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DH really wanted me to return to work. We could have swung it financially for me to stay home, but it would have been tight.

I left the ultimate decision up until she was born and I had a few months with her.

It was hard to go back but definitely worth it. I love being a working mom.

I've never had a desire to SAH. Plus, wasn't an option unless I wanted to pay back my degree in cash instead of time...

I always wanted to stay home with my children, so, before having them, I built a business I ran from home. Little did I know how difficult it would be to work at home with babies. My business grew to the point that it needed to be one or the other, and I chose to sell my business recently. So now, for the first time ever, I'm strictly a SAHM. Will I always be? Maybe, but I have an entrepreneurial spirit and can see starting something else when my kids are in school. Until then, I'm loving being with my girls.

My decision is 100% financial. We can't pay our bills if I don't work, so I'll be returning to work after being on leave for about 5 months (I'm a teacher, so I'm taking 12 weeks plus summer break). If I could, I would absolutely stay home.

I couldn't afford to go back to work. When I found out about twins there was no way my salary would cover three infant day care costs. My salary would barely cover 2. But now that I am a SAHM I absolutely love it and can't imagine it any other way.

I always knew I wanted to be at least a part time SAHM. So I am self employed part time as a photographer and can work as little or as much as I like, I left my full time career 2 1/2 years ago to grow my business. M has always been supportive of whatever I want and would prefer for me to be at least part some SAH and I'm thankful that his income can suppourt us (this was the plan) we did not start 'trying' until we could afford for me to be a full time SAHM. Super excited for our first to come in March. But I'm open to whatever happens. I could see myself working a little or a lot as a photographer or even find a part time job out of the home.

My mom was a SAHM and when I was young, I thought I knew I would want to stay home too. Once I started to build my career though, my desires shifted and I'm really happy as a WOH mom. For me too, the studies on lifetime earning potential for women who leave the work force even for a couple of years are very compelling - and I don't have a career where it would be easy to take several years off and reenter at the same level; which sealed the (already decided) deal.

I wanted to stay home, and luckily my DH makes enough that I'm able to stay home. He works full time as a software developer. He also works from home on a side job to hopefully eventually have his own business. If I don't work I'm able to take care of everything with the home freeing him up to work more from home. His side job makes about double what my whole full time nursing career paid. So, our family actually makes more for me to stay home. Plus we ended up having a 27 weeker preemie. I would hate to put him in daycare since he's more prone to getting sick. I will probably go back to work part time once DS goes to school. Nursing is an easy career to take time off from.

I alwas wanted to stay home and we discussed it before we even got married. We also waited to start trying until we could make it work comfortably.

But I think it makes total sense to wait until you are parenting to decide. You never really know until you are there.

I always fantasized about SAH. So I did it for 6 months, not necessarily intentionally, but we moved states and I quit my job in the previous state. I am grateful for the time I had with LO, and I feel blessed to have gotten that experience. But it was just the right amount of time. I was ready to go back to having my own success, my own money (DH looked at the money he made as "ours" but I never could and I felt guilty for everything I spent bc I had always made my own money), and as shallow as it may sound - just my own freedom and sense of self. I missed being me. I found myself starting to browse jobs. And somehow, I landed a dream job. I went back to work and I love my job. It's hectic, but I love being a WOHM, and I love what I bring to the table for my family. I work really hard, and I get a sense of pride from that. I think SAH made me appreciate my abilities and my talent more. I am proud of what I do every day, and I'm proud of the life that I've helped to create for us.

Not to mention there are SAHM duties that I just hate. Like cleaning. UGH. It just fits me a lot better to WOH. I have a cleaning lady that I'm happy to spend my hard-earned money on and I'M FINE with that. Others may enjoy it or at least not mind it, but not me...I think my priorities in life are just more in line with WOH, but I had to SAH to appreciate who I really am and what I really need to do for both my family and myself.

Same as @sorrycharlie:....

I never imaged I would be a SAHM but working just didn't make sense. Unless I were to get a job that paid X amount (double what my degree would get me, starting off), then there is no way it would work.

Finances. I'm the breadwinner and we couldn't survive on dhs salary. I enjoy my work and am very grateful for that.

I fell into it because we were living somewhere I couldn't work. After a while I realized I love SAH and feel a sense of purpose doing it. I'm now considering WOH next year once the baby can enter preschool but I'm not too excited about it at this point.

I SAH at this moment for a variety of reasons, but the first was because I ended up giving up my job after a cross-country move. Now my husband travels a lot, and the thought of a long commute, a kid in school and a kid in daycare makes me sweaty to just think about it. I keep my eyes kind of open looking for jobs in my field, but also don't dedicate myself that much to it.

I am a SAHM and it wasn't on purpose. We moved here and I took a job over an hour way and wasn't given FMLA time after the baby was born, so I quit. I had intended to actively seek out employment at school up here, but by that point didn't want to settle. Now, two and a half years in, I love the time with my kids and I tutor/teach one class at a community college thus giving me enough intellectual stimulation I am happy.
SAH is so hard and doesn't suit every person.

We could make it work financially if I were to SAH, but things would be very tight. Right now, it's better for me to work, but I hope I can SAH at some point.

I've never had a desire to be a SAHM. I love working, and now am the sole source of income. I have the degree and my job takes care of us. Plus, my husband is a waaaay better SAHP than I ever could be.

Due to money, I never even considered staying at home. We definitely need both paychecks.

I considered SAH but I realllly like having a job and earning a paycheck. Not so much that I would pick work time over time with my kids, but I like having the extra money to buy things and money for their savings. I have a lot of vacation (work in education) so I feel like I get the best of both worlds.