9 Tips for Juggling Work and Motherhood

debbietante1 is right on. It's hard to imagine being "grateful" for 3 months paid mat leave. 3 months is nothing. The US is far behind other wealthy nations when it comes to supporting working mothers. In Canada we have 1 year and even that doesn't seem very long, I can't imagine having only 3 months. It's shameful.

A struggle, and a really difficult choice. All of us, as mothers, are amazing in whatever decision we choose for ourselves and our families. I feel compelled to say that I do not like the comment posted by "olepoolson". I respect your decision to stay home, please respect mine to be back at work. "Finding a way" is not always possible, or even desired. Comments like yours go completely against the grain of this article.

so much for giving women choices.. we should not have to make a choice to have to decide between motherhood and a career. We need more policies and legislation that truly support families.

I still feel some remorse and regret for not having been able to take the job ;solely because I was a women and because of crappy work policies. I am glad to have the opportunity to have been home for the first 10 months of my son's life, however, I still have some anger that women in this day and age are in this position -

I gave up a great job that included a promotion and move to live in Italy which was my dream come true to work with an organization that I always wanted to work for as they would only hold the job for 3 months after my due date because I didn't know how I would feel at that time never having a baby before. AT the 3 month mark my husband looked at me and we both knew there was no way we could have taken the job and move as we were zombies.

For such a 'wealthy country" we clearly value wealth over family and our future generations. The week of the birth of my son I had to decide to take a job or not - I didn't know what to do and never felt so awful to have to be in the position to have to choose between a career that I worked over 20 years towards and the miracle and precious gift I was given of my son.

I think in a country like the US it is pitiful that we do not have better maternity and family leave policies.. what a f&** joke that we are lucky if we get 3 months paid.. most developed nations have double that with pay ie Ireland 9 months, Canada you get 1 year with unemployment payment for part of that, Italy 2 years of almost full pay. My eyes were rolling in the back of my head still at 3months from lack of sleep that I couldn't imagine having return to work;

I have family that lives very, very far away and have their own medical issues. What is left of my husband's family is homebound, so that is out. Our friends work. So the whole "call on on your network of friends and family" thing just doesn't work for our famliy.

There is a reason why a woman feels torn about going back to work. As a stay at home parent, I have seen the selfishness of people who really could stay at home, at least work part time, but value "stuff" over their kids. Many times husbands push the women into feeling she must go back to work. Women need to realize the young years with their children go by so fast! Stay home. Find a way. You can always work later on, but not have those precious first years back. It is worth the struggle!!!!!

That would be nice to have parents come and help out with the baby, but in my situation, I don't have my family living here. My husband and my family live far away and we have to find daycare. I'm looking at daycare close by my work, so that I can visit him during my lunch break.

What about asking a parent or in law to help when mom goes back to work? So many women rely on family to help with kids - I certainly did. In fact, I want my kids and parents around so I actually moved my mom and dad into the house with my husband and kids. The kids love it and so do my parents.