My husband wants me to be a stay at home mom, but I don't know if I can do it

Modern Parent

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As I prepare to head back to work tomorrow after my two-month maternity leave, I'm feeling conflicted. I have an incredible WFH job that I've had for almost a year, but now that my son is here, I'm not sure I can manage both work and motherhood. My job requires full-time work and meeting daily productivity goals, which can take all day, and involves critical thinking.

Although I love my job, I'm uncomfortable with the idea of leaving my baby at daycare. Nannies are out of our budget, and I don't trust anyone else to take care of him. Plus, I'm exclusively breastfeeding, so I need to be available for my baby throughout the day.

My husband works full-time, and my mom can only help two days a week. We have a joint account, but we also have our own money. We share expenses and use our personal money for our own needs. I've always been good with money and have a decent chunk saved up.

My plan is to stay home with my son until he turns three and enroll him in pre-k. Hopefully, I can return to my current job since I'm a top performer, and they want to promote me.

The idea of not making money and not contributing to my retirement fund is daunting, but I know that being present for my child is what's best for both of us. We can live off one income, but we'll have to be very frugal.

I'd love to hear from other moms who have faced the same dilemma. Have you quit your job to be a SAHM? Did you eventually return to the workforce, and was it difficult? I'm also concerned about the employment gap, so I'm considering looking for a part-time WFH job that's more flexible, but I know that won't be easy to find.

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