Need Advice - New Mom or Nurse or BOTH

racing-mom4, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 2008

We as well have no family in town, so that means I work nights and weekend. What about working PRN? What about a Baylor job Friday and Saturday night? The great thing about nursing is the flexibility. Hospitals are open 24/7. I am sure you can find 24 hours in your week where hubby could watch the little one.

Good luck.

jenn27 · Feb 24, 2008

Its a personal choice. Some of the nurses I work with have 3 or more kids and work full time with no problem. Since my husband is mandated to work 6 days a week on afternoons, I choose to cut back to part time. One or two 12 hour shifts a week. Plus helping out for vacations, but i have seniority so i get to be a little picky. There are days i really miss the full time the feeling of satisfaction, plus i passed up a promotion. Then i feel lucky to be able to chase my 1 yr old around all day. I made a list of pros and cons and it was a hard decision especially with how expensive everything is. Good luck.

bollweevil · Feb 25, 2008

I guess it depends on your finances and how important it is to you to not lose your skills. As a fairly inexperienced nurse, I'd say you need to work several days per week to get and feel competent.

I know it is really hard to leave our kids but most of us have had to do it and have survived doing it. So have the kids. Very painful, yes, but what else can you do?

Great idea to get your BSN online. Again, it probably comes down to money.

Having a sitter at your home would be nice, I would think. No guarantee nothing terrible would happen, which I expect is your major concern, as it is for most of us, but nothing wrong with having the sitter come to you. Maybe she will also cook and clean a little? I always had sitters who were middle age. I felt they'd be more settled than younger women. It worked with 1 of the 3 I had. She was an absolute gem, a woman with the heart of a mother. The other 2 - one was a thief (took $300) and she couldn't keep up with my active toddler; the other was fair but wound up bringing her boyfriend into my home, according to my neighbor. She left without notice. We then had a young woman live in with her child, who was the same age as our toddler. It wasn't too bad.

A good choice, I think, is to have your child in somewhere like the Y, where there are lots of people around to see what is or isn't happening and where there are great facilities - swimming, gymnasium, etc. No guarantees but I like what I see at our local Y.

Sorry I can't really answer your question, only I wish you clarity of thought and good luck.

ame31 · Feb 25, 2008

Hi thanks, yes that is part of my problem feeling scared to leave the baby you just hear so many bad things. My husband is more for daycare rather then having someone in the home. I don't have to work but I'm the type of person that has worked all my life (this is a 2nd career) so I feel like I need to be out doing something and besides I want to put to use all I learned it school and to learn more. I'm just very torn at the moment. I'm afraid if I stay with her till she is 2 then it will be very hard for me to find work as a new grad who has also been out of the field for awhile.

BlueRidgeHomeRN · Feb 25, 2008

i'm afraid if i stay with her till she is 2 then it will be very hard for me to find work as a new grad who has also been out of the field for awhile.

at the risk of being flamed, what is wrong with being a full time mommy for a little while? at worst, you'd be starting as a "new grad" again when you go back to work.

if you can find a shift where daddy is in charge, great...but if not, do you want your angel being raised by strangers [if it isn't an economic need]? before i get beat up too badly here, let me say that i was an active duty army officer when i had my first son--had to go back to work when he was 4 weeks old, and both of us cried everyday. stayed home from the time he was 11 months [and i was 7 months pg with little brother] until i started nursing school when they were 4 and 5. worked nites after i graduated..

preschoolers can tell you if something is wrong-babies and toddlers can't. a year or two with mommy makes a huge difference if you can manage it. please don't jump all over me--i've been a sahm and worked as well, so i've seen both sides!! babies grow up--patients will always be there. :twocents:

ame31 · Mar 31, 2008

Hi, sorry I'm responding to this soo late, I didn't realize I had gotten another response on it until today. I appreciate your advice, right now I have decided to just SAH. When my daughter is a little older i plan to go back I decided that I w ill look for a job when the time is right and if I can find one I will take it but for now I'm not going to overstress about it.

MrsCaseyRN · Mar 31, 2008

Your story is so much like mine, it was kind of scary. I am really torn on whether or not to go back to the hospital. I want to but I fear its been too long and I didn't work there long enough to really know my stuff. But I don't think anyone would give me new grad orientation because I'm not a new grad and since I've left the hospital I've been in LTC. But really, that hasn't been enough to keep up my skills, so to speak. I see you've made a decision already. Good luck.

Agnus · Mar 31, 2008

Hi thanks, yes that is part of my problem feeling scared to leave the baby you just hear so many bad things. My husband is more for daycare rather then having someone in the home. I don't have to work but I'm the type of person that has worked all my life (this is a 2nd career) so I feel like I need to be out doing something and besides I want to put to use all I learned it school and to learn more. I'm just very torn at the moment. I'm afraid if I stay with her till she is 2 then it will be very hard for me to find work as a new grad who has also been out of the field for awhile.

It is natural to be concerned about your child with all the things you hear. On the same token it is not such a big bad world for your child. Remember you only hear about the bad things. You never hear about all the wonderful things that happen every day and the child care providers who never harm a child. They far outnumber the bad you hear.

You hear about the bad because it is sensational. It is sensational because it is not the norm.

You have to make your own decision and what ever it is I hope you choose the best for you and your family. Good luck with what ever you choose.