When did you go back to work? - (After you had your baby?)

trista_kay wrote: I am 37 weeks pregnant. This is my 1st baby. The baby is breech, so I'll probably have to have a c-section. After I heal, I'll need to go back to work. I would like to know how you juggled work and a newborn. My fiance and I both have to work, but we are afraid to put the baby in daycare when he is so young. We are also afraid of getting a nanny. (It is not as easy to trust people now as it used to be.) I was thinking of maybe going to work at a daycare, that way I can be with my baby all day and work too. What did you guys do when you had your babies? Please help. I am open to any suggestions!

A&A'smommy replied: I never worked before but I started working recently my mother keeps her. Do you have a family member that could keep her that would probably be better.. I have heard that some day cares don't take babies until a certain age so you should probably start asking around if that is your only option. Good luck!

Maddie&EthansMom replied: When Maddie (my oldest) was born I went back to work after 6 weeks and my mother kept her. I quit work when she was 6 mos old and haven't been back. (she is 5 now).

On another note: my son was breech. My doctor did what they call an 'external version' (turned him) and induced him 2 weeks early so I could avoid a c-section. Of course with the version a section is always possible (in case things don't go as planned), but there is a lesser chance if you do it early. I think I was induced at 36 weeks. You said you are already 37 weeks. I'm certain if your doc practiced that he would have presented that option, but you might ask him if it isn't too late.

Good luck and let us know what you decide about going back to work.

Welcome to the board, too

mama3x replied: I went back to work part-time 3 months after my 1st (vaginal delivery).

I haven't returned to working in the outside world yet after both 2 and 3.

mom2tripp replied: I had a C-section and returned to work after 2 weeks (take in mind that Tripp comes with me and it's a family business) Is there any way you could bring the baby with you? or leave him with a family member? Sorry I'm not much help:(

ediep replied: uuummmm, haven't yet. DS is 2 1/2

~KARA~ replied: I havnt wrked since I was 8 weeks preganant with my youndest dd who will be 3 in 10 days!
My dh didnt want any of the kids to go to daycare or a baby sitter cause he saw what my oldest dd(not his bio dd) went throught, going to a sitter,

Best thing to do is see if you can get a family member to watch the lil one. Or start looking now for a sitter, you can always do a background search on them!

JAYMESMOM replied: I went back at 6 weeks after a c-section. My parents kept my daughter for the first 6 months of her life and she has been in an in-home daycare since (she is 16 months old.)

Depending on your financial needs a daycare may not pay enough for you to still be okay financially. Do you have any friends or family close by? Or what about referalls of people from friends and family?

Kaitlin'smom replied: I went back about 7 week after my c-section and we have a sitter she lives 5 minutes from work and is like family sincer our MIL are best friends and have been since HS. Kaitlin has been there a bit over 2 years. It works for us.

I would see if family members could watch the baby or try different shifts than your SO, or try a sitter, ut make sure to get references or do a background check, any sitter shoudl be fine with them if not stay away from them.

Good luck and welcome to the board

Jamielou replied:
Same here i my mother quit her job just to keep my daughter for me.. My sister runs a daycare and they can start at 6 weeks of age but it is expensive. But if you work there then your first child is free then after that you have to pay.

Jamie

Jamielou replied:
I forgot i took 7 weeks off with delaney and 3 months with carley...

A&A'smommy replied:
I just wanted to add to this ITA with this don't go with a c-section just because he is breech now. There are LOTS of natural ways to get a baby to turn if they still wont turn and some docters will turn the baby themselves. Please read up on c-sections, induction and drugs during delievery. I don't really see anything wrong with any of them but sometimes natural (with intervention not without an epidural) is much better!! Good Luck!

TeagansMom609 replied: I went back 3 months after she was born. She was with my husband everyday up until a month or so ago when he got a different job that is 9-5. Now she is in daycare. Daycare is a BIG RIP OFF in my opinion. It costs over $800 a month just for her to get sick every other day from all the germs. Ugh, I hate it. I hope after this next baby I can stay home for good. (sorry little vent)

Anyway, if your strapped for cash I would try to find a family member to help out. Or, if things get really tough, one of you could work the night shift and stay home with the baby during the day so the other could work 9-5. We did that for a little while. It was so hard.

