When did you go back to work?

After you had your baby, how soon did you go back to work? Was it out of choice or necessity? Did you change your mind and decide to go back home, or go to work afterall? Discuss!

Those of you who went back to work, vote in our poll to see how long mums are taking maternity leave.

technically i have not gone back to work. when i fell pregnant with Kameron I was only working for a temping agency so quit when i was 4mths pregnant as going between jobs all the time was getting stressful.

My mum makes the installation parts bags for roller doors and has done so for the last 20yrs. Inside each of that bags that she does is a small bag that has tiny nuts, bolts, washers etc so when I quit work she asked if i wanted to make up the smaller bags for her as it saves her time. So I said yes and she pays me to do it and the best thing is I can do it all from the comfort of my living room :D

Love

I have been so lucky with my employers. People bag lawyers, but the firm I work for have been great to me. When I went back to work after my first child (when she was 6 months old) I was able to negotiate permanent part time hours, 5 days per week, 9.00 am to 2.00 pm (perfect for school hours). However I was trying to fit a full time job into part time. When this didn't quite work out, they put in a computer at home for me and I did about an extra 6 hours or so per week from home at night which worked reasonably well. Loved this job.

When I had my second child, I went back when she was 9 months old, still working from 9.00 am to 2.00 pm. This time I did a slightly different job and did not need to work extra hours.

I am currently on maternity leave with my 3rd child. Although I am not officially back from maternity leave, I have started working a couple of days per week basically when I can make it (translation: when I feel like it :) )!

I am really lucky - I work for a Medical group - Surgeons etc and we have after hours appts. So I work 3-4 days a week from 4pm till 7pm! Its good cause dh is home from work at 3.30pm and I then zoom off to work \:D/ With this great arrangement - I was back at work when Rinn was 6 weeks old

i worked purely out of nessecity.. needed the money..
it was hard though i was wrokign closes at mcdonalds so my hours were 7pm till 2am and then nathan my ex had to go to work from 730am till 6pm so i had josh all day too.. if i had a choice i wouldnt of worked

Lesley

Hi - I went back to work two days a week when Caitlin was nine months old, knowing I was going to be retrenched ten weeks later !

I now work three nights a week, close to home, out of necessity. When I was at home, not working, I used to spin out all the time about not being able to save anything for Caitlins future. I now work close to home and hours that suit.

Barb.

I plan on going back to work around 10 weeks for Saturday work only, so Matilda will be with DH for the main part of the day...

I went back to work when DD was 6 months old, out of necessity. DH's contract had finished and couldnt find anything, and my previous employer called to see if I wanted to go back part-time. DH looked after DD for 2 weeks then finally found a job.
When DH started his new job, I continued to work.
MIL looked after DD, and I did this until DD was almsot 2 years old.
I loved my job, but found it highly stressful.
I also found that I was missing out on things like the first time DD crawled and DH forgot to tell me!

Nic.

Well, I chose to go back part time(2 days) when Liam was 4 months old. My decision was due to the fact that although I am back at work earlier, I am now able to afford to stay at home for (5 days) for a couple of years, rather than go back full time after twelve months. I am a primary school teacher and I like my job, that played a big part in my decision.

Hi,

I had no choice but to return to work after 10mths. The company I worked for was making many changes at the time and they forced me to come back early only to be told my job was redundant. They wanted me to work full time which I couldn't so they forced me to resign.

I am better off now as I work close to home and only work 4 days a week, which I would like to change. It is getting a bit hard at the moment - very tiring.

Talk some more soon

Wendy :D

I agree that lawyers can be great to work for.

I started going back to work (and took Alex with me) when he was three weeks old. I worked half-days, three days per week, basically whenever it suited me. My employers were very happy to have me back, as they were snowed under with work at the time.

Alex started day care when he was 14 weeks old, three days per week.

My hubby then got a four day a week job, so we both did four days per week for a while. This actually worked out really well for both of us, as we each had our "own" time with Alex. Alex loves daycare, too, which helps.

Alex is now 18 months old, and is in full time day care because DH had to move from Shepparton to Melbourne for work. I work full time as a family lawyer (yeah, I know!!) and love my job.

