Question about working after baby

This has been troubling me for quite some time now... I work in the city, have no car, and am utterly reliant on the train/subway/and bus in order to get around. My job is great, awesome benefits, and I really would like to keep it for as long as I can. I just constantly wonder how I'm going to be able to continue working here in the city once we have a baby though. My job offers discounts on child care, but it's only for a backup sitter and the center is here in the city - so I'd need to bring my baby into the city, drop them off, then pick up after work, train back to LI, then bus ride home..... And with the cost of child care, I just don't know how we can ever afford that, even if it's only 3x a week (MIL has off on Monday and Tuesdays and would help those days) Leaving my job is just not an option, because I'm the sole provider of benefits, etc., but I really can't see doing what I do now once we have children. Also, all of my family is in NJ or upstate NY, so it's just my in laws and my sister who are local, and they all work full time... Maybe I'm over obsessing, but I can't help but worry about it. Can anyone here share your experience with this if it aplies to you? DH and I are hoping to start TTC in the next year or two, and aside from finances, this is my main concern. People alwasy say "You'll find a way" but I really don't see it happening given our current work situation, and I'm curious to hear about other moms who might have been in this same situation... Thanks so much!

ETA - I should have mentioned our work schedules! My day starts at 7AM when I leave the house, and doesn't end until I walk through the door again at 7 PM (8PM during the summer). DH is home all morning and early afternoon, he'll leave for work anywhere between 2-4 and gets home at night between 9 - 11, depending on his schedule.

Message edited 6/21/2005 5:20:39 PM.

Re: Question about working after baby

Since your DH is home in the AM can he bring the baby to a daycare closer to your home and then you could pick the baby up when you get home from work?

Re: Question about working after baby

that's probably what we'll end up doing - do day cares stay open that late though? I think I just feel bad right now about the thought of having to leave the baby there for so long at that young age. Or is this more common now? I really know nothing about this!

Message edited 6/21/2005 5:45:40 PM.

Re: Question about working after baby

Posted by bluegrl24NY

that's probably what we'll end up doing - do day cares stay open that late though? I think I just feel bad right now about the thought of having to leave the baby there for so long at that young age. Or is this more common now? I really know nothing about this!

Re: Question about working after baby

That makes me feel a little better! Obviously, this is something I'll need to do a lot more research on, it's just something I've always wondered about, so now it's just nice to have a better idea about it 7 weeks - wow!! When my time comes, I'll be blocking all my time off with my allowed maternity leave, since I want to stay home as long as I can Thanks again for the info!!

Re: Question about working after baby

What do you and your husband do?

Re: Question about working after baby

Helena I am in the SAME situation as you. My day begins at 530 am and I get home between 7-8 pm. This is why I am looking for something closer to home because I know I will at least have to work part time.

eta my DH works close to our home....so he would be able to do the whole drop off / pick up for day care - but I still want to be close.

Message edited 6/22/2005 9:40:47 AM.

Re: Question about working after baby

Posted by MrsTC

Helena I am in the SAME situation as you. My day begins at 530 am and I get home between 7-8 pm. This is why I am looking for something closer to home because I know I will at least have to work part time.

eta my DH works close to our home....so he would be able to do the whole drop off / pick up for day care - but I still want to be close.

Re: Question about working after baby

I worried about similar but it does work out in the end - you can find away. But whatever you can do now to help the situation you should try and do.

For me I work in the city and so does DH. We both leave the house at 6:30am and get home 7ish (him 7:30, me 7). No day care can really deal with those hours for the most part and to top it off I don't drive which makes life very difficult now living on LI. I did have an option to stay home but chose to go back to work.

My work wound up letting me work from home 2 days a week (even though there is no company policy in place for this but I have been there 10 years and they like me) and at the current time I care for the baby and work on those days. I have a nanny for the other three days (wound up my cousin graduated college and is taking some time off before going back for her masters - so she is my nanny - not sure what I will do when she goes back full time). I also now try to leave work early - like 5pm on the dot when I can so I can be home a little earlier.

The not driving is very difficult but with my work hours - taking driving lessons is nearly impossible for me but I am trying. It hurts me being able to run errands or even take the baby to the pediatriacian or for visits to family - very tough. So I have to try and resolve that soon.

I think eventually I may look to be closer to home and maybe even go parttime - although it would be a huge pay cut and step down in my career most likely. My fear is if something happens to the baby both Dh and I are so far away. It makes more sense for me to go closer to home than DH based on our jobs. But for now I am playing by ear and hopefully it will figure itself out!

Re: Question about working after baby

thanks so much for sharing that with me Niecey! I really appreciate hearing how other people in our situation balance the whole working full-time with baby and no car act! A nanny is something I should probably look into too - my MIL is home on Mondays and Tuesdays, so we might only need someone a few days a week, just like you. I'm sure I could also work something out with my job as far as working from home one or two days a week as well - I know a few moms here do that once a week.
Thanks again For some reason, hearing from other people just always makes me feel so much better!