Will you be returning to work after maternity leave?

Question

I’m curious to see how many moms, especially FTM are going back to their jobs after maternity leave. 
I’m really struggling to decide whether to put my child in daycare and return to my job that i love or give up my career and stay home with my baby. We could survive without my salary but it would have to be on a very very strict budget, but if i returned to work we would continue to be well off financially and wouldn’t have to worry about money at all. Also, my husband is leaving on a deployment in a few months and will be gone for a year. I know it’s going to be extremely hard to take care of our baby myself, but I’m also wondering if going back to work will help my keep my sanity to some extent since I’ll be around other adults and can get out the house more often or if it will make my life even harder while my husband is gone. 🤷🏼‍♀️
Any advice? My son will be 3 months when I’m supposed to return to work. I have a month left to decide and figure out our finances and daycare. I’m at a loss.

Answer

I'm definitely going back to work. I've always been very career oriented and I don't think I'm cut out to be a stay at home mom. My husband and I both have really good salaries (I make more than he does) and therefore live pretty well. If i were to stay home, we'd have to make some major changes in lifestyle that neither of us would be happy with...   Thankfully, the daycare we chose is less than half a mile from my office so I'll be able to visit baby during lunch or whenever there's downtime!

Answer

I'm a workaholic. I have a year maternity and will be going back after it ends. I've just started my maternity leave at 38+ weeks and it's been a struggle the last few days being home, I know it'll change when she comes. All I've ever known in life is to work, and work hard when doing so. I make really good money (as does my husband) and just don't think I can give that up either.

Answer

I have 2 kids and pregnant with my third and I honestly need to be at a job. Not money wise mainly (but yes money a good factor ) but it really keeps me from going insane being home with a baby all day. I work at a daycare/preschool so my baby will be with me but I’ll also benefit from being around people and etc

Answer

I’ve gone back to work after two babies. I’ve never regretted anything more. Thank goodness for this surprise baby as it was an answer to prayer and will finally allow me to be at home. I don’t want to miss ANY moments nor have a stranger getting those precious “firsts”. My babies need their mama with them the first couple years of life. This is a very personal decision for each person but I had absolutely zero intention of having babies to have someone else raise them.

Answer

Yes I will, I love my job. But I have 59 weeks of maternity leave with salary, so I’m sort of a SAHM for a year.

Answer

Why can't the U.S. Upgrade The rules for FMLA? Other places have great, wonderful benefits but in the U.S. It's like they don't give out as great benefits as they do, like for example, Canada. So jelly.

Answer

I went back after my 6 weeks because if I were to quit and stay home my SO would’ve needed to get another job because I had just gotten a new car. He’s already working two jobs (one full time and one that he works part time, 3 hours a day for 4 days a week) to support majority of the bills so I can focus on getting my car paid off.

Answer

I’m 7 weeks PP and my son is starting daycare in a week and a half. I am actually pretty excited about it. I am excited to be stimulated again and adult interaction. Even though, financially, we require I work, I would do it anyway. But everyone is different! Good luck on your decision!

Answer

I thought I couldn’t wait to go back to work. I had a premie so I took longer than FMLA is allowed “I was voluntarily terminated” 3 weeks after she was born. She wasn’t even out of the NICU yet. I had to take 9 weeks off before she was born because I spent 9 weeks in the hospital. But they loved me so they rehired me. I went back when she was 12 weeks adjusted. I lasted about 10 weeks working before I quit. I couldn’t do it. One time my daughter became dangerously dehydrated at the baby sitters (not the sitters fault my daughter has eating issues and can’t go long periods without eating and couldn’t keep her bottles down) and my job wouldn’t let me leave! My husband had to leave and take her while I sat there and twiddled my thumbs waiting for the clock to strike 5 to race to the hospital! And then they made me go to work the next day because my boss refused to go in because she was going to a fucking baby shower, I had to have my grandmother sit at the hospital with her so she wasn’t alone! I vowed never again to leave my daughter and put my two weeks notice in. She has not been less than a room away from me every since.

Answer

I was/am in a very similar situation. I Loved! my job & had worked very hard to get to where I was in my career ( & I made really good $$). I always wanted to be a SAHM, but the decision ended up being a lot harder than I expected. In the end it came down to the fact I have a lifetime for career, but a very short time my baby will be a baby & if I change my mind, I can always go back to work, but if I go back to work & change my mind to stay home, I can’t get the missed time back. My husband is also military (National Guard) so even though he’s not currently scheduled to deploy we know it will happen eventually. I couldn’t imagine balancing work & baby without him, so that was definitely a factor in me staying home. 
I am so happy with my decision, I really couldn’t imagine being away from my little man each day.

Will you be returning to work after maternity leave?

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