Not retuning to work??

Hey all, I'm really considering not returning to work for a long while!! I'm due to go back in November, but I don't want to miss out on anything! What if she takes her first steps at nursery 😭 I work in the nursery she'll be attending but still!! My problem is though, my partner earns around £49k a year, which means according to all the benefits calculators I've done I'm entitled to nothing more than child benefit, so it looks like I don't really have a choice as he doesn't bring home enough to pay for mortgage, bills, food, transport, baby, pets etc by himself! So I'm wondering does anyone have any tips or suggestions, EITHER for how to not get too upset about missing any of her firsts - she'll be just under eight months when we go back so there's still going to be a lot of firsts to come - OR any ways of earning extra money while being a full time house wife and mummy?? (This is option is literally all I've wanted for about 15 years now 😅)

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My fiance earns 30k, so do I, so while he would cover all bills we wouldn't be able to do anything if I didn't return. So I'm going back on reduced hours, luckily my boss has to allow it as they increased hours while I've been away 🙃

Were the same, my maternity runs out December 1st however I will be doing my 10 keeping in touch days in December so that’s 2 weeks full pay and then I have a week and half holiday im owed so planning January to go back when my lo is 9 half months; I’m right next door having her in the other baby room so it don’t cause to much attachment when it’s time to move to toddlers so I can go see her and see her through the window, but I also just want to cry at the thought of watching other babies all day and not mine! I know I’ll get used to it and happy I can have her with me! At our nursery we wouldn’t tell parents etc if they take first steps etc so hopefully if I didn’t see it I would think it was the first myself when I did and just have to think like this, it’s sad for the dads more who definitely won’t see if it happens there x

I’m in the same boat as you. Entitled to no other benefits and I work in a nursery too but I don’t want to go back I’d love to stay at home but we can’t afford for me to do so. It’s horrible to think about. X

I went back at 8.5m with my first and missed so much. She was with her nanny and grandad when I was at work though so they recorded a lot for me so I didn't "miss it", still made me sad though.

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