Working at a daycare is a good idea, I tried that but the pay was so bad. It was about $9.00 hr and that is just insane! I would have received a 80% discount. It would be cheaper to sit home.

Good luck, I hope it all works out. Its hard but you will think of something.

paradisemommy replied: my dh and i are both in the hawaii air national guard - he works full time and i work part time so except for our one weekend a month that we work (my mil comes and watches taven) i stay home with our son and if by chance i have to work more days, then we just alternate our schedules so either one is home with him. oh and i almost forgot - i took off 6 months after the c-section before i returned back to my one weekend a month.

we are very untrusting people and all of his family that live here work so me staying home with taven works for us - but it's definitely not for everyone -

Mom2Kurtis replied: One year. In Canada we have one year maternity leave.

mummy2girls replied: Jenna was 4 months when i went back to work but thats because i had to..i am a single mom!

MommyToAshley replied: 1 week, but we run our own business and I work from home.

I agree with checking to see if your family or a close friend would watch your baby. It would be hard to trust a complete stranger with the most important person in your life. I think a job, like daycare, where you could take the baby to work with you is also a good option.

Good luck!

coasterqueen replied: With Kylie I went back to work when she was 10 weeks old (I had a c/s with her). With Megan she'll be somewhere around 16 weeks (born 3/16 and I'll go back to work 7/5). I had Megan via VBAC.

I work out of the home because the type of work I do I can't do from home. Some of it I can and am right now but I'm having the worst time WAH with a baby and a toddler right now. not sure how anyone else does it. I always feel like I'm ignoring my children when I do work.

trista_kay replied: Thank you so much everyone for all of your advice. The doctors say that the baby will be here any day now. I just had an ultrasound and luckily the baby has turned head down naturally so I am going to attempt a vaginal delivery. And about working.....I may attempt to work a night shift while my hubby works a day shift. But I am really interested in working from home. Do any of you work from home? Do you have any advice on how I can start? Thanks again.

huggybugboy replied: Im not sure where you are but Im in california. You get 8 weeks for a csection plus you can take an additional 6 weeks paid family leave. My time is almost up I will have to go back to work for about a month and then I go back to school full time. My mom will be watching my little bug.

tammyhopkins replied: My hats off to you all that returned back to work within three months. That must have been very hard to do. I am very lucky because in Canada we get 1 year off work to stay home. Take as much time as you can it will be worth every moment.

1stTimeMom replied: I had a c-section and I went back to work at 4 weeks. My mom keeps my little because she doesn't want him to go to daycare, because she likes to spend lots of time with him (this is her 1st grandchild).

luvbug00 replied: Trista Kay

I was 18 when I had Mya and Since my whole family worked and I couldn't afford a nanny or daycare I went and worked at a daycare center. I got amazing discounts and Since I worked in the Baby room I could keep my eye on her. As she got older I had made friends and so I knoew she was in capable hands. If you REALLY like kids, LOTS AND LOTS of kids, then It's the perfect situation. What beats break time with your favorite buddle of joy?

Mom2Boyz replied: I didnt' go back to work for about 9 months after Conner was born, but when I did my mom kept him. I'm hoping to be able to stay home for at least that long, maybe longer with this one.

Mylilprincesses replied: My work is so irregular and requires strange hours/travel so I went back on and off after Olivia was born starting at about 6 months. I had a nanny travel with us though so she was always on the same location and just a few yards away most of the time. I now actually plan to take alot more time off with Ava...I don't expect to return until next year sometime. Again, we'll have a nanny. I hate having others care for my kids but with our situation, its really the only option. I wish my family were closer. Thank goodness Justin's schedule will coincide more with mine in the upcoming year or so as we'll be collaberating together on the same project otherwise we'd never see each other or the kids at the same time.

Edited for spelling