I’m returning to work after 6 months of maternity leave, and I’m really struggling emotionally. I’m incredibly attached to my baby girl, and if I could choose, I would stay home with her. I hate that I have to go back to work. Childcare has been difficult to figure out. We found a wonderful in-home daycare. We would be paying full-time price since they don’t offer part-time. I’m nervous about flu and sick season with her being only 6 months old. My mother-in-law can help every other week, but we would still need care for the remaining weeks. Finding a babysitter has also been nearly impossible because I’m a nurse with an alternating schedule—3 days one week, 4 the next—and I have to leave the house at 5 AM. My husband starts work at 3 AM in the winter, so finding someone willing to come that early has been especially challenging. I’m also struggling with the thought of returning to nursing. I work med-surg, and I’m having a hard time going back to a job where nurses often feel constantly overwhelmed and underappreciated. We just get shit on constantly for 12 hours straight. I’ve applied to other nursing positions, but nothing has worked out yet. Monday-Friday jobs as well but I’m like will I feel better working 5 days? I DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING! Lol My commute is about an hour each way, which means I’ll leave before my daughter wakes up and get home after she’s already in bed. The thought of going three-four days without seeing her breaks my heart. I know she’ll be loved and cared for, and I know I’m not abandoning her by going to work—but that doesn’t make it easier. I’m questioning everything right now: childcare, my career, nursing, and whether staying home could somehow work financially. Did anyone else feel this lost and heartbroken returning to work after maternity leave? Especially nurses or moms with long commutes? How did you cope, and did your feelings eventually change? Any advice on childcare ? My husband and I (29F, 30M) have also thought about me returning to work for five weeks and then quitting (I don’t plan on staying there long term since commute) so I do not work the winter and we don’t have to worry about childcare. We both have savings, but we will be tapping into our Roth so we don’t go through our savings. I know this is not sound good, especially because we are not in the house yet. That is a goal but with this housing climate it seems almost impossible.   submitted by   /u/Severe_Rhubarb_9804 [link]   [comments]