Hey Janice....I have never really thought about giving up my work to look after littlin, but thats because my mum will be helping out and my DH is about the house a couple days a week anyway with work being quite at the mo. If you can afford to give up work and its something that you want to do then go for it! I will be looking for reduced hrs, ie even a 4day week, but all depends on how we will be able to manage financially, with the current credit crunch Im waiting to see how things pan out.

Hugs...Sharon 34+3wk pink bump xx

Hi girls, I've always wanted to give up work after having a baby, which my hubby agrees with. We have always known that this is poss, until the credit crunch!! My hubby is an IT consultant, and may not be able to get new contracts like he did before!! We have not got any savings because we used all our wages to pay for a house, doing it up, getting married etc!!
Have other mums given up work, and how have you coped??
Am I being silly still wanting to give up work to bring up our baby???
Janice and 18+5 week sprog!!
x.

compromised!! I became a childminder so I could earn money while sill being at home with the children. It has worked out really well and my kids have benefitted from all the activities etc too.

I don't think you are silly, I am a big believer in being a stay at home mum! I get really jealous when my kids learn things with other people!!!

Love Tracey xx

I'm on mat leave with 4wks to go until our little minx arrives. I hadn't been with my employer for long enough to get maternity pay so I'm on maternity allowance until April '09. We've never had a "champagne lifestyle" and at the moment we're managing. I do worry what will happen once my maternity allowance stops. Even though my OH is in a stable (or as stable as it can be given the credit crunch) job, we've got the mortgage and bills everyone has. I tried to save as much as I could while I was working, putting as much away to tide us over once I'd gone on mat leave. But babies don't come cheap!

I'd love to think I'd be able to stay home with our little 'un until she starts school, just as my mum and mum in law did. But we'll have to see what happens. The thought of leaving her with a childminder or in a nursery (which to me defeats the object of going back to work as it takes all your wages) leaves me cold, I'm her Mum and I see it as my job to bring up my child. I waited long enough to have her so to me its the most important job us girls can ever do, with some help from the Dads of course!

I'm not knocking the girls who do go back to work though, you have to do what's right for you.

If it comes to it, could you go back part time, for a few hours a day? Is your mum or mum in law local to you so they could look after the baby for a few hours each day?

I'm sure everything will work out, I know its difficult but try not to worry too much at the moment. Lets hope our numbers come up on the Lottery!

Misschiefy & Girly Bump (36wks + 1) xx

Hey Janice....I have never really thought about giving up my work to look after littlin, but thats because my mum will be helping out and my DH is about the house a couple days a week anyway with work being quite at the mo. If you can afford to give up work and its something that you want to do then go for it! I will be looking for reduced hrs, ie even a 4day week, but all depends on how we will be able to manage financially, with the current credit crunch Im waiting to see how things pan out.

Hugs...Sharon 34+3wk pink bump xx

I dont think youre being silly, i think its a great idea and i so badly want to do it i hate work and when my babys here i dont mind doing something p/t from home, but theres no way i want to work full time. I think it will be difficult for us my husbands just starting up a new business but i think once it gets going it will be good for him. Hes agreed that i can quit the job im currently doing and hes really into the idea of me being a housewife, and im all for it! Cant wait.

I dont think you are silly at all - once I had Oliver there was no way that I was going back to work. I am lucky in that my husband has a well paid and fairly safe job (in as far as jobs are safe these days) so we can cope on his wages, although don't get me wrong, we are going to miss my maternity pay when it stops.

I did debate going back part time, no way would I do full time, but then I didn't even want to leave Oliver in nursery for a little amount of time. I did think that if needs be then I might get a part time job say evenings or weekends so that Oliver could be with his Dad, but as it is, I have just found out I am pregnant again and so that kind of made my mind up for me!!!

Good luck in making your decision.
Kelly, Oliver 23 weeks and undated bean!
xx

You could be entitled to another batch of mat pay even if you don't want to go back. Even if your work don't provide anything you should get SMP. I know someone who was in a similar situation and with holiday etc she only had to go back for a week in order to get the full entitlement.