https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 07 Apr 2026 18:53:47 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm/page/2#post-2060192 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 07:01:46 +0000 Dandelion 2060192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I ended a temp job in a mail room and then I became pregnant. I decided to sah fir D while pregnant. Then I lost S and became pregnant again. Now M is 10 months.</p> <p>I'm sick of being a sahm at this point. I want to find something at least part time. I'm currently looking. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm/page/2#post-2060132 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 00:32:32 +0000 sarac 2060132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I voted 'never worked', which isn't quite the case. I worked through high school and college, but when I graduated from college (I was a little bit older than usual at 26), we knew that we were ready for a family. So, I didn't start a career before getting pregnant, and four years later, I'm still a stay at home parent. I had started my plan to transition out of that lifestyle when I got pregnant again, so I'll put those plans on hold for another few years.</p> <p>We'd always planned for me to stay home, so we'd always structured our budget and spending around my husband's income only. We're really lucky that he works in a field where we're able to do that comfortably. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm/page/2#post-2060124 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 00:13:15 +0000 Cchoi4 2060124@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I worked for about 8 years before I quit to be a SAHM. My work environment was super frustrating and stressful. It was also a small company, so small that I was the only female on staff who was of child bearing age...so no maternity policy yet! I disliked it there and luckily, my husband was able to make a good enough salary where I could stay home. I quit 4 months before I gave birth and didn't go back post partum. Its been 4 years and I"m looking to go back to work now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1822433 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 20:32:46 +0000 MRSHONEYBEAR 1822433@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, I can't wait to read all of your stories! I just got home from work (8pm) after leaving the house at 7:30am. :/ Not sure how this is going to work for us long term. Thanks everyone for sharing how you made the very personal decision of being a SAHP. I think each of you have the hardest job around. Look forward to catching up here after I hug on my babe. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1822316 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 19:18:20 +0000 Tanjowen 1822316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had every intention of going back, and we had picked out a daycare across the street and everything! The closer it got to the 12 week mark, the more upset I got at the thought of LO going to daycare. We arranged for my mom to keep him, which made me feel somewhat better. We looked at our finances and realized we could have me stay home with some changes, but I was determined to go back and give it a shot because I loved my job and office.</p> <p>Fast forward to going back to work, and I lasted all of 2 days before telling my boss I couldn't do it anymore. My mom lived 20 minutes the wrong way in my commute, and I was literally just putting the baby to bed when we got home - it was like I didn't even have a kid anymore! </p> <p>When people ask me, I say that I didn't want to stay home, because I didn't, and some days I don't :). But as much as I loved my job, I loved spending time with Baby O that much more, and it's been a fantastic 8 months I wouldn't trade for anything. I DO have to say that I really wish the USA had a 12 month maternity leave, because I feel I would be ready after a year to go back. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1822147 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 17:37:16 +0000 mdf106 1822147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH is also a SAHD. We had planned this for a while, if it were to be financially feasible, which it is. He quit his job about a month before my due date, because he would have had to travel out of town close to my due date. One year later it is working for our family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1822097 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 16:58:03 +0000 Mae 1822097@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Other! I never wanted to be a sahm and planned to go back to ft work at 12 wks. But I lost my job 3 days before lo was born and we have had a rough few months with feeding issues and c section recovery issues so I haven't yet had time to look for a job. </p> <p>If I didn't have student loans I think I'd actually love to sah until lo is in school and just work part time doing photography. As it stands I'll go back whenever I find a job but I'm not searching that desperately so it may be a while. </p> <p>I put my loans in deferment and we can make all our other bills between my husbands salary and my photography work. And we have a good amount in savings to float awhile if needed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1822057 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 16:22:44 +0000 shellio 1822057@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A different perspective - my DH is a SAHD. We moved while I was pregnant for my fellowship - it was only one year but we knew we would stay in the area after I finished. However the job market was very tight at the time and he doesn't have specific training or skills, so it made more sense for our family for him to stay with the baby. Now we have 2 DS and he can't imagine doing anything else. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1822012 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 15:58:47 +0000 Kemma 1822012@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had always planned to be a SAHM and fate gave us a big shove in that direction when my position was disestablished towards the end of my year of unpaid maternity leave. I was very fortunate to receive a generous severance package and then DH got posted to a new Base so we moved away anyway!</p> <p>My LO will be two in October and I would be comfortable returning to work for 2-3 days a week but we are now expecting a second baby in March so I've stopped looking for work again.</p> <p>Our finances are comfortable enough that we can live on DH's single income but we certainly aren't "getting ahead" financially while I'm not working. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1821981 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 15:38:23 +0000 twoofeverything 1821981@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was a done deal once we found out we were having twins., because childcare for two infants is obscenely expensive. I quit my job when I was 30 weeks. I did try to keep tutoring in the evenings when they were really little, but ultimately that proved impossibly hard. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1821692 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 13:45:46 +0000 loveisstrange 1821692@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not by choice. I was working but quit because we were moving and found out I was pregnant in the middle of the move. No one would hire me pregnant when we moved. