How do you do it?

Ok so I'm feeling so stressed out and anxious at the moment:(

I've just come off Paid Parental Leave and just realised that Family Assistance is next to nothing!!! Can't possibly live off $200/fortnight

Therefore have to go back to work, NO CHOICE there. DD is only 5mths old

My question is..

Is it like this for others?
How do others stay at home for 12mths before going back to work?
And how do/did you cope?

Fiancially, Working and leaving baby in childcare/family member to look after.

Ok so I'm feeling so stressed out and anxious at the moment:(

I've just come off Paid Parental Leave and just realised that Family Assistance is next to nothing!!! Can't possibly live off $200/fortnight

Therefore have to go back to work, NO CHOICE there. DD is only 5mths old

My question is..

Is it like this for others?
How do others stay at home for 12mths before going back to work?
And how do/did you cope?

Fiancially, Working and leaving baby in childcare/family member to look after.

Hun big hugs. It's the worst feeling knowing you have to go back to work sad

I went back to work when ds was 13 months old just a few days a week but by that time i was keen to go back. There is heaps of mum's out there in the same position so don't feel alone on this one.

I kind of needed to go back when my paid leave was up sad but i didn't, we did struggle but we managed to have our bills paid and food on the table. It was hard but we did it.

My dh now owns a business so im lucky to be able to leave work and now stay home with ds again smile

You do manage only because you have to there is no other option. All the best in whatever happens. Try not to be too stress about it xx

we saved up before getting pregnant because we don't want to rely on government payments (Especially the Gillard Government - she is axing everything left right and centre!)

good luck. Have you looked into the childcare rebate and benefit?
https://sites.google.com/site/mummiesleetlehelper/money-matters/government/childcare-benefit-and-rebate

I hear you. With DD I went back when she was about 6 months old. I started off one day a week, but financially we still struggled so I changed to two days a week and this is enough for us to be doing ok. Maybe try to work out what the minimum is that you need to do and start off working that. We were lucky because my mum and mil had DD for me one day a week each, if we needed to pay daycare I probably would have had to work 3 days.

This time I'll be able to have longer off, because I am up for my long service leave as well as being able to get my work maternity leave and the ppl.

Good luck, I know it sucks realising that you have to go back to work, but I actually ended up really enjoying my two days a week!