What Is The Right Time To Return To Work After Child Birth?

This is a very valid question, with some mothers returning back to work due to financial reasons, while others do so due to reasons like bills to pay, feelings of guilt towards a partner who is working full-time and the additional money pressures of surviving on one salary. This also gives rise to another question whether mothers are really ready before they return to work.

Yes it is quite true that this is a very tough decision, with some mothers returning back to work sooner due to other reasons than the financial like wanting to return to work, the fear of being overlooked as maternity leave kept them out of the mind of colleagues/superiors, and wanting to maintain a solid career path as well as the social stigma of not working. Many returning to work earlier also harbored the regret that they had missed on the valuable part of their baby’s childhood.

A survey that was carried out regarding whether mothers went back straight to full time or part time jobs after the birth of the baby revealed that every 2 out of 3 mothers that returned to work opted for the part time option with 1 opting to go back straight to a full time position.

Another survey that was carried on regarding how long after childbirth did the mother go back to work revealed that the average was about 8 ½ months, with the average of mothers going in for part time jobs being around 6 months and those going for full time jobs being around 10 ½ month. Most said that they preferred going to work once their child was of primary school age.

There were still some mothers that find the juggling of childcare to be a tricky business and they prefer to share the responsibilities of childcare with their spouses so that each one has some time with both of them; they plan on splitting the maternity leave. There is a minority where the spouse works in flexible timings or part time; however the majority went back to work only in 7 to 12 months, with a minority going back in 1 to 3 months.

Getting back to work after childbirth also means for most mothers to find the right work-life balance which probably your current role may not allow. Setting the right balance involves accepting the fact and making plans to accommodate it by beginning to make changes in your life which allow you to create your own work-life balance.

Mothers could talk to their employer for flexible working hours; while some may grudge it others may be receptive to the idea. If your employer grudges it, just drop the idea as it could affect your work environment, career opportunities and how you are treated from day to day. You could then look for a completely new role with more flexible hours that includes even working from home.

If finance is not an issue you could look at options like voluntary work at your local charity shop or helping with community support. You could also consider going back to college with evening classes or even a crèche and retrain on something you have always dreamt of doing. Another good option is to start a small business that could be anything from an online shop to some craft and skill or a small franchise business.

Setting up a business is a big decision as it takes time, passion and a lot of self-discipline; it may mean less free time in the beginning, but lot of benefits down the line that could mean a dramatic change in your lifestyle. Give yourself a reality check and take up the effort whole-heartedly. Also be sure if the business and time is right for you.  

Last, but most important my best wishes for you to get back to work after childbirth at the right time. 

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