When #2 comes along, we plan that DH will be SAHD (at least part time) and I will go back to work, because I earn 50% more than him, and we can't afford to have me not working.

I might try some part time work when the kids are a little older.

When I first fell pregnant DH's work was offering voluntary redundancies and because he was going to be a SAHD he took it. Due to Nicola being an IVF baby we didn't think we would have the chance again so we both took 9 months off and travelled around Australia a bit.

The last leg was in Sydney so that we could do SIVF.

I returned to work when she was around 10mos old, I find it hard eventhough I don't have to use daycare. When she is happy to see me leave for work I get upset and when she is crying I get upset- can't win!!!

She is 2 and half now and thriving on the love and attention that her father gives her daily - I'm envious of their relationship...

If we fall pg again I will probably go back to work after 6 week check up - oh hum...

Hi with the twins went back 30 hrs a week night shift when they were 3 mths old (financial necessity) BF both til 14 mths. Just expressed at work, and DH gave them bottles, Found it great, didn't miss out on much of their lives, coz I worked whilst they slept!!
With DD#3 went back to 32 hrs a week night shift when 3 mths old ( again had to) BF til 2 weeks ago (17mths)
With DS to come am going to go back at 3mths again. Again 30 hrs night shift. Can earn good money, but not lose more than 2 days a week that I have to sleep, when bubs is up n active. Works fab for the family, but would like to not have to. My dream is to win tatts and be a SAHM. One day hey???

I can finally answer this post lol.

Went back to work when Matthew was 6 1/2 months, (last week) I am back part time, a couple of days a week. :)

I went back to work when DS was 8mths old ~ we had planned it to be 6mths but because he came 2mths early I got to stay home for an extra 2mths with him.

I'm going back to work for 1 day a week at the beginning of the school term. It's out of necessity. In a perfect world, I wouldn't go back to work until all my children were in Primary School... but we need the $$
I'll start working 2 days a week next financial year (don't want to muck around too much with this financial year's earnings and end up having to pay money back!).
I have been doing some cash in hand work since Gab was about 2 months old (I think??) but it's super flexible and only a few hours a week... still... it's $$$!

AAAARGH, next week for me, Indah will be almost 4 months & out of necessity, I will be fulltime, but lucky to have a Mum & sister that will be babysitting!!!!

Well Although I havent had bubs yet, today I took a big step & booked bubs into a day care, I will be going back to work in Nov when bubs will be about 6 months old, I would love to be a SAHM, but finances dictate & DH also pays child support for his 2 boys, If we have # 2 (getting ahead of myself I know!!!!), I will be a SAHM, or take on part time work as the childcare costs fo 2 would be too much to justify working fulltime....

Or maybe I will just win Lotto LOL

I went back to work 8 weeks after Saffron was born. I was quite proud of myself for this achievement as I did have a ceasarean. I am quite lucky as my partner Adrian is a stay at home dad so there's alot less pressure because i have to worry only half as much of the practical things like housework and day to day child-rearing activities etc.
My workplace is unreal. I was about to request an extra month off but I was encouraged to come back early as my boss said that i could bring Saffron in with me (and I really needed the money). I work in an office environment so I can feed while I am on the computer or the telephone without much difficulty. This arrangement wont last forever though, I imagine 6 months at the most.

So I can feed Saffron at work and have not had to worry about expressing yet. I must admit though I would be tempted to give up the breastfeeding and introduce a few supplementary formula feeds if I needed to establish the whole expressing routine.

I went back full time when she was almost six months old.
It sucked, I hated every second for the first week and spent most of my time for the next month trying to find ways I could quit work.
It did get easier, at least she was home with her dad so I didn't have the childcare guilt to contend with as well...
This time I get 12 months paid leave and I dont' know what I'll be doing after that. I'm going to use the time to decide. DH needs to get back into the workforce full time, it concerns us if he is "out" too long (future employablility etc...)

