To stay or not to say (at home), that is the question!

 

When you have a baby, it seems like everyone knows best about how to take care of him or her, except, in their eyes, you!  There is constant advice thrust upon new Mum’s from feeding to bedtime routines. 

It can be incredibly frustrating but in 99% of cases, just rest assured – you’re absolutely doing the best you can (Mum knows best – just remember that).  With that said, there’s no need to stress about whether you should or shouldn’t return to work – it’s a very personal decision and you shouldn’t be rushed.

Of course, you will need to let your employers know your plans, but that isn’t to say they should pressure you. Sadly, a lot of women worry about perceived pressure to not take full advantage of their maternity leave, and so according to Taylor Rose, many of them go back before they’re ready – I personally went back to work when Emmy was 12 weeks old as she could come along with me – this obviously isn’t for everyone.

There are pros and cons to returning to work. For a lot of families, the need for a full second income is just simply unavoidable. However, most places will give some time off paid, so make the most of it. Other benefits of returning to work include a bit more social interaction with other adults (one’s who can actually hold a conversation with you – well most of them), as well as a bit of a break from the home and some personal development. Negative points about returning to work include the panic felt every day that you might miss your precious little one’s first word, first steps, or just simply, that you’ll miss them too much!

If you are considering a return to work, there are some factors you’ll have to take into account. Do you want to go full time, or just part time now? Employees should at least consider your requests for flexible time! Have you fully prepared yourself for being thrown back in the deep end? You can research plenty of trends and developments in your field where applicable so that your bosses don’t worry that you’re not ready to be back. Finally, if you fancy a change of career (or you no longer have a job to go back to), you can check out a variety of positions online on recruitment sites like Indeed, Hales Group and Monster. They’ll give you a little idea of what to expect, what’s out there and the qualifications (if any) you might need.

These are all considerations you’ll have to make in due course, and remember, no matter what you choose before the birth – things may change after. Just know that you’re not a terrible parent in the slightest, just because you make one decision or the other.

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