Maternity leave

[PurpleCloud]

My baby is due in November, my maternity leave starts 2 weeks before my due date and I'll be having 6 months off then back to full time work. I'm not really keen on the idea of going back full time but I want to go back and see how I cope because we're desperately saving for a mortgage. If full time doesn't work out I plan to try and cut my hours. What is everyone else doing? Are those of you that work, are you planning on going back to work or giving it up completely? And does anyone have any experience of working with a baby under 1? I am under no illusion it will probably be the hardest thing ever going back to work but I just want to hear what others are planning or how things worked out if you've been there. Thanks in advance. 😊

 

[Merida]

I'm finishing work this week, but I'm temping for an agency and don't intend to go back to that afterwards so not having to consider how much time I'll have with baby after it's born like you would do if in a perm contract. We're fortunate to be able to live comfortably on his wage so I'll take some time to consider what I do work wise, maybe in a few years. To be honest, even if I did go back to work, there would be very little financial benefit, we'd have to rely on paying for childcare, our parents aren't in a position to do it for us, so I'm probably as well just staying at home for a few years.

 

[PurpleCloud]

Yeah, that's another thing to consider. We'll have to put our little one in child care for 4 days. We could live on just OH wages but we really want a home of our own so it's a money saving move too. My in laws have offered some childcare but we're not 100% of what childcare we might use. I don't want to do it if it's not financially worth it. I guess it's best to go back after the 6 months and just see how I feel and how it's working for our baby. Xx

 

[doll_eyes]

I'm lucky that we'd managed to get our mortgage and first house bought last summer before we got our surprise bfp otherwise I'd be in the same position trying to save, so I'll be going back part time, but I'll do lots of over time and casual hours too, my mum will have baby one day a week then my aunt two days or it wouldn't be worth it with child care costs, but I love my job so really want to go back after my 9 months off. Xx

 

[lisa1985]

I am quite lucky that my work place opens 7:45am to 7:15pm, so I am going to try and do 2 long days on the days my mum can have baby. Then maybe 1 normal day e.g 9-5 and my MIL can have baby, luckily she lives around the corner from my work. Will see how it works out, I guess you don't know how well it will work until you actually do it. I defo do not want to be paying childcare fees, they are ridiculous and I would end up going to work and all I earn would pay a nursery, doesn't make sense. xx

 

[Hutchy]

After my first child I went back to work when he was 15 months old - we got a small amount of tax credits which made it financially worth it - but the year after we didn't qualify for any benefit help & we struggled - but because he had started nursery and he was enjoying it I carried on working - literally to pay for him to go to nursery.
This time around, having twins will probably make it even more unrealistic to go back to work - I know we won't qualify for any help - but we'll see how it goes!
If you can get some sort of free childcare then that's amazing! Xx

 

[Sharmon]

I went back after 9 months. As I had lots of holiday built up I used this to go back part time for first 3 months (3days working per week, 2days annual leave), then went back to 5 days after that. It helped ease both me & bubs into my going back to work & ment childcare costs weren't too bad until bubs was full time. Will be going back again after new baby arrives, as were still financially better off if I work, hoping to take 6-9months off this time. It is v hard going back but you get used to it & my little girl really enjoys nursery now. Just do what feels right for you at the time x

 

[anniecakes]

I don't think I'll be going back after maternity, we have been living off one wage for a few months now and can manage on my OH's wage...we budget like mad but it works. We don't live expensive lifestyles either which helps. We also don't have family to help with childcare so if I did go back to work it'd be just to pay for the childcare so we'd be no better off financially. Will probably look for some kind of work I can do from home for a bit of pocket money...saying all these who knows how I'll feel a year after the baby is born. My job is still open for a year after baby comes along so I have lots of time to think about my options

 

[kumber]

I went back to work at 3 months after having ds1, I don't recommend it. I was doing evening and weekend work right up until mat leave and it was so hard. I was exhausted all the time and it has damaged my relationship with ds1. I think mine has been an unusual experience and I think I had I been doing daytime work it would have been a very different story. I am hoping to change jobs, my mat leave ends in March and ds2 will be 7 months. If I am unable to change jobs, I don't think I will be going back.