Hey there...
I returned to work 5 days (20 hours per week) when DS was 9 months old and i have found it pretty hard, DS goes to daycare 2 days then granmas then to his godmother the other day.. I sometimes feel like he thinks i dont want to look after him anymore or something, ive got the guilts i suppose but it is passing.

HI

I'm returning end of October when Aleise will be 4 months old but as I just secured day care for one day a week this early I've had to take it or I may not get it next month! Am lucky DH gets every 2nd Friday off so he can look after her then and we can ask our mums to help out the other Friday.

I think it will be harder for me when she starts next week - separation anxiety for me I think will be the problem.

Well will update you once it gets rolling. In this day and age one wage just isn't enough so we shouldn't feel guilty about using daycare at all!

I am back just after the 12 Month Maternity leave, Just doing a couple of evenings from 5.00pm to 10.30pm. These hours suit me as DH comes home to look after DS, then i leave. I felt more obliged to go back to work, as they were snowed under. Although the money is good, It is very tiring, and they are trying to get me to come back thru the day. And that is just not going to happen!!! I find it harder being a stay at home mum, BUT i love it, and it is much more rewarding than sitting in an office stressing over deadlines!!! Wont be going back after no 2, until they are at school age.

This will be my 3rd week back at work.....Jayden is just over 5mths old. Possibly if I didn't go shopping so much while I was on leave I could have stayed home a little longer LOL. I am part time ATM just 4 hrs a day 5 days a week......I am meant to be going full time by Dec but I think if DP gets work during the off season (he works seasonal) I might stay part time.......I am lucky that I have an understanding boss who is willing to accommodate to what I want to do

I went back to work at 3 months - I take charlie with me and only do it 8 hours a week,.
I like having the time to talk to people my own age. i love talking to charlie but i reakky need some people time

I went back to work when DD was 10 months old - but I had been away for 12 months. I left at 34 weeks pg and then she was born at 42 weeks.

After DD2, I didn't go back to work. I don't earn enough in the Bank to pay for 2 X childcare - so then we've decided I won't go back 'till all the kids are at school.

Hi
I applied for a full time position at 36 weeks. I was pretty much guaranteed the job, but things happened internally and they needed someone straight away. My work knew I had hospital and doctor commitments, so they told me to contact them after Andrew was born.
Andrew was a week late and I had to stay in hospital for an agonising 4 more days (I cried my way out of hospital a day early to be in familiar surroundings). I checked my email and found my employer wanted me for a part time position and were happy for me to do the hours however way I wanted.
My employers are very family friendly - they let me take home a laptop to do extra work at home when I look after baby and are happy for me to sneak off every now and again to express. I went back to work both for necessity as well as to keep my sanity (I love having a career and I want to set an example for my kids - especially any future girls that God may bless me with - that mum's can have a flourishing career and be a mum too!).
All this at the same wage as my previous full time job when I wasn't pregnant! God can really answer those prayers when you're desperate!

i started back full time when my eldest was 6 months then i went back to wrok full time when my 2nd was 2 weeks old and i went back part time when ryan was 4 months it is working for us atm though i may have to look at going full time maybe june /july 2007

hi everyone
I am going back to work in Jan 08 and I only have to go back partime prob 2 days a week at this stage - my DS will be 6 months old then and I am already dreading it! I'll miss him terribly - I am trying to get him into the child care centre which is onsite at the hospital I work at but have been told that I probably won't get a place for him until he's 12mths old - so my DH will prob change his work days which are flexible thank god and my mum will fill in the others THANK GOODNESS FOR GRANDMAS
any tips or suggestions on how to survive those 1st days back at work?

Hi Everyone,

Unfortunately my work place only offers minimal maternity leave (12 months unpaid) and seeing that I have a large mortgage, I have no choice but to go back to work after 3 - 4 months.

I wish i could stay with my baby for at least a year and to he/her grow, but i cant =(

I'm 15 weeks pregnant and I havent told my manager yet as I dont think he will be as sympathic as I would like a manager to be.

SCARY!

