I am a freelance motion graphic designer, which means I pitch my own clients/projects, and I am the only person working if I was hired for a job. I have unpredictable super busy times and down times. Since I am solely responsible for a project and I work with the TV industry (which always wants things done yesterday), I used to work 60-80 hours a week when I get a project.

So after LO was born I thought life would go back to normal after I got back to work. It didn't work that way. My mind never bounced back to how it was before. It got worse especially since LO went to daycare... I found it very hard to juggle my job and his unpredictable illnesses.... I would be in a lot of trouble if one day he woke up with a fever and I had a deadline! My mind just drifted further and further away from my work and I am taking way less work than I used to. And if I don't keep up, I will quickly become obsolete (because there is always younger and hungrier folks out there waiting to fill what I am no longer able to do!).

Not to mention I no longer want to work 60-80 hours .... Even if I had help, I would have felt terrible to not spend time with LO... considering he is already going to daycare 5 days (about 40 hours) a week. I want to spend every waking moment he has with him.

I have a friend who's a dentist, and her LO is the same age as mine (21 months now). She is still loving her work because she controls her schedule. My other friends too I also didn't seem to hear about their complaints about work /life/ motherhood balance. Is it just me?

What is your experience? What do you think is a good career choice for a working mom?