https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:50:09 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-decide-during-maternity-leave-to-be-a-sahm#post-570343 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 17:54:54 +0000 wheres_c 570343@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sort of.... I really wanted to be a sahm but it would be very tight financially on SO's salary alone. I always agreed with SO that I would decide while on leave.</p> <p>Anyway, we came to a compromise that I would ask to work from home and if they said no (which i assumed they would) i would quit and sahm.</p> <p>I created a thread about it here, but basically I told them that we decided the best decision for our family was for me to stay at home. The posters told me not to apologize and I didnt.</p> <p>They ended up letting me work from home and we are meeting to hash out the details, but if they hadn't, I would have gone in for two weeks to tie up loose ends. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-decide-during-maternity-leave-to-be-a-sahm#post-570327 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 17:39:55 +0000 lomom 570327@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I enjoy my career, for the most part, but I really want some time off to be with my son during his first year. I broached the topic of staying home for a year, with DH, and he wasn't completely opposed. He thinks I need to wait and see how maternity leave goes, if I'd actually WANT to be home, after being a SAHM for 12 weeks. He agrees that we could afford it, but struggles with the idea that it's unfair that I'd get to be at home but he wouldn't. (We couldn't afford to both be SAHM/SAHD lol!) He makes more than I do and we could afford to live on his salary alone. </p> <p>The first thing work asked when I announced that I was pregnant was whether or not I'd be returning to work after the baby. I said yes, of course, because up until this conversation with DH about staying home for a year, the plan was for me to go back to work. </p> <p>How did you handle telling work, if you decided during maternity leave, to stay home? My maternity leave isn't paid (there's a small portion that's covered by sick leave/vacation, but I wouldn't be required to pay that back or anything like that). I just don't want to leave them high and dry, if DH and I decide for me to stay home for a year (I wouldn't attempt to return to the same employer but I don't want to burn any bridges). I plan to take 12 weeks and I think after 8 weeks, I'd know whether I'd want to stay home or not. </p> <p>How did you tell work? When did you tell work? Did you go in for a couple of weeks to tie up loose ends? </p>