The decision of whether to stay home with your baby or to return to work is a hard one and one that has many variables to consider (most of which are out of your control).  Stay at home moms are often pitted against working moms in the media, as if there is some battle between the two, as if one choice is really better than the other.  But the decision is a very personal one and the choice you make will be the right one for you. 

When trying to decide whether to stay home or return to work the mother and her partner must look at many factors.  Here are just a few of the things to consider when making this very important decision. 

• What option would I prefer?  You need to ask yourself this question first because it may eliminate a lot of the other questions.  If you don’t want to stay home, if returning to work is important to you than you don’t need to give it much more thought. 
• What option does my partner prefer?  Talk about your differences of opinion and work together to meet at a decision what makes both of you feel comfortable.   
• What is our financial situation?  Together with your partner you will need to take a very detailed look at your budget, at what you bring in now versus what you will bring in after the baby (assuming both staying home and returning to work).  Determine what the budget tells you.  If you can afford to stay home and really want to stay home then this is a viable option for you. 
• Do you want to stay home full time or part time?  If you want to stay home full time and can afford, great.  If you want to stay home only part time, either for financial or personal reasons, you will need to determine what your options are.  Talk to your employer about the part time options available for your position, what that would entail and what difference it would make in your pay and benefits. 
• If you return to work full time after the baby is born what daycare options are available to you?  This is important to research as part of this decision as it may sway you one way or the other if you are still on the fence.  Look at the options available to you, what the costs of the various options are, and how those costs fit into your budget.   

As I stated earlier the decision to stay home or return to work is a very personal one.  You don’t always have a say since many women find themselves in a personal or financial situation that requires them to return to work, such as single moms.  If you have a choice be sure to consider all aspects of the decision carefully before making your choice.  You may find that when you ask yourself the question “Do I want to continue working?” the answer is a resounding yes.  Talk to your partner, this is a decision you need to make together.   

This will be a hard decision to make, particularly if the budget is tight but you really want to stay home.  It is important to contemplate this subject early and do as much research as you can so you can feel comfortable with the ultimate decision. 

What did you do to decide if you would stay home or return to work after your baby?  What part of the decision did you find hardest?  Are you happy with the choice you made?