Realistically Returning to work

[southerncrunchy]

Hi All,

I need some advice on realistically returning to work after ds is born. DH and I own our own company...I run the office/accounting parts and dh and another employee runs the field work etc. We're pg with our first baby due in October. I have an assitant that works 20 hrs per week in the office with me and she has been a major blessing this pregnancy allowing me to get some extra rest and not have to push as hard as I normally do.

The problem is there is a good chance that she is moving and/or we may have to let her go for financial reasons. I'm hoping neither is the case...but again right now its a strong possibility. On a normal day I don't have to have her anymore, thanks to some changes we've made in billing/scheduling etc. (I mean having her here is nice..but not necessary.) Things are going much smoother and I'm currently having a hard time finding stuff for her to do.

I was planning on taking at least 6 weeks completely off once I had the baby, so that I could take time to adequately heal, get BFing well established and ease back into being in the office FT.

Now that not having my assistant is a strong possbility...I was wondering other peoples thoughts on how quick can I realistically be back in the office? DH can do alot of what I do...but I am really afraid of overwhelming him and him trying to do it all...hubby, daddy, field work and office manager. I can work from home some which will help take some of the pressure off hubby, but I also don't want to short change our little one either. I know how critical those first few weeks are and really want to honor that time as well.

I'm sorry for the long rambling post...I guess mostly I just need to see what other peoples thoughts are on when I can be back "doing it all."

Thanks in advance.
 

[konayossie]

I think it partly depends on the temperament and "neediness" of your LO (SN or HN). I teach and thankfully had DS1 at the end of the semester and essentially had 4.5 mos off with him and needed every second of it due to his HN and raging reflux. If I'd have had to go back at 6 weeks, I'd have lost my mind. However, I've had friends with easy babies who were bored out of their minds by 6 weeks! It's hard to say.