Looking for advice from other moms on how you balance work and family. I just returned from maternity leave and working 8:30 am - 5 pm and plugging back in around 7:30-10 or midnight (sometimes later). Only getting a few hours of sleep until baby wakes around 4 for a feeding. I’m losing my mind.

If you are somewhere remotely flexible, don't stick to such a rigid schedule. I used to essentially work 8-10 hours over the course of 14. I would log in around 6a and work til 8. Back online again from about 10a to 4p. Then another hour or two spread out between 5 and 8, but off for the night at 8.

There were some nights, if the baby was sick or whatever, if I was awake I would just work whole babywearing and do like 130-330a.

Flexibility and autonomy are great for those newborn days. If flexibility isn't an option, I don't have helpful advice but can assure you that you aren't alone. Being a working mom in the legal field is painful AF!

Also, if you aren't already, outsource what you can! Get prepped meals such as Factory meals for your lunches and hire help cleaning the house. Few of us are "doing it all." We've got help somewhere.

I never considered the schedule you’re describing. Don’t fault yourself if that’s not working, it sounds impossible.

Ask for as reduced a schedule as they’ll allow and start there.

Piling on on the reduced schedule idea. It’s okay to not be able to do everything all of the time, especially with a baby at home.

Just had my second and I’m going on reduced schedule.

Why are you needing to log back in after a full day of work? You may need to look into finding a different position that won’t require that much overtime. I have a 2 yo and work full time and can’t imagine spending my entire evening working after working all day.

I am on my third mat leave right now and have a newly 2 year old and a 3 year old. Having a really helpful spouse is huge. He picks up all my slack when I’m slammed. The rest is just taking it day by day. I also work from home more frequently than I am supposed to and if they ever really cracked down on that and I had to come in three days a week (and commute and park and be gone all day) it would be a huge strain on me. I probably miss two or three required in-office days per month, between kids’ daycare closures and illnesses and general exhaustion.

That sounds so terrible!! I’m in a similar situation. I have a 3 yo and a 1 yo. I often get up and work 4:30-6, get ready for work, work in office from 8-5, get home, then work after the kids go down from 8-10. It’s very hard and I still often don’t hit billables (kids get sick, I get sick, nonbillable commitments, I oversleep, etc.). Remember, your career is a marathon, not a sprint, and this is just a phase. Prioritize your family as much as you can but give yourself grace for not doing everything perfectly. You’re doing a great job!!!

Don’t do reduced schedule. You’ll still be working a lot and doing yourself a disservice by telling everyone you’re on reduced schedule. Outsource everything you can. It gets better - first year is so so tough to balance work but it will get easier I assure you.

Just wanted to say that I came here to post something almost exactly the same. So close to giving up and I haven’t even started yet

I just had my second and returned to work a few months ago. Baby still is not sleeping through the night. It’s very rough. I’m a 10th y also on partner track and supposedly up this year. I work 12h per day. We get good help, and I try to remember that things will get better as they get older. Just grateful to spend time with them. Unlike before I don’t work on weekends anymore as we don’t have childcare on weekends and don’t want to leave my husband to do it all.