-time - only a 5 month contract but should be good - I start tomorrow. I actually just found it on Seek, they were looking for full-time and only 3 months so I figured I could get my mum to over for that - but in the cover letter I put that I even if they didn't feel I was suitable for the role advertised that I was interested in part-time work and I know how often they might want an extra pair of experienced hands (I could see it was direct with a company and not a recruiter so thought was worth a shot). Well it turns out it was that part-time that got me the interview as they actually prefer having someone part-time for 5 months rather than full-time for 3 months (they didn't think would get people wanting part-time if advertised as such). I will need to do some weeks of full-time but mum is going to be here (or at least on call somewhere in OZ) for the extra couple of days so should work out really well.
So it can be worth applying for full-time but stating an interest in part-time particularly if the job isn't advertised through an agency.
When I returned to work after DS I went back full time for the first 4.5 months as DH was taking LSL at half pay, so needed the extra hours to help finance that. From an emotional perspective it was really hard the first few days, lots of tears (mostly me), but it actually got easier a lot quicker than I expected. I found I appreciated the quality time more with DS, rather than getting bogged down in the day to day of everything, all of a sudden every moment seemed so much more precious again. From a work perspective, as I had been out of the workforce for 12 months I was able to get back into the swing of things alot quicker working 5 days, but the time I went part time again months later, I had my head around the job and a real routine and results in place which were a great bargaining tool as was able to negotiate to work part time (4 days) with one of those from home, which meant I only went into the office Mon, Wed and Fri. I'm going back full time again for 4.5 months this time knowing that although emotionally it will suck for a while, there are benefits from working FT
I was able to find work 'to pay the bills' early in my pregnancy by hand delivering my resume and a cover letter to a number of places. The work wasn't in my field, but was close ish to home and although the work was at times boring, the people were lovely and i returned there between the two kids, and then got some project work that could be done from home after #2.
Cold calling was way outside my comfort zone, but it worked for me and gave us the money we needed.
Good luck.
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