*** Working Mum's Support thread ***

[CARNAT22]

Wowser, that is some stand off - Jess is feisty

I'd love to have a day to myself (wouldn't even care if OH was there or not LOL). I've never had a day off and not had James? I'd probably miss him

Sleep day / grown-up day sounds good.

James is with granny this week (OH's Mum) as she has 3 weeks off so offered to help us out for a week.... it works out well as it's the last full week of school holidays so my sister can spend it with her boys.

Granny had two of the other grandkids when I turned up today, they had all spent the night and Mum (my SIL) was having a lay-in with the eldest. I left my MIL with a 2 year old, a 21 month old and 13 month old

No news is good news so I assume they are all OK. My SIL wouldn't have been in bed much longer anyway. I was a bit panicky as I left as I can barely cope with James so not sure how my 58 year old MIL was going to cope with 3 of them even if it was just for half an hour??

X

 

[Jajis]

Off work today after going down with a d&v bug yesterday... thankfully (fingers crossed etc.) the small boy seems fine, and so my Mum picked him up and took him to nursery this morning, so have spent the day feeling weak and feeble, wrapped up in a blanket on the sofa Hoping that I feel revitalised and recovered by tomorrow morning as I don't work Wednesday or Thursday so will have to have some energy to look after the small boy

I've sent him to nursery quite a few times when I've been off work. A couple of times so that me and OH can have time together (last year we went on the Harry Potter studio tour - it just wouldn't have been as much fun with a 15 month old in tow!), but mostly I do it on days when OH is at work still, so that I can have the day relaxing by myself at home (not that I find I get much relaxing done, normally spend the time tidying, organising - took the day off to make his birthday cake etc.). Because I work part time my OH quite often takes leave on days when I'm already off, so those are the days when we do family stuff all together

 

[katherine6476]

I'm back at work tomorrow after 7 months off. Can't stop crying this morning. It doesn't help that I don't like my job anymore. My mums looking after LO so I know she'll be fine. Countdown til we TTC number 2!

 

[CARNAT22]

It's horrible Katherine but the thought is often worse than the reality?

Your Mum having LO is a massive plus as well, I found it so much easier to leave James knowing he was with his Daddy (and then he went to my sister)

Bets of luck and try not to let it ruin today for you.

X

 

[Durhamchance]

Can I join you ladies in here?

I've worked part-time since Blake was 6 months old, one evening a week and both afternoon/evenings at the weekend. OH's mum has him for a couple of hours on the weekday evening as I start my shift before OH gets home, but she can only do that 1 evening a week.
Money is always tight, but there has never been any scope for extra hours- until now. A couple of weeks ago I was offered another 2 evening shifts in the week as one of the other girls had left (I do customer service and there needs to be just one of us on each shift) This will take me to a 5 day week of approx 20 hours, so I have found a childminder to have Blake in the hours between me going to work and OH getting home. We've visited the childminder twice, but each time Blake has been tired and clingy so he isn't keen on the poor lady (who is lovely!)

Tomorrow evening is his first go there without me- I just know he's going to cry when I leave him

 

[Mummybexee]

I join this thread tomorrow

Oscars just under 6 months old and starts 4 days a week nursery tomorrow - they have all his nappies and wipes etc, got to label his bottles up and sippy cup tonight and sort his clothes out etc

Whilst I do have the week annual leave ( on purpose ) I know I'm going to cry my eyes out

 

[mrswoody]

Well I'm on my last day of holidays-I've had 3 weeks off! I have no love for going back to work BUT I have 15 working days until maternity leave! Yahoo

I'm feeling tired and crampy with my bump in the way but hoping the next 3 weeks fly in (like my holidays did) so that I can finish up and look forward to our new arrival.

Mummybe, the thought of leaving them is worse than the reality. You will be just fine big smiles when you drop him off and don't look back if he cries-just go.
Good luck x

 

[Les1504]

I'm back at work tomorrow after nearly 6 weeks off and I could actually cry! I've loved the time off with my little fella and going back always makes me feel crap no doubt by this time tomorrow night I won't feel like I ever had a hol! I just hope this year isn't like the last as I came so close to giving up teaching x

 

[katherine6476]

I'm giving up deputy headship and returning to just classroom teaching. Written my letter to head and governors requesting change. Just got to hand it in to head tomorrow. When we did the maths, it was about £300 less each month for no hassle or responsibility. No brainer really!

