I posted previously about how my company doesn’t have a maternity leave policy and CA paid time off is 6 weeks of 60% pay.. so I decided to make an agreement with my company that I would take 2 full weeks off work after delivering on May 28th and then continue working from home until August 5th.

It has been a mission and really hard taking care of our little one plus working.. part of me has been looking forward to going back to work so I can focus and have a little break, but our little girl has reflux from time to time and my SO thinks she shouldn’t go to daycare until atleast 6 months. We got into a disagreement because I want to go back because I can’t 100% focus on work or on my little one. I’ve been working since I was 16 and have always been independent and I love what I do (not necessarily the company I work for but 🤷🏼‍♀️) so quitting isn’t what I want. After our disagreement was ridiculous, and my SO told me to ask my boss for more time at home, so I did to end it.

My boss gave me 2 options.. take the CA paid family leave for the next 6 weeks with pay cut or bring the baby with me to the office 3 days a week and work from home 2 days.

I feel like its lose lose. And don’t know what to do. I didn’t take the CA time off because we are trying to buy a home really soon and don’t want the lesser income to go against me (we would be fine but we are both applying) but also because I’m afraid I won’t have a job when I go back if they find a replacement.. yes, CA will not allow them legally to let you go during your time off but that’s not to say when I get back things won’t change.. you never know. Plus my SO wants her to be with me longer than 6 weeks (seems unreasonable to ask for any more from my company to me) which would put her at 3.5 months or 14 weeks. And bringing her into the office stresses me out because it’s already hard doing it in the comfort of my own home, but I manage. I feel like it will cause stress for everyone else (I don’t have my own office), plus I’m breastfeeding and love that I don’t have to cover up at home or stress when she’s crying etc.

Neither of these options are ideal to my SO and he would rather me quit, which I don’t want and no matter how I try to say it, he won’t agree. I’m at such a loss and need to chose an option. What would you do?