How soon after having a baby should a woman return to work?

I went back at 6 weeks - I was not ready or really healthy enough, but I HAD to. I had a "normal vaginal delivery" but was NOT really healed. I went back or lost my job though, so I went back. I got sick at 8 weeks postpartum & was literally in bed for 2 weeks & very nearly hospitalized. My Dr said the ONLY reason he did not hospitalize me was because I ws nursing & it would spell disaster for my nursing because baby would not be allowed to room in. So instead i did daily IV's in his office. It was horrid. I was sick a LOT for the first 6 months. I would not recommend that anyone go back to work if possible for at least 6 months. You need that time to establish breastfeeding, bond, get a nap if you can, heal. It is too much to expect moms to go back so soon & we know for a fact that it leads to more sick days for both mom & baby getting things from being in group day cares, etc. I was lucky in that regard as I had in home care, so daycare wasn't an issue & my child was NEVER sick, but I certainly paid dearly for having to be back too soon With my 2nd I quit & I was not sick ONCE. I healed much faster & I enjoyed parenting MUCH more. I would not have gone back after my 1st either, but I had to at that time. Dh had lost his job & was new in a 2nd one & we took a financial hit while he was out of work, etc, etc. it was not our plan that I would HAVE to go back to work, but things happen & you do what you have to.

Actually it is totally not recommended for a woman to return to work after giving a birth because she has to stay full time with the baby and take care her. But due to financial circumstances most woman return to work leaving the baby with someone to take care till she return from work which is not acceptable. It is far better to return back to work at least after a six month's stay with the baby and not less than that. But it never happens the way I have written here. Good luck and God bless the child.

Depends on how much she needs the money, if she's needed more at work, or if she doesn't want to stay home. There are so many reasons why a woman would or would not return to work.

I am a working mother to be and I will be going back to work when my maternity benefits run out. I have 52 weeks of paid maternity leave and I plan on using them all and not return a day earlier than expected.

Depends on the type of work the woman has to do. Though it takes at least 4-6 weeks for her body to return to a fairly normal state. Some women who work at home or have a desk job go back to work in one or two weeks. I never did go back to work, my babies were my #1 priority, why have them if you want to have day care raise them, was my philosophy...

It depends on how she is doing. Some women return to work a few days after delivering and others choose to stay home for good. I went back to work after 8 weeks, but had some complications after delivery so I needed more time to heal.

Hope this helps!

This depends entirely on the woman's situation.

My oldest baby is 8 years and I still haven't returned to work...

I wouldn't have wanted to go back for at least 1 year as I would hate to have to mess around with pumps and bottles and everything.

in canada we are given 1 year of mat leave with pay (55% of your weekly earnings). so almost every woman in canada takes advantage of that for each of thier children. i recommend it. i dont know how other countires dont do the same. a baby needs thier mother full-time not just part time. i could never imagine leaving a 6 or 8 week old to go to work.

There are so many variables - economic, career, personality, family and community support, tolerance level (!) but if returning to work is a necessity for any reason I would consider six months to be the minimum, with the optimum being when the child/ren start high school. (This is with regard to full time work.)

Like Vic I also live in Canada. I believe a woman should be allowed one year of maternity leave. Especially because it is the recommended minimum length of time a woman should breastfeed for.

hey keith i'm of the opinion that she shouldn't return to work.

i honestly believe that the mother should be home raising her child/children.

i know in some circumstances that is impossible and you have to do what you have to do to pay the rent and put food on the table.......but i think if it is at all possible lifestyles should be pared back so that mum can be home. i believe there are a lot of people out there who could stay home if they did that. but that's just my opinion and i'm ready for all the thumbs down. :)