Quitting after maternity leave?

CheesyPotatoes

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?