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It was pretty easy to go back to work - but I think a lot of it is mental. If you keep telling yourself how tough it's going to be, or assume that it should be/has to be tough, that you're leaving your kid with "strangers" or feel like you should feel guilty.....well, you probably will have a tough time of it.

LO was also a rough, colicky mess as a newborn, so going back to work was kind of a relief!

I had a really hard time after DS1 and had extreme ppa after going back to work.

I've had a much easier time the second time around. I'm not sure if it's because it was the second time around, if things were hormonally just different, or because I took an extra month off this time....either way, it was much easier.

Easier, but it was only part time. I missed DD but I knew she was in good hands with my mum so I didn't need to worry.

It was easy. The only hard part is that I don't particularly love my job, so even tho I know SAH is equally, if not tougher, it was just hard emotionally to choose to spend all my waking hours at work instead of with DD.

Other than that, it was easy since DH and my mom watched her till 10 mo when she started going to daycare and even then only part time.

The first time I thought it was going to be hard, but I really really enjoyed going back. LO was with a rotation of my family during the days that I work. I also work split shifts, so I got to spend a few hours with her in the afternoon. I had a lot of anxiety thinking about it building up to going back, but the whole transition was much easier and enjoyable than I thought it would be.

I go back to work this weekend after being off for 13 months. This time the girls will be in daycare and not with my family. We've done a few transition days yesterday and today at the daycare and it's been very very hard on me. I was a complete emotional mess last night and had a good cry. My older girl is having a hard time, but my younger girl is doing well so far. I feel very emotionally tired and stressed about starting back this weekend. I'm sure it will be fine, but again, the build up for it is hard.

Better than I expected!

@snowjewelz: this is my feeling exactly, I continually am frustrated that I'm away from my kids doing something that I'm dissatisfied with

however, I do know that I appreciate the adult interaction and feeling like I am contributing monetarily to our family unit and that the burden isn't solely on my husband so I have some fulfillment

@Mrs. Pickles: It comforts me that I'm not alone! (well, but I really honestly wish no one has to feel this way!) I sadly am the breadwinner so I must and will continue working, always... So I think the fact that I can't change that, actually makes it easier so I don't have to make a decision.

I didn't go back until LO was 7 months and it was part-time with my mom as childcare. By then I was very ready. I think I could have gone back even earlier. She was a hard baby and it was good for me to have something of my own.

When LO was in daycare when she was older, and my work picked up to where I struggled with balancing everything, I became more and more dissatisfied with our arrangement. Even though my job was fulfilling, I hated missing out on everything during the day with her. She was learning so much and I wanted to be the one to teach her. The first cold/flu season with daycare was tough, too. So it was actually a few months in to being back at work when it got harder, which I hear is usually the opposite.

Now I SAH/WAH very part-time and I'm really happy with that.

It was easier then I thought!
With that said our situation was ideal for us!
She is with an at home sitter who I know and trust more than my own self at times

I would be a SAHM in a second but I like our way of living

@snowjewelz: same! I know that I am not cut out to be a SAHM but I really don't like my job so I hate being away from her doing something I don't like.

My maternity leave ends feb 1st. I'm so sad to leave my guy, but I really do love my job and my coworkers. So far, the infant stage has been easy for us, but DH is a professor, so we've both been home. I think it's going to be way harder when we are both back at work.