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1821552 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 12:42:49 +0000 ellewoods84 1821552@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When I was around 30 weeks pregnant, I went PRN (as needed) at my job. I lost benefits (but got insurance through my husband), but my pay increased dramatically. I was working nights, 12 hour shifts, and that was getting old real quick with being pregnant. I also went PRN because I knew I was not going to want to go back 8 weeks after having her. She is now almost 16 weeks and they haven't called asking me to pick up any shifts and I haven't called looking for shifts. So...I am a SAHM for now and I don't plan on returning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1821544 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 12:38:52 +0000 JessKas 1821544@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was in school and working part time when I got pregnant. When I had LO I quit my job but I'm still a full time student. I plan on working when I am done with school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1821523 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 12:30:58 +0000 Gigi2 1821523@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Did you all tell your employers before going out on maternity leave if you weren't planning on coming back? How did that work? I'm not sure what we're going to do and we want to keep our options open - whether I'll go back full time, stay home or try part time (will depend on how we feel and what we can find in the way of childcare), but think in my heart I want to stay home and feel guilty if I'm not upfront with work about that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1821458 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 12:08:13 +0000 gingerbebe 1821458@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm going take a 1-year leave of absence from work. I will make about 50% of my salary for the first 3 months between disability and leave credits, and then I will be unpaid for the remaining 9 months. We are going to try that out to see how I like SAH and whether its sustainable financially over a long-ish period of time. </p> <p>If it doesn't work for us, the plan for me is to return to work half-time in a year and take it from there. LO will be just about 1 years old at that time, so childcare and everything is hopefully a little easier to deal with if it comes to that. If it works for us, then I will quit my job and stay at home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1821448 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 12:01:40 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 1821448@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When DD1 was born, I went back to work part time when she was 16 weeks old. I was lucky to be able to leave work for quite a while, but the entire time was unpaid and we really took a hit financially. All I wanted was to SAH, but we just couldn't afford it.</p> <p>When I went back, it just wasn't working and I was ready to work somewhere in my desired field and actually start my career. When my daughter was around 7 months, I changed jobs. It was still only 28 hours a week, though, so not full time.</p> <p>When DD2 was born, my workplace asked me to come back to work when she was 5 weeks old. I didn't want to, but they made it seem like I didn't have an option. She was a colicky baby with GI issues and I had pumping issues, so it was an incredibly, incredibly stressful time for me. I would have to sit at the pump four times just to pump enough for one bottle. Almost every single day I was called by the sitter to come home early from work because DD2 screamed ALL DAY LONG. I was supposed to be a PT employee, but suddenly they started asking me to work much longer hours and had very high expectations with low flexibility. I was taking work home with me, working nights and weekends sometimes.</p> <p>When she was about 5.5 months old, we decided as a family that we couldn't take the stress anymore and it would be better for all parties if I quit my job. We were having trouble with our sitters being reliable (family), and hiring a nanny or paying for daycare would cancel out my paycheck anyway (I worked for a non-profit). I was depressed, exhausted, and I just felt like my babies needed me.</p> <p>I was lucky, though, to be able to start working as a freelancer in my field. So although I am now technically a "SAHM," I still work about 20 hours a week from home so that I can still bring a little bit of supplemental income.</p> <p>Although SAH is literally the hardest thing I have ever done, I am much happier. I am glad that I get to be home with my girls all day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1821434 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 11:56:11 +0000 Tidybee 1821434@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went back to work until DD was 14 months. DH got a new job and we moved to a new city so I decided to go the SAHM route. I love it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1821175 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 10:11:57 +0000 youboots 1821175@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>M and I both had careers at the same time for about 5 years. While at my big corporate job I started the photography business I had always dreamed of doing. It went so well and grew organically for several years. We realized that even though I would make a lot less it would be awesome for me to raise our children while running my own business from home. Plus we were paying an insane amount of taxes. So I left over two years ago with the intention to try for a family in 2 years, and build my business in the meantime. I got pregnant almost 2 years to the day. Then M started his dream job with his dream company in January. So it was in our long term plan. I'll be a SAHM Nov-May with an occasional photos shoot and email, about 5-10 hours a week. Then work 20-30 hours a week June-Oct during Oregon's wedding season. So I guess I will technically be a WAHM but it was with the intention of being the primary care provider for our children. During the summers M will be parenting while I am working nights and on the weekends. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1821166 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 10:02:52 +0000 skipra 1821166@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wanted to SAH but we didn't think we could afford it so I planned to return to work. When the time came for me to return we learned DS was not gaining weight. We tried it but he refused the bottle - taking only 8 oz the first day and 6 oz the second day, refusing to nap and then being too tired to nurse when I got home. We probably could've gotten it to work in time but he was already off the growth chart and couldn't afford for him to drop further. My boss offered an extended leave and I had planned to return around a year but I got laid off when the company made some major cuts and then got pregnant again so I'm still at home a year later. I would like to find some pt contract work so we can put our older DS in daycare a few hours a week. Will look into that this fall. