Just curious. No space for judgement for judgement here.

I'm not planning on going back to work but I'm definitely in the minority out of my mum's pals. Fortunately my husband has a well paid role and he has agreed to continue to pay all bills and will match my maternity allowance that I've been getting which is like £800 per month to cover my weekly expenses (he will pay it to me on the 1st of each month). He is going to pay our babies swimming separately and will buy us clothes, or pay for family/friends gifts as they crop up too. Will see how it goes but we've managed so far and I try to be as savvy as possible in the day day spending but do go out for lunches and coffees a bit with my friends and buy baby bits and pieces here and there. I also spend on trains/buses too. Hope this helps.

I’ve not worked since I found out I was pregnant so time to use my brain again - see how it goes! I work in forensic psychiatry so need to be switched on and can’t say my brain is as was 🤣

I would love to not return to work but we just can’t afford it 😔

Would also love to not return but I’m the main breadwinner.

I'd love to at least cut down to part time but we absolutely cannot afford it, my husband would have to get a 2nd job and then I'd never see him so then what's the point in being married and having a kid 🤷‍♀️ ultimately it's my own fault I need to work full time because I put myself in the debt I'm in and I can't expect him to work to pay that off for me.

I’d love to not go back to work and we could afford for me not to on just my partners wage but we wouldn’t be comfortable. I’m a big earner too and therefore we have a big-ish mortgage, I am trying to reduce to 4 days a week, have put my request in and hoping to find out in my call to discuss it next week. If money wasn’t an issue I’d stay at home until my baby was in pre school 😭 x

@Vicky what’s your husband do? They recruiting? 🤣

@Gemma Ha! He mostly does contract roles working in change management. We are also a bit older than most first time parents so are pretty secure in our finances and spending. I know I won't get this time back with my baby so I'm gonna sacrifice my role and see how we get on. I realise not everyone has the option and if it were different I'd probably try and reduce my days or consolidate days to make it work as others plan to do.

I'm going back to work to save what's left of my sanity. I love my daughter but most of my maternity leave I've battled with my depression and I just need to be somewhere she isn't to be me so I have a chance to reset myself before my battle is lost.

Every single mum I know has enjoyed going back to work - having time in their role / back to another purpose.

I feel I need to go back to find me again but at the same time I'd like to go back less days to spend time with baby. My only thing is that I hate being dependent on my other half for money so am doing more days to ensure I can pay my way. I know that's madness but I can't convince my brain to not want that independence 😬