What's life like with a baby???

[nickel]

Um, it's really really hard to know how you are going to feel after your gorgeous bundle arrives.
Even your work has to legally provide somewhere to express, realistically they aren't going to, unless they want you at all costs to work for them!
Part time work and expressing is totally possible, I've been doing it since Ruby was 6 weeks old, but she is my second child and everything is very different. I have found expressing at work less than ideal, and most people I know seem to give up breastfeeding at 6 months if they are working full time. I do express in the toilet as it is all that is available, but it's more taking the time out to do it that can be frustrating as I want to finish my work so I can get home on time, not sit in a toilet expressing milk (btw it's fortunately a very nice toilet!!)
Lastly, working part time is very very different to full time. You have to communicate a LOT more, and depending on your job, you may feel like you do a half a$$ job at work and half a$$ at home which can be very depressing! Remember babies don't really fit into a timetable or scheme, They don't all feed 4 hourly on the hour for example, and sleep through the night and etc etc.

Personally, take the part time option, if you change your mind I'm sure it will be available full time, but it's much harder to go in the opposite direction. If you want to breastfeed, I think having 3 months at home where you are not worried when and where you breastfeed is a fantastic start. My daughter is looked after 2 days a week and has a bottle (formula) during the time she is cared for, unless I have a spare expressed 180mls. The other days I breastfeed as much as possible so my milk isn't affected by the 2 days reduced feeds.

What am I trying to say? Plan away, it's not a bad thing, but just be really really flexible with yourself. I think the 3 months at home, and then part time is a good plan. Start there, but don't commit yourself to anything else till you see how you go. And remember, jobs will come and go (they really do!) but your baby's life only rolls through once!

[Bathsheba]

And remember, jobs will come and go (they really do!) but your baby's life only rolls through once!

I completely agree. However not all women are cut out to be fulltime SAHMs... it's a very lonely job if you are used to mixing with lots of people everyday and being praised for your work (babies are more demanding than most people realise and I might be stating the obvious but never say 'thanks, good job Mum') . Try to strike a balance... but if in doubt follow your heart... if you are feeling guilty then listen. That might be a bit controversial, but it's just what I have learned and witnessed and at the end of the day I guess it's just my opinion, not gospel

Remember that you might not get a full night's sleep for up to a year after your baby is born. Don't shrug this off. You might say "oh I've never needed much sleep, or I've always been a night owl... *shaking head*... uh uh... life with a baby is different... you will be roused from deep sleep on a regular basis, proabaly several time a night, and this has a huge impact on your life and even your outlook.

Anyhow, enough doom and gloom from me LOL but I will mention one more issue. Your baby/child will need you to take time off work when they are sick... childcare centres cannot take them even if they have a cold. This could happen with alarming frequency. If your workplace is not family friendly you could have a problem in this regard. Just some points to mull over.