 

[flisstebbs]

I had 6 months last time and will do the same this time too as this is all I can take! I've compressed full time into 3 long days to maximise the use of childcare costs - hubby does drop off and pick ups those days and I barely see my daughter, but do get 4 whole days with her. It's tougher than I thought but manageable. I want my children to see me on equal basis with daddy doing a professional job.
I got loads of mummies telling me I was mad, or they felt sorry for me but actually I was ready to go back at 6 months!

 

[MayBMore]

After my 1st born I went back after 11 months including a/l eventually to 4 days per week..I tried 5 days per week for the first 3 months but it was just to hard - my o/h is self employed so he can fit work in around my hours. Now my daughter is 2 and I am lucky enough to work 12 hour shifts so I do full-time in 4 days and she is at nursery one day a week when we both work. This has been brill... When I go back following this next mat leave it will be for 3 days a week -

If there is room for flexibility in your shift patterns that really helps and then you don't have to pay for nursery for so many days

 

[PurpleCloud]

Thanks for your replies ladies. I'll just have to see what works. It's good to hear others experiences with this. Xx

 

[Laurajcole]

I went back to work when my little girl was a year old. I applied for flexible working. Which reduced my hours to 3 days 9-5 and it was fine. My mother in law has her 1 day per week and nursery 2 days.
We will be doing the same again this year. I love my job. And opportunities don't come up very often so in my case I would be foolish to give up the opportunity.
I'm very lucky that my husband is the main earner in our household. So I was able to drop the wages, but I know I'm many circumstances it's just not possible.
My biggest advice about going back to work is to be organised. It was and is a massive help to us.

 

[KHTW]

I will be taking 9 months off. I am planning to apply flexible working at my work as well; I hope to be working 5 days but with early finish at 3 pm which would allow my OH to stay at home with baby until 4-ish and take evening shift at his work. That way we wouldn't have to send DD to nursery and still both be working.

Hope you can come up with a plan that works for you x

 

[MrsMeaney]

I went back to work part time after Blake, but I'm taking some time out after this one. Childcare for 2 children will work out more than I actually earn and luckily my husband recently got a big promotion which has eased the pressure slightly. Being a writer, I plan to use the time to focus on my career, rather than doing a job that bores me. Fortunately, this is work I can largely do from home

 

[theshipscat]

I think I'm going to have 4 or 5 months off then apply to go back part time. I don't think full time would work out with childcare costs. It's all very confusing really.

 

[PurpleCloud]

I think I'm going to have 4 or 5 months off then apply to go back part time. I don't think full time would work out with childcare costs. It's all very confusing really.

I agree it is. Think I'm going to go back full time and see how it works out. Fast forward a year and I'm sure I'll have quite an opinion on this! Lol! Xx

 

[theshipscat]

For sure! It'll work itself out though. Everyone else figures it out so we will too. x

 

[littlemonkey]

I went back full time after my first baby because it made more sense financially. I hated it, but I think the problem was my work rather than actually working if that makes sense. Without going into it too much, I didn't like my job at the time and resented being away from my family because of it. I worked shifts and felt like I never had any time off with OH for the three of us to spend time together as a family. We knew we wanted two close together, so I rode it out for the extra money and extra maternity pay. If I'd been working the same hours as OH I may have felt different.

Thankfully things have worked out for us with our second baby. Changes to my job have meant I'm in a new role working part time evenings so I can begin at home with my boys all day. My OH has been promoted, so his increase in pay has made up for me going part time, and his days off have also changed so he has the same days off as me now.

 

[Holi]

Going back to work with a little one is very manageable! Hard work but defo doable! I went back when lo was 11months at 29hrs (4 days a week) and it works well! I have a long weekend every week and my wage didn't drop too much! My lo goes into nursery 3 days and is with my rents 1 day. I would say my advice would be don't turn away childcare help! It can save you a fortune! And if your not comfortable your in laws having your baby all the time you are at work, 1 day a week is a big help! Will save you best part d £160 a month! Most nursery around my area say they recommend children go to them at least 2 days a week so they can settle and get into a routine better.

Currently 9w with baby no2 and will try an had 13m off with this one and will hopefully go back to work the same as last time (29hrs 4 days a week) my lg won't be too far off going to school so childcare costs should be similar x