Let me share my story...:dance:
It's not that interesting though. I had to go back to work after a month of delivery. That was dictated by our university law. :rolleyes: the reason for that was I was quite new on that position. If my pregnancy has been delayed for about a year,, I'd get 2 months maternty leave...:D

I went back exactly one year after I went on leave, after having 6 months paid leave and 6 months unpaid. Unfortunately, I'd stopped work at 36 weeks (TAFE policy) and then gone to 41 weeks pregnant; so my daughter was just shy of 11 months.
I was very lucky in that I secured a 3day per week position at the campus closest to my house (I'd left a fulltime position at the campus 1 hour away) and the manager was happy for Laura to come in once a day for a breastfeed. (She still does that now and she's 2 years 1 month old!)
Childcare- Mum & Dad moved their caravan up to our house and Mum lives in it for the three days I work, as neither of them liked the idea of Laura in ABC childcare. :D

For the next child, the policy has changed- I have the choice of either taking 1 year again, and a guaranteed return to the job I left, or taking 2 years and returning to whichever job is available at whichever campus. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, I suppose.

It'll be 4 years in February since i last went out to work. I am really happy with my choice so far.

Bx

With DS1 i went back to work when he was 8 months old only 2 days a week. It was for financial reasons.

I worked for 15 months and then was on leave again to have DS2. By the time i go back to work next year (still only 2 days a week) i will have had 12 months off. The decision to go back to work is part financial and part wanting to keep myself employed.

I am expecting it to be quite different from when i went back with only one child so if it doesn't work out we will reasess.

hi

after the c/sect horror birth of dd, 3 1/2 years ago i decided to go back to work 7 months after she was born but not to the same job, i now work nights and weekends on a rotating roster so hubby can watch the kids....... baby nunmber two was a vbac so i went back to work after 4months - i felt better and my boss was more supportive at my currant job, mind you he dosen't know i'll need time off for number 3 yet lol...

Wow how things have changed... I went back to work Jan and to our surprise fell pregnant in March, i did feel some guilt about only just getting back to then be planning on taking leave again but a job's a job and this is my life. I don't see myself going back to work for a year or two (thankfuly with my job i am able to do this) once #3 arrives. I'll have 3 under 5 and don't see working/childcare being feasible until DS1 is at least in school.

It's funny reading how i was thinking in my last post to where i actually am 10 months later :lol:

I went back to work when DD was 4 months after my boss rang and asked me to do 1 day a week, only 5 hours and DD could come with me. I continued this until DD turned 1. Now I work 2 days a week. After this bubs is born though I have no plans to return to work.

I took 12 months with both my girls and it ended up being just over 12 months when I returned due to timing issues etc. Both times I had planned to take 12 months and budgeted so that I could do so without too much financial stress. However in the end for financial reasons I did have to return.

Around 7 months, but it would have been slightly less if I hadn't had the baby at 37 weeks.

I took 3 months maternity leave and 2 weeks annual leave at half pay. This was amost 10 years ago so they had no baby bonus back then.

Started new job when my daughter was 5 weeks old - but only 2 shifts a week (8 hours per week).

My daugher is now 14 years and at the time that I had her I had just finished studying - postgrad. As part of my course I had interviewed a local library manager for an assignment so when I got really good results I used that as an excuse to visit her again and thank her and inquire about the possibility of part-time work. She was very keen to employ me immediately but I was 36 weeks pregnant at the time. She agreed to hold the part-time position open for me until the baby was old enough. When I visited again when my daughter was 3 weeks old I was asked if I could start the following week. I said "but she'll only be 4 weeks old". I knew they were getting desperate (as the regular full-timers were having to do extra shifts to cover the position) and I didn't want to risk losing the opportunity (my first career position) so I agreed to start when she was 5 weeks old.

I'm glad I did as the job was a great career stepping stone but I wouldn't have wanted to do it if it was alot of hours. I started working 20 hours a week when my daughter was 1.

Now I am finally 5 weeks pregnant (after 4 years on the TTC journey) but as I now work for myself I won't get any maternity leave etc so I'll probably aim to work as long as possible and try to see about working part-time when bub is a month or so old (though alot depends on how the business goes). Ideally I don't want to have to go back to full-time work until the child is atleast school age.

Lori