 

[flisstebbs]

Hi new ladies, hope all has gone well for you. I used to cry leaving Jess, now realised she loves nursery and has come on so much that I don't generally have tears except when she's poorly and I have to leave her with my mum. I'm self employed so not easy to take time off.

Jajis, are you feeling better now?

Well I had a total wobbly melt down at work today. I went back after 2 days leave last week to a complete bloody mess. I did a rather embarrassingly emotional flounce out of the lunchtime meeting , it was for good reasons but just not terribly well handled.

Even after a week of sleep training we are a way off reliable nights sleep, was up twice last night, so ended up with a total of 5 hours broken sleep. Its not enough!

 

[Jajis]

Yeah thanks, but my Mum caught it and had to have two days off, ooops All better now though!

I very almost had a wobbly flounce a while back, but just about managed to hold it together until I was away from my colleagues - it's horrible isn't it, and once you can feel it coming it's really hard to stop it Hope your next day at work isn't so bad

 

[Dotty_woman]

Hope you're ok Fliss. Don't underestimate how difficult it is juggling work and motherhood. Sounds like you're doing way better than me. I'm an emotional wreck. Wish I could find some solace in the weekends but I'm just dreading the next Monday. Really struggling to focus and waking up at silly o'clock (not down to Vi). I wish I could just clear my mind of stuff. xxx

 

[first_time_mum]

Hi ladies can I join this thread? My little girl is nearly 4 months, im not meant to be going back till January but just can't afford everything that I need to so I've got to go back now. Really don't want to leave my little girl yet xx

 

[flisstebbs]

Hey first time mum. Thats tough call to go back so early, I thought it was bad going back at 6 months!! How many days are you going to work? There are positives to working. Enjoying a hot cuppa is one and getting some adult time My LG has flourished since starting nursery so I have no regrets.

Dotty I'm sorry to hear you're having such a horrid time. I've had my implant out this week and gone back o the pill. Feel so much less emotionally wobbly already. Jess is sleeping better now although not brilliant.
Is there anything you can do about your job? I know you have a lot of responsibility financially and I know what that is like! Early morning wakening is horrible, so frustrating when you feel so tired the rest of the time.

 

[first_time_mum]

Im juat going to go back to community caring so im only doing 2 and a half days and will be able to go home in between calls so wont be to bad but just guna miss her I guess xx

 

[Durhamchance]

I'm struggling a bit, Blake screams and cries hysterically when I drop him at the childminders. I got to work on Friday and burst into tears. The childminder has since told me that he's ok again after 10 mins, but I don't get to see that part! My hormones with this new pregnancy aren't helping either.

 

[Ella1979]

Thought I'd resurrect this thread...

I'm back to work this Thursday. Just 2 days a week. My two have settled well into nursery and luckily I no longer have any worries over them. The only thing bothering me now (apart from wondering if I can remember all my work stuff) is that on re-calculating our figures, we'll actually make a loss of £5 a week with me going back. So not only do I have the stress of shift working (trying to organise shifts in advance, even a week in advance, is pretty much impossible) and organising drop-offs/collections from nursery, I'm actually not going to be bringing in any money either! However, because I took OMP, I'd make an even bigger loss (in the short term) not going back, as I'd owe all that money back.

Fun times!

Hope all the other working mummies are doing ok xx

 

[iWitch]

Back on the 6th jan. Austin hasn't had his sessions at nursery yet but I'm hoping they'll go down well! He enjoys seeing other children at clinics & friends houses etc

 

[LD1978]

I went back last week and HATED it!! No handover, people asking me questions on day 1, asked questions on an upgraded tool I haven't even used and just generally thrown back in (despite being told id be eased in)

Only doing 3 days for 6 months while I use accrued holiday but that's more than enough. I'm lucky as work with lovely people but they are just all too busy! Very flexible and understanding though. Problem is I just don't want to be there but u have to

How long do you have to go back for Ella? That must be so disheartening making a loss

 

[Ella1979]

I have to go back for 3 months. It's really disheartening. Once my daughter turns 3, we'll have the 15 hours a week free (so from April) and then I'll actually be earning money again. I just wish I'd taken the time to properly look into whether it was worth going back before I took the OMP. I guess because everyone says they can't afford not to go back to work, I think I just thought that we would be better off...