Working fulltime when babies are young

[BayleysMum]

Hi,

I have a job interview on Wednesday for a full-time job. I graduate university in June and I applied for this job hoping they would get back to me over the next few months but they got back to me within an hour. I have a 3 month old and a 2 year old.

Does anyone have any good stories about going back to work when babies are young. My mum stayed at home with me until I was 9 so I just dont know how I would have felt if she had of worked full time when I was younger.

Did anyone's parents go back to work when they were really young.

I am going back to work solely because I like working and want a career. Is anyone else in the same situation?

[Amara]

I went back to work full time when my bub was 7 months old. He's adjusted very well to day care & I've not had any concerns about leaving him there since I dropped him off on the first day.

I do however have trouble keeping up with the housework. After a full day's work, picking up bub, playing, feeding, bathing etc the last thing I want to do is housework. If you've got help with the housework you'll probably be OK. I don't have as I'm now single and my ex was really good around the house.

Just remembered that my return to work also coincided with my son starting to wake between 3am & 4am every night for an extra feed. I've been exhausted since returning to work.

I'm now trying to get my hours reduced to 3 days a week.

[BayleysMum]

I dont mind if you have bad stories as well. I just want an idea of what it is like so I can make up my mind :)

[bigglet]

I went back to work full time when my DD was 5 months old and to be honest it was hard. Mainly because I felt separated from her - the first few weeks were the hardest and then it does get easier once you work out routines etc. My DD went to both childcare and my parents and had no problems adjusting to either because she was so young.

When DS arrived I went back to work part time when he was 4 months old.

Just getting into routine and planning ahead (meals, cleaning up etc) helps.

All the best!

[mim1]

Honestly, I'm struggling. I went back to work just after my ds turned 1. I went straight back to full time work and there was no definite way of predicting my exact finishing time on each day (sometimes urgent stuff comes up). It's the urgent, unpredictable stuff that makes full time work even more challenging for me. For that reason alone my ds can't go into care easily and the only way I cope is because mum looks after my ds 4 days a week and my dh 1 day a week and they are quite flexible.

Then, it's the other things. My ds was sick earlier this week and screamed for 2 hours from 8 - 10pm, ending up in bed with me. Eventually (well after I should have been asleep) I put him back in his cot, but he woke screaming at 3am again and came back in with us. Might not sound like a big deal, but it's the first time in many, many months (maybe 12) that we've had a night like that (he is 2 years old) and on top of me working a 100 hour fortnight it's really exhausted me.

So, it's a fine balance making full time work, work, and we've found that tiny little things can really upset the apple cart - like 1 bad night of sleep, or 1 doctors appointment, or grommets (tubes) stopping working which means yet another operation, etc, etc, etc.

I survived (barely) working full time for 12 months last year and now although I'm only 1 month into a 12 month contract, I know now that I won't be planning on continuing full time work when this contract expires (even with just 1 child). The only way it could be possible for us is if my dh stayed home full time and that's not possible.

[MrsMiggins]

I went back to work full time when my DD was 7 months old. Although I was working from home, I never got to see her, as I had to have her looked after (either by my parents, or DH when he was home) in order to get the required amount of work done each day. The thing I found really difficult was that at that age (I was working from when she was 7 months old until she was about 16 months old), she was learning new things every day, developing, walking, talking etc and I really felt as though I was missing out.

I also found out I was pregnant the week after I started back at work, so I knew I needed to keep at it in order to be entitled to my maternity leave again. It was really hard & I dragged myself through each day, clock-watching the whole time. It was quite a bit different to your situation though in that I hated my job! I was only doing it because I had no choice. I counted the days until I could take maternity leave again and resigned from that job once my second lot of leave was up.

[bigglet]

Did anyone's parents go back to work when they were really young.

I am going back to work solely because I like working and want a career. Is anyone else in the same situation?

My parents both worked full time when I was really young and I am a product of full time childcare.... LOL
I did miss having a stay at home mum but that was the sacrifice she made to give us a good start in life.

I'm similar to you in that in order for me to sustain my career I have to work because if I gave up work (even if it is just over a year etc) I would lose my professional skills and ultimately my career. It's a tough choice.

[StrawberryTheMilkshake]

I've worked fulltime since my DD was 5 months old. She is now 4 and at school.

Im not going to lie, it is hard work. I find that i have to be super organised with ironing, washing, lunches, dinners, etc. We utilise every hour of each day!

Last night i got home at 5.30pm after picking up DD from after school care, and then had toasted sandwiches for dinner- easy- then i went and got the groceries.

Our weekends are made up of housework, catching up with things, etc. Sometimes DH has to work on the weekends so it means i do it all on my own.

But, on the positive, i guess that my organisation skills are better, i am able to think clearly, knowing what needs to be done.

I do miss seeing alot of my DD but i have HAD to work full time (due to a past mess) and i havent had any other options.

So, i make sure that i utilise the time i have with DD and utilise it specially.... just her and i. Or if Daddy isnt working, we all do something together.

So im not going to lie to you- it CAN be very hard, tiring work. But you can make it work you just need to write alot of lists and be super organised!

We dont have anyone we can rely on so its just us.

If you have a good support network that can help with the kids, then thats great.

I guess something else to consider is the cost of daycare will increase if they have to go full time, etc.

Maybe you could just sus out the pay at the interview, do your calculations, etc.


Good luck with your decision.

STM

[MsMummy]

I completely understand your motivation. I only finished uni a couple of years ago and have kept working as I don't want my experience or qualifications to date (which, i think, is important at the beginning of your career).

I haven't worked full time since I had the baby, but I started 3 days a week when he was 3 months. I really enjoy the balance, but don't plan to increase my work hours, at least for a year or so.

My employer had three children under 5 a couple of years ago and didn't have any signficant amount of time off work. I think she put one in at 6 weeks. it worked for her as she felt aggrieved at the thought of putting aside her career, and she didn't like being at home.

if you're after reassurance about any negative childcare implications, you probably can't get it from anecdotal information (eg. "i put my baby in childcare and he was okay").

I think there's a fair bit of research on childcare. I haven't really read it but my partner does psych at uni and he says there are heaps of articles.

My only advice is if you're going to work, start looking for good quality care now. I was lucky enough to find a great FDC mum the first week I looked but I've heard of other people looking for ages.

And when you go, spend ages with the carer and watch what it's like so you feel comfortable.

My personal opinion on childcare is that it's not necessary for young babies but it doesn't have to be detrimental either.

Oh, the other thing is that once you're in a full time job, and if they like you, they'll probably let you cut down your hours anyway if you want to work less.