Pregnancy:  After Birth: Should You Return to Work?

Are you a woman who has just recently had a baby?  If you are, congratulations!  The birth of a new child is a fun, adventurous, and memorable experience.  Although work may be the farthest thing from your mind right now, it is something that you may want to take the time to think about.  After having a baby, a large number of women wonder whether or not they should return to work.

When it comes to determining if you should return to work after having a baby, there are a number of important factors that you will want to take into consideration. For many women, money is an issue.  How is your current financial situation?  Before your baby was born, were you relying on one or two incomes?  This simple question may play an important role in your decision.  Many women are able to stay at home with their children if they have another source of income, like a regular paycheck from their spouse or live in partner.

Although money may be an issue for you, when determining if you should return to work after the birth of your child, it is also important to examine the money that you may save. As a parent, you likely wouldn’t send your child to just any daycare center.  Unfortunately, daycare providers that come highly rated and recommend often have high fees.  It is not uncommon for parents to pay one hundred dollars or more a week in childcare expenses, just for one child.  It is also important to examine the reduction in work purchased snacks and drinks, as well as gasoline to and from work.  After this comparison, you may find that staying home with your child, after their birth, is actually a cost effective solution.

When determining if you should return to work after the birth of your child, you are also urged to examine the benefits of staying home.  From birth to the toddler age, children are at an important stage in their life.  Many experts have stated that close contact between parents and their children can help improve their relationship, as well as improve their developmental skills, as someone is working with them at all times. These are just important factors to take into consideration.

Of course, it is also important to remember that you don’t just have to be a stay-at-home mom.  There are a large number of mothers in the United States who are considered work-at-home moms. With a computer and internet access, there are a number of work-at-home jobs or home-based business opportunities that can allow you to stay at home with your new baby, as well as bring in a source of income.  If you have yet to return to work, working from home is something that you may at least want to take into consideration.

The above mentioned points are mostly centered on the benefits of staying at home with your child, after their birth.  While there are a number of benefits to doing so, you should also know that there are a number of benefits to sending your child to daycare, as long as that daycare comes highly rated and recommended. Perhaps, the greatest benefit is the social interaction that your child will likely receive by being around other children.  It is also important to mention your own needs. Working from home or staying at home with kids is a large task, one that can occasionally be stressful.  That is why many mothers make the decision to return to the workforce after having a child, for their own sanity.

As you likely already know, the decision as to whether or not you want to return to work after the birth of your baby is your decision to make, but the above mentioned points are ones that you may want to keep in mind.  Regardless of whether you decide to return to work or stay at home with your child, your and your child will likely have a long and healthy relationship with each other for years and years to come.

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