Working full time after maternity leave?
Hi, has anyone got plans to or experience of working full time after mat leave? How are you feeling/how did you feel about it?
My baby is only 3 months and whilst pregnant I was sure I’d go back full time-I’ve scheduled my little one to attend nursery 5 days a week when the time comes. However, now I have huge mum guilt and feeling like I don’t want to do that anymore. I’m also unsure if it’s helpful financially if I’m paying for childcare 5 days whilst working.
I’m absolutely loving maternity leave but it can also obviously be lonely because of lack of routine and lack of friends with children of a similar age. I’m a person that needs to be busy and doing things each day so also unsure if I would enjoy having extra days at home if I was to be part time at work.
Just looking for advice/opinions please. I don’t know why all of a sudden this has hit me and I feel emotional about it.
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I work full time 37.5hrs but I do it over 4 days and so does my OH, this means that my daughter is only in nursery 3 days a week, so it works out in terms of paying for childcare. She does 33 hours a week and with funding it means we pay about £530 a month.
I know other couples who do 9 day fortnights and alternate them so the child only does 4 days at nursery.
Same as Sarah, I do full time but over 4 days. I do my normal office hours 4 days a week then 2 hours extra once he's in bed, some nights it feels really difficult but I am lucky my manager is super flexible and he doesn't mind when the extra hours are done. Maybe see if theres a flexible option with your work. I felt exactly the same, when pregnant was sure I would be back full time, on mat leave I was unsure but also didn't want to be part time. I still feel slightly disconnected from my team by being off on a Wednesday but know all my work is getting done.
He does 3 days in nursery 7.30-5.30, 1 day with my parents and 1 day with me.
I’m going back full time which I’d rather not do but we need to upsize the house soon and can’t do that on part time. Plus I’d like any future mat leaves to be based off full time hours. I do shift work so will work three 12 hour shifts and she’ll attend nursery on those days.
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