Any mums quit/left their job after maternity?

I regret giving up the independence and my identity outside motherhood more so.

But financially 8 years ago my wage would of covered childcare and left little else so my resignation made financial sense

I never even considered that. Thank you for your honesty!

No regrets here

No regrets, we’d have only been marginally better off if I’d have returned to work, at the expense of being time and energy poor and never seeing much of our daughter in the week.
We’re not overburdened with wealth and never will be, but we live happily. I can find another job/career when she’s older, I left both my previous jobs on very good terms, or I’d happily explore something different later down the line.

However we’d have never made the decision to stay home if we knew that we couldn’t afford it long term, so that’s why I think there’s no regrets.

No regrets. We would be slightly better off had I gone back. But with the extras to pay on top of the ‘free’ hours it wouldn’t have been that much. We also want a big family and felt our first wasn’t ready for nursery at 1. We’re due our second soon and would possibly like a third. I’ll probably go back to work part time once they’re all in primary school.

i don’t regret it at all, but i’m very lucky in that my partner can support us all. i do miss having my own money though and not having to ask my partner for things🤣x

No regrets, it's hard but my children being so young is only going to happen once and it's flying by quick enough, no amount of money is worth trading that for x

No regrets. My job was treating me poorly knowingly I was pregnant. I didn’t get my maternity leave allowance as they said I didn’t qualify. When I tried applying thru the state, they said, my job has an equivalent plan similar to theirs so meaning my job do offer maternity leave. It was a whole mess and my baby is 5 months now and no pay whatsoever. Very frustrated.

I tried getting in contact with HR but took forever for a response and/or they wanted to ask me “why” but when they wanted to know if I was returning back to work, they were available to blow up my phone for it. I could’ve took them to court but I didn’t want to go through that hassle and just wanted to cut all ties with them so I wrote a resignation letter before my return back to work date.

My husband didn’t want me going back either to that job. Very grateful to stay home with my babies and my husband supporting us all but we’re supporting each other too 🤍

No regrets! I did make sure my partner and I were on the same page though! All money is our money and I have equal rights to it. If that would not have been the case, I would have gone back

I left because they wanted me to go back after 9months to 40hour weeks straight away and I was not feeling that. Management was terrible as well so I didn’t want to go back anyway tbh. I regret losing my independence and the fact I was earning nice money and now I’m struggling most months just being on Universal Credit and relying on my boyfriend (who’s recently self employed) but it was a mutual decision, I wanted to spend as much time with my baba as possible and I’m so glad I did x

Hearing all of your experiences makes me realise I will be making the right decision.

Curious to know if anyone had to pay back any money? As originally I was going to return to work but fell pregnant so went on back to back maternity and now have 2 under 2

I didn’t. HR were lovely. I was meant to return for 3 months, they reduced my contract to 2 days a week from 5, this meant that all the annual leave I had accrued covered the whole 3 month period! Meant I didn’t have to pay anything back.

Do you think I should contact HR before informing my boss? I work in a primary school so not sure if things are different?

I did not have to pay back anything, and I had an enhanced pay package and worked some kit days before I quit. But every company policy will be different, I emailed my HR to ask about pay before I made my decision and before I told my boss and officially handed my notice in.

No regrets! It didn’t make financial sense for us and also we tried for a few years to fall pregnant and I really didn’t want to miss anything! Some days have been harder than others and I struggle with the repetitiveness sometimes but I know I’m super lucky to have been there for all his firsts! It’s weird for me to not have been bringing any money in but I think that’s a me problem more than anything else haha! My husband has been great with it all x

Not sure. I was in the NHS, my boss was about to retire, which was handy, it meant she wasn’t too bothered!

To add to that, my boss already knew I wasn’t coming back, apart from potentially for just 3 months to prevent paying back my maternity, so they’d already been able to recruit someone to replace me etc.
Then it was HR who helped me with the workaround using my holiday etc.

No regrets yet... obviously 2 salaries are better than 1 for many things especially in this current cost of living. But I feel really grateful to have this time with my babies...and one day when the time is right, il return back to work.

yes i left my job after maternity, a part of me regrets it because i had a secure job, now it’s harder to find work that fit’s schedule.
But at the time i wasn’t going to leave my child with anyone so young & being with her and having that time together is precious i can always make money later

If i missed out on those young ages just for money or a job i wouldn’t forgive myself cause will never get that time again 😌