How old was your baby when you went back to work?

[Crystalwings]

I'm going back to work part time in April but my boss is already pressuring me to let her know when I want to go back full time. The thing is i'm not even sure how i'll cope with 20hrs let alone 40. Olive will be 5.5mths when I go back.
So anyway I was wondering how old was you baby when you went back to work?
Was it p/t or f/t? When did you go back from p/t to f/t?
How did you cope?
Do you have any tips to make it easier.
TIA

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I went back p/t when DS was just turned 1; I am now full time and he's two on Friday. I started full time a month before his second birthday.

What helped? A fantastic Nursery. I cannot speak highly enough of this place. I don't feel bad for leaving him and he adores it. Sure, I'd rather be at home with DS but he'd rather be at Nursery some days I'm sure. It also helps that my full time work is now very different to my part time work: pt was just to make ends meet, ft is now for ME and enjoyable. Yes, the money helps but it's essentially a paycut for 18 months so I can do something I love.

It also helped to have loads of pictures of DS around me and sharing an office with a woman who adored hearing about DS and seeing pictures and movies taken on my digital camera!

[kawazuki]

i had no choice but had to go back to work p/t so 3 days a week when DD was 6 weeks old.

she is now 18 months old and i am just going back full time.

it was hard, but i worked afternoons and nights so i still got alot of baby time and mainly did weekends so she was with daddy..

[visitor1]

I went back to work 2 days a week when DD1 was 5 months old. I stopped working about 2.5 months later before DD2 came along.

I then just worked from home on my own business

How i coped....i sent her to a friends house so i knew she was with some one familiar and one on one due to her age

[MantaRay]

When DS1 was 7 months old I went back ft. We all found it very overwhelming, so within a month, DH and I had both dropped down to 4 day weeks (so that DS was only in care 3 days a week). I worked 4 days a week until DS2 was born (DS1 was 19 months), then went back 2 days a week when he was 8 months old (mostly from home). I later increased to 3 days and then went ft (not at home!) when he was about 15 months.

If at all possible I recommend starting with pt work. Ft is very full on and it certainly takes some adjusting to. All the best hun, please let me know if I can help you out with more information, tips etc.

[DoubleK]

i started a part time job a couple of weeks before DD turned 2, my hours started at about 16 per week (thurs & fri nights, sundays 1-9pm) this suited us, as she was just home as normal with dp. i ended up picking up an extra night (wed) and also every 2nd saturday (1-9pm)

i am currently trying to decide what i want to keep doing, as i need to cut back, but cant afford to leave just yet!

we have all adjusted really well. our routine suits us all. the only thing that is a bit hard is my finishing time. its a take away shop, so there is no set 'finish' time. dp starts work at 5-6am. so if im home later than 9.. i feel bad.

dont let your boss push you into going back full time, you need to do what suits you and your family. personally, i know i couldnt handle full time work, so i wont be doing that at least untill dd2 is in school.

[Miss E]

I'm going back to work part time in April but my boss is already pressuring me to let her know when I want to go back full time. The thing is i'm not even sure how i'll cope with 20hrs let alone 40. Olive will be 5.5mths when I go back.
So anyway I was wondering how old was you baby when you went back to work?
Was it p/t or f/t? When did you go back from p/t to f/t?
How did you cope?
Do you have any tips to make it easier.
TIA

I'm not sure if the laws are still the same when you have come back to work part-time, but my understanding of the 12 month maternity leave laws is that your employer legally isn't allowed to put any pressure on you about when you may or may not come back. I know in our business, we aren't even allowed to ask staff on maternity leave if they are planning on coming back. Just because you are coming back part-time, I don't think your boss has the right to even ask about full time let alone put pressure on you.

[Cally]

I started back ft when DD was just over 12months. She had a week with my mum, then 2 weeks with DH, then she started ft childcare at spot on 13 months.

It is hard, I basically don't sit down in the evenings with fitting everything in and that's with DH helping out.

DD goes to a great centre which she loves. I am often out in the sandpit trying to persuade her to come home with me and we always get a big smile and wave as we drop her off each morning. DH and I try and finish at 4:30 every day so we get some afternoon playtime in which helps. But it certainly helps that she has fun at her centre so the guilt feelings are minimised (they never go away though!!)

[Cally]

Double post

[Crystalwings]

Well we have come to a bit of a compromise which will hopefully work for us. I'm going to go back for 2 full days and 3 half days from 2-6pm. My DH will drop one full day to mind Olive and pick up every second saturday. He wasn't coping that well with the long hours he was doing either so I think it's the best scenerio. I also earn quite a bit more so it kind of makes sense. Olive will now have to go to family day care 1 day a week but it is only 5mins from work and the carer is fine with me going out there in my lunch break to give Olive a feed and see her. She will also go to mums for 2 of the afternoons and stay home with Daddy the other. It's still a month and a half away but i'm feeling pretty anxious about leaving my gorgeous girl. I know these feelings are normal but I will just miss her so much, it hurts already. I'm trying to think positive though and want to enjoy my job as I think that will make it easier. Dh and I have also decided that if this arrangement work I won't go back f/t next year so i'm feeling good about that to. I have made a roster for jobs each day so that doesn't get overwhelming and with the half days they work well cause I can still go to my mothers group and ABA meetings.
Thanks for all your replies.

[danniellabella]

My DD was 4.5 months when I started a brand new job full time. For me the thought of it was harder than the reality.

[*EJ*]

Sounds like you have a bit of a plan there Olive'smummy, i hope it works out for you. Don't think about it too much between now and then just enjoy your time with your little one.

I went back to work when my DS was 8 months old, 2 days a week and it was for financial reasons. He was with family one day and FDC on the other. It was a huge decision to make but once it got going i realised how great it was. For DS to have some variety in his week and to socialise with other children and adults. In 2008 i worked a full 12 months of 2 days a week, i'm now due with my second and don't plan on going back to until 2010 hopefully 2 days a week again.

[rufalina]

It is hard, but I went back to work 4 days per week when DS was 7.5 months old. What made it better for me, was using FDC and being blessed with a fantastic carer. I also have a fortnightly house cleaner. That helps out a lot too.

Hope you are able to find something that works for your family too.