Is anyone else returning to work April/may time?

My emotions are running high and low.

Basically the story is this:
Me and OH worked full time before LO, bringing in a fairly decent wage.
We've been fine while i have been on SMP but i realised that when i go back to work ill actually be earning £300 less than what i have been getting...this has put a big downer on things.
So anyway i sold my car so we just share a family car, i've got a cheaper pay monthly phone etc...just to try and help us with ££.
We rent my parents house currently and would love to be able to save for a deposit.

Today i've had a really weird day, i've been offered an extra morning at work, ( i was only going back for 1 day but me and OH could do with the ££ to be honest ) and in a way i feel quite ok about going back.
I've sorted out what bus i need to catch to and from work and beenfiguring out how much of that extra money we can save...i just feel good that we're going to be getting a bit more money than we though ( even though it still doesn't match SMP)

Recently Ive been feeling SO depressed that i've got to go back to work, LO is a little bit fussy and i feelk like only i know how to look after her so im really worried about if OH is going to have the patience to cope with her like i do.

When we first had LO i was adamant that i was not going back to work. I felt like i couldn't leave LO and i just wasn't going back at all, but OH talked some sense in to me and i've been dreading the end of April coming

After all that...how are you feeling about going back to work, even if its just a day or 2 like me?

I went back to work part-time last October when my LO was 8 months. I had always worked full time before that.

I was totally dreading it, but have found it to be a really good balance. I still have days with just me and my LO, but going to work actually sems like a bit of a break form my "job" of being his mum.

You'll probably find that once you start back you adapt into your new routine and will feel much better about everything, I know I did. My second LO is due at the end of May so I'll be going off again on leave soon, (i know only been back to work for 6 months but hey ho!) im looking forward to it, but nervous about being with LO all day every day again.

Its just one of those things, its the change of circumstances that we get nervous about, once you've been doing it a few weeks you'll be nicely settled and will wonder what you were worrying about.

Hope it goes well for you!

aw thankyou, thats really ironic how your nervous to hae your LO all day everyday again...i just find it hard to imagine anything else at the mo x

I go back to work in 2 weeks, working 3 days a week. Sophie been to nursery or an hour this afternoon to get her used to them etc. i cried leaving her and picking her up. Apparantly she had had a few tears while i was gone which i expected. Feel so guilty though good job its not me thats taking her to nursery!

I know what you mean i dont want to leave her but am sure she will be fine without me and it will make the days i am with her extra special.

i think we get so worked up about not knowing what shes doing while your away and crying with people who dont know what she wants

well thats my fear anyway...and thats just with OH! lol

I'm starting back on 12th April. I few months ago I was dreading it and couldn't stand the thought of leaving her but actually now I think I'm ready to spend some time in adult company.

I've dropped from full time to four days per week and OH is reducing his hours too so we can manage childcare between us; her Dad adores her and is great with her but I do worry that he won't do things how I would if that makes any sense, also I am a bit jealous that he's getting four days with her and I'm only getting three even though he is going to be working horrible night shifts and longer hours per day so I probably get the better end of the deal!

I'm not sure how I'd feel about leaving her in nursery so it does help make me feel better that we can look after her ourselves for the time being, on the other hand I'm now starting to feel guilty and wondering if we're being selfish and would she enjoy the social aspect of nursery? Arrghhhh!!

i know what you mean about the nursery thing but me and OH have decided that we don't want to go down that route, we'd prefer to juggle our work days to make it so we look after her.
I know they learn alot of social skills at nursery but i read somewhere that children in nurseries are 80% more stressed than those looked after at home, also i don't like the thought of somebody else bringing her up/changing her and doing all my jobs while i earn money just to spend it all on childcare

I'm not in your situation as Ive just gone on maternity leave again, but I had those feelings before I returned after having my baby in 2009. Working part time is totally to full time, and like the other poster said I found it a chance t have a Break and a bit of me time. I also looked forward to my days off more and really cherished my time with LO when off. I am also a bit nervous about being a SAHM for this leave period and am missing work a bit already ! You'll be fine, you've got it all worked out

This! I don't think it would be worth me going back if we had to pay full childcare costs, I guess we might get some help through childcare vouchers but even so it's shockingly expensive. We don't have any family nearby to help out so will probably have to go down this road at some point

I'm going back full time in 2 weeks...when Autumn is only 6 weeks old. Unfortunatly there is really no such thing as maternity leave here which is aweful. I'll work Mon-Fri 8-5 and she'll be going into a daycare center while I'm at work. I have to go back though since I earn my than my hubby and we can't even begin to pay all the bills with his wage.

So I feel your pain, I don't want to go back when she's so young. I'm going to miss so much as she grows up but if she's to have food and clothing then I have to work!

Good luck to you!