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1821084 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 09:35:07 +0000 immabeetoo 1821084@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We always planned on me staying home and have always lived off his income and saved mine when I was working. We moved several times for his job and the last move I only found part time work and then got pregnant. I am working on a sewing blog as a small side income and will plan to go back part time when all kids are school age, maybe full time depending on variables.</p> <p>I love staying home! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1821071 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 09:30:35 +0000 mrsrain 1821071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I voted the second option, but actually it's a little more complicated. I worked until we moved to a new state. Right before I got pregnant I found a part-time job. I ended up really disliking the work and then I was SO SICK thanks to morning sickness. I knew I wanted to stay home with baby, so I quite around 3 months pregnant and have been home ever since. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1821036 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 09:17:44 +0000 Ree723 1821036@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hadn't been working in the immediate few months before getting pregnant as I had just moved to Australia to be with DH and we were still hammering out the last of the immigration details that would give me full rights to employment etc. Once I was cleared, I landed a job pretty quickly but the day I got the offer, DH found out his next project was going to be in a city six hours away and we would be moving there. I turned the job down and found out a few days later that we were actually pregnant with our first. Money wasn't an issue for us so we made the decision I wouldn't try to get a new job whilst pregnant in our new city, especially as the plan had always been for me to be a SAHM. </p> <p>In an ideal world, I would have worked up to the end of pregnancy, but it didn't work out that way and I certainly am not complaining. It was nice to nap whenever I wanted and enjoy nine months of free time before a new baby entered our lives. :-) I will return to work part time once our youngest starts school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1821007 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 09:03:33 +0000 KayKay 1821007@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Similar to @winniebee, I went back to work when my daughter was 12 weeks (she is now 2), but then recently quit due to cross-country move for husband's one-year fellowship. I could've worked remotely for the year or tried to find a new job, but decided to just take the year off and give SAHM a test-run. Depending on how this year goes, I may look for full- or part-time work once we get settled in our more permanent location -- or I may continue to SAH. We won't need my income either way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1820988 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:55:32 +0000 JerricaBenton 1820988@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I worked at our family business so I cut way back once I got pregnant. The plan was always to be a SAHM. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1820897 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:26:06 +0000 winniebee 1820897@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't vote Bc my situation is a little different. </p> <p>I'm a lawyer and went back to work 5 months after my son was born (extended leave) and quit altogether when he was 13 months old because we were moving cross country for my husbands surgery fellowship (a one year position). I decided to take the year off to enjoy life and be home with our son (and not to have to find a job for only one year). We just moved back east but now I'm 5 months pregnant so won't be looking for work until after baby 2 is at least 6 months and even then I will look for something truly part time. This past year was right but we don't really need my income anymore </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1820852 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 07:59:10 +0000 Ra 1820852@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never planned on being a SAHM. I went back to work after LO was born and worked FT for 4 months. I was suffering from some serious PPD/PPA and was having a hard time coping with everything, so I quit to SAH for a year. We are now in my second year of being a SAHM but I plan to return to working next year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1820851 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 07:59:03 +0000 spaniellove 1820851@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't vote because my situation was a little different. I used to work full-time and then left for health reasons, and WAH part-time. Then while TTC I stopped working and although I'd love to WOH now I don't think it'll be a possibility with LO's needs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1820850 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 07:58:31 +0000 littlek 1820850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went back to work after LO was born. I never planned on being a SAHM. LO struggled at daycare and I struggled balancing everything so I quit recently. I love being home with LO! We make it work because we didn't need my income to support our lifestyle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1820820 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 07:39:11 +0000 bushelandapeck 1820820@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't vote because mine is "other". I was laid off from my full-time job while on maternity leave (had planned to come back 3 days/week but the grant funding wasn't renewed). I stayed home for 9 months then found a position working part time 2 days/week. Now that we are expecting #2 in a October, we haven't decided what I will after my maternity leave ends. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-become-a-sahm#post-1820809 Mon, 18 Aug 2014 07:23:52 +0000 Cole 1820809@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I voted that I knew I would sah and didn't go back but it's a little different then that. My husband initially (as in, earlier in our marriage) wanted me to work after we had kids, largely because that's what his mom did. I have always wanted to sah. When we started to try the plan was for me to work until close to my due date, quit and then find a more kid friendly job after baby is born. Then I got pregnant and super sick and had to quit (there's a bit more to the story but that's the jist) we adjusted, figured out how to make it work with me at home and he appreciates me being home even without a little one so we decided to keep this arrangement until it's not working for us anymore. My husband works long hours and I think he realized that if I was working that the time he was home would be spent doing chores and running errands and it wouldn't leave us as much family time as he wanted. With me home I can get the bulk of that stuff done during the week and even have things ready to go for outings so when he is home is simple to do the fun stuff. </p>