Quitting after maternity leave?
Hey y’all. Has anyone returned from maternity leave and then quit? Or is thinking about it?
I just went back to work last week and I am STRESSED and STRUGGLING. I’m breastfeeding so I’m pumping at work, and my bosses have me in a different room to pump every day (depending on what’s available). I have to pump at a different time every day to work around meetings. My milk supply has started dipping.
I’m a 5th grade teacher and I’m finding it nearly impossible to lesson plan/grade things at home when I’m with the baby. I feel so underprepared and rushed every day and my baby is still waking up 2-3 times a night so I’m TIRED. Obviously I also miss him all day.
My baby stopped napping during the day when I went back to work so by the time I get home at 4 he’s only napped an hour all together. He’s exhausted and he falls alseep at 5. So I only get to spend one awake hour with my baby on work days and by that time he’s grumpy from not napping so he basically just nurses and falls asleep.
I want to quit, or at least ask if I can go part time (which I’m guessing is a no since teaching is not generally done part time).
We do need income but we’d have enough savings to get by until I find something part time. More than being worried about money I just feel guilty. My students have had a sub basically all year and now I’ve been back for two weeks and if I quit they’ll have someone new again. At the same time i don’t feel like I’m being a very good teacher right now by rushing to finish my lesson plans and grading. And I also feel guilty not playing with my baby all day and I feel like it’s my fault he’s not napping anymore. Plus I’m worried my milk supply will keep dropping.
Does anyone have any advice?
Achieve your health goals from period to parenting.