(I had/have severe PPD)
I was pretty confident in going back to work full-time after maternity leave. I knew I couldn't be a stay at home mom. But now that we are almost at 11m, I am really wanting to just be with my baby.
I am fantasizing about working a fully remote job or going part-time. Is part-time worth it? Am I just hitting a high of my PPD? Am I going to regret going part-time or changing jobs?

I think about quitting every day. And I didn’t have PPD!

Of course working PT from home is the obvious choice that most parents want. Wanting to be with your baby most of the time is intuitive and is an indication that you’re a good parent. Your baby of course expects you to be with them most of the time. It’s also totally normal to still have professional goals and ambitions, which you can still nurture in a PT setting. But, it’s OK tread water for a bit professionally when your kids are small.

I worked PT from home with my second and it was wonderful. I felt like I had the best of both worlds. It was a game changer for my family dynamic and enabled me to connect deeply with other parents and build a strong community. Not every day was perfect, but overall it was a wonderful way to experience motherhood.

Working full time with young kids is mostly a toxic nightmare that we need to stop pretending is a reasonable way to live life.

No solutions, just solidarity. I’ve been back at work for a month and miss my 7 month old so much, but also wasn’t cut out to be a stay at home mom without support.
Hope we both find the right balance 🫶

I haven’t even had my baby or started leave, and I’m panicking about going back.

I went fully remote about 3 years ago and switched to fully remote reduced hours about 6 months ago, all at the same firm. It has been fantastic. I still have my annual billable hour requirement and I bill about 3-4 hours a day to hit it. There are some days where things pop off and I bill more, but for the most part I stick to the 3-4 hours.

Just here to say that wanting to be with your baby is not a symptom of PPD lol. I switched to a full time remote position (after 13 months hybrid) and somewhat regret it because I did love my last firm. But honestly the trade off to be with my family has been absolutely worth it.

If you can afford it, stay home while your baby is little. I took 4 years off completely when I had my kids (3 born in 3 years) and then found a great firm to work part-time after that. I've been working full-time for the last few years for the first time since have kids, until recently I cut back to part-time again because my kids are teenagers and still need a lot of support. My husband has a stressful job where his hours are less flexible. I have multiple job options right now (full and part-time), I don't regret a minute of staying home with my kids. Staying at home with the kids was way harder than lawyering, but the right move for me and my family. You'll be able to rebuild your career in some way, but you'll not be able to get that time back with your kids. No judgment for other moms who made different decisions. Just trying to encourage you if that's what you think is best for your family too.