Guilt

I am in the same position, my work doesn’t allow for part time and my baby is in nursery full time. You are doing an amazing job! You looked after your baby for so many months and you are now working to have enough finances to provide you all with a great life. Your little one will have good and bad days but they will get used to nursery. Try to make the most of pick ups/drop offs/time with your baby on the weekend and Christmas and NY coming up soon x

I am also a single mum and have my daughter in 4 days a week Oddly I was better off financially working e0hrs rather than 37.5 (4days instead of 5). It is so hard. Often I think they are spending more time than I am. I feel like I hardly ever see her and by the weekend comes around she's exhausted. It's so hard but it's what we've got to do sadly. I keep telling myself the positive es of my little one being at nursery and she's definitely getting more from there than she would stuck at home with me. It is hard though but it does get easier.my little one has been going for 2.5m and she is so happy to go, gets all excited when will pull up in the car and then at the end of the day when I pick her up she is overjoyed when I walk in the door xx

It's so hard, my baby is going two long days at nursery then 1 day with my mum. Not quite full time I'm doing 30 hours but still feel the same as you. But you will suffer more then them, I don't remember my mum taking me to childcare, but she did. You are also teaching your child you have to work to get nice things, you are providing a good future for them so you should be really proud of yourself. I hope it gets easier for you xxx

It doesn’t matter where they go when you’re working you will still feel extreme guilt. My first was going to their granny’s full time and it took months for me to settle 🤣 This time my LOs are going to childcare two days and with granny’s the other three days once I go back to work. In time the guilt will stop I promise but might be 3-4 months.

I appreciate the replies, I know it doesn't help but I can't help but feel guilty especially when it seems the majority of babies only seem to be in childcare 2-4 days. I feel so bad for my baby who doesn't understand why I keep leaving her. I'll just give it time then reevaluate where I am at with work.

Have you checked to see if you'd be better off financially by cutting hours and only working 4 days ? I had to do a lot of calcs to figure it out x

@Chiara unfortunately having done the calcs even with the childcare saving if I dropped to 4 days I would not be able to cover my mortgage and outgoings

I’m in the same position, single mum and I need to work full time to afford to live, my baby has been in full time since end of September. Apart from the illnesses and having time out of nursery for that, he’s settled in really well. He loves it now, the nursery teachers get more smiles and giggles than I do and I feel like he’s come on developmentally so much since then! The nursery team also said that generally full time kids settle in so much better because of the routine and the time spent there. Sending my love though because I get it but whatever decision you have made is best for your family ❤️