When I went on maternity leave I always intented to return to work after a year - I work in the NHS and I would have had to pay back my maternity pay if I didn't go back to work for a minimum of 3 months and to be honest I thought I would want to go back!

When it came to it I was really regretting having to work again , but thought I'd give it a go - DD is 1 on Saturday and I went back to work on Monday.

I overhead some women down the corridor having a conversation about when they went back - one didn't until her child was 16 and the other said hers was 3 when they went to nursery - I got the impression they were saying they didn't think it right leaving a 1 year old

My Mum was worse today - saying she didn't leave me for 8 hours until I was at primary school and went on a trip (Mum never went back to work) and then kept on about how if I hadn't spent so much in the last year (and believe me I haven't gone over the top at all) then I wouldn't need to go back to work now

It's hard enough as it is as I missed her like crazy on the 2 days I was at work, but as it is I have to give 3 months notice and can't really just walk out even if I wanted to!

Just ignore what other people are saying. For your mum (and probably the people at work) life was very different... Women stayed at home and cooked and cleaned, and men were the breadwinners. Well with the way the economy is that's just not practical these days!

Besides, sounds like you're tied in for the moment so there's no point worrying about what you can't change!

Although, I do believe that you have the right to request flexible working, and your employer has to take this request seriously. So would maybe going part time be an option? You don't have to leave LO as long, but you still get some grown up conversation each day, and a bit more money than if you quit completely (and shouldn't have to pay back maternity leave money).

I went back to work for 5 weeks before my redundancy kicked in and felt guilty about taking him out of the nursery as he loved it! I am having a few months out as a sahm but def want to do something for me too. But I won't feel guilty either way - as long as you have good childcare so your child is happy when away from you then why should you - it takes a village to raise a child and the childcare, if chosen carefully, can really enrich your child's life as much as being at home with them.

If you're a nurse or a doctor then you have worked very hard for your career so if you want to continue to develop that alongside being a mummy then why shouldn't you.

If my mum had commented like that I would have pulled her up on it as:

a. I really don't need my own mother to purposefully criticise me and make me feel bad when already having a hard time going back to work
b. Why did she bring me up to be a strong woman with a career
c. Times have changed sine the late 70's if she hasn't noticed - being a sahm is actually a luxury these days!