Anyone currently working and considering being a SAHM after baby is born?

[BunNtheOven]

I've been thinking to be a SAHM this time. I didn't with my first one but this one I really think i want to. No daycare bills and get to spend time with them! i do have a pretty decent job for being 23 ( make about 34k to 39k a year depending if I get bonuses or not)but something is just telling me to stay home with this one. I'm considering maybe just part-time work as well but it don't pay hardly anything but at least it would get me out of the house 3 x a week(It would be friday 6p-10pm, saturday and sunday 9-6). My OH has a monday through Friday job, as mine is crazy schedules (530am to 230pm or 10am-7pm or 1pm-10pm and in the summer 2pm-11pm) and I only get off one weekend a month. I don't know what to do!!!!

 

[Nikie]

Hi there! I work in law and the plan is to go back to work after taken a years maternity....to be honest, it isn't massively about the money, it's more about staying up to date in law and progressing my career. But I could definitely see myself with your dilemma for my second child! Sorry - not particularly helpful but just wanted to let you know that I understand!

 

[BunNtheOven]

Hi there! I work in law and the plan is to go back to work after taken a years maternity....to be honest, it isn't massively about the money, it's more about staying up to date in law and progressing my career. But I could definitely see myself with your dilemma for my second child! Sorry - not particularly helpful but just wanted to let you know that I understand!

Aw thanks for the reply. I completely understand your situation as well. It just sucks in the United States when it comes to maternity leave. We only get up to 12 weeks with the family medical leave act to protect your job. And with my workplace, they honestly only give you 6 weeks to protect your current job and after that they just have to have a job for you. (which could be a pay cut if they decided to fill my position). And that's mainly if you work with bigger companies with 50 + employees (which I do, thank goodness). I will be having a c-section, since my last one was a emergency c-section so that feels like just enough time to be able to recover. :/ I'm really considering staying home after this one. I can always go back to my job and at least I don't have any license's or certifications or anything to up keep with. I just wanna be able to see my baby grow up, my daughter seem to just go by and i felt like I missed so much!

 

[Ginag88]

I'm considering staying home as well.. after daycare bills and crap teachers I decided that I will take on that role instead n work nights while DH works days..

 

[confused87com]

I'm considering it. With three it means that in school holidays I'd be paying 110 a day in childcare. I'd be paying less on school days as daughter would have funding and son in school so just after school to think of. But I only earn 120 a day before tax fuel lunch etc. So in holiday times I'd be working ten hours to cover child care and that's it. But I Do love my job....argh is no hard to decide

 

[Lauren999]

I worked half day for the first two years of my daughters life. I have been at home for the last 6 months. I'm currently pregnant and plan on staying home for 1.5 to 2 years after this one is born. My daughter goes to play group in the mornings and is with me in the afternoon. I do enjoy having the time for myself right now, but I do feel bored and get quite lonely. I miss using my brain! Next year I'm going to start studying in a field different to my current qualifications and experience. I don't think I could be a SAHM for the next 20 years!!

 

[Autumnflower]

We are very lucky in Canada we get a year mat leave! After my nat leave I'll be working partime evenings and the occasional Saturday, itll work out well with my dh work schedule we shouldn't need to pay for daycare. Plus I get to leave the house andchat with adults to help keep my sanity. I hope it becomes the best of both worlds lol

 

[ItsAWonder]

I am definitely leaving work for 3-5 years after this baby. I also work in law but am not worried about finding ways to keep up to date but, I do understand that concern. My DH works 7 days a week as he owns a restaurant/bar and right now we switch off taking care of DD so we never see each other. We decided that, with two, it makes sense to have more time as a family so I will return to work when they are in preschool. I cannot wait to be with my babies!

 

[Amy92x]

I don't think I will be going back to work after this baby, which makes me sad as I really enjoy my job (even though it is stressful and AT LEAST 8 hours per day), but something will have to go on the back-burner and it ain't gonna be my children!!

Fortunately I'm in the position where my husband has his own business which is currently making enough money to pay the mortgage, car payments and everything else plus leave enough cash to live comfortably on its own, so my wages are just an added bonus which we are currently using to pay down some loans quicker.

I will definitely return to work someday though, as I couldn't stand to be one of those housewives that stays at home every day for the rest of their lives.

 

[CWB86]

I will take a year off on Mat leave

I'm a bit unsure what to do after that- I would like to go part time to spend more time with baby and reduce child care costs but I earn more than my husband so it will make more sense financially to keep our lifestyle as it is for him to reduce his hours.

 

[lacey5]

I am planning on taking 12 weeks, and then working from home 2 days a week. My husband will work from home 1 day a week, leaving 2 days where I'll start work at 7:30-4 and he'll go in at 9:30-5:30, giving us 6 hours away. Luckily my Dad lives with us and he seems receptive to 12 hours a week since its not much. Not sure how it will actually turnout but that's the plan.

 

[BunNtheOven]

Sounds like a lot of people will be staying home, at least for a while!
I'm really considering just being a SAHM, like you guys, for a while. My workplace doesn't care about how your work life affects your personal life, at all. My boss would literally tell him someone it's not his problem. And I agree, something has to be go on the back burner and it's definitely not going to be my kids either.

 

[Thisismyyear]

I took a year off last time and will probably do the same again. I'm a lawyer too and earn a good salary but my husband is the breadwinner and pays the mortgage and bills. We are planning on sending both kids to private school which is where my salary comes in. If we didn't have that expense then I'd probably consider working part time.

I'd still want this little one to go to nursery. My son really loves going to his nursery and playing with other kids.

 

[Buttercup84]

I work 2 days a week now. I'd like to continue this to keep my work experience recent as I will want to increase my hours once all our kids are in nursery/school.

 

[Jaxvipe]

I am hoping to take about a year and a half off after baby is born. It's way too expensive to send 2 kids to daycare and this way my DD can go to a morning preschool class 2-3 days/week while I stay home. I may need to work a couple nights if we can't save up enough by the time baby is born.

 

[kakae]

I'm wanting to take a year off but what I really want to do is look after little one (due end of March) and big one for the year and then the following year in February go back to university to get my post grad in teaching. That's my plan anyway

 

[Gagrlinpitt]

Once we have number one I will be staying home...

 

[BunNtheOven]

I really wish I could just take a year off and be able to go back to my current position. Unfortunately my work doesn't work like that!