SAHM or Working Mom?

I plan on working from home. I am currently TTC and have had 2 miscarriages this year. I had made arrangements after the first miscarriage to work from home full time. So hopefully when the baby gets here I will still be working from home. I have been with this company 6 years and have an amazing boss that lets me have very flixible hours, so I (although I never thought I would say this.) Plan on working. I ALWAYS said I would not have kids unless I could be a stay at home mom. However since my job offer flexibility I can do both, and it will be nice having the additional income. Also mine and my husband use my health insurance plan so it makes the most sense for me to keep my job. My mother in law also lives really close, 3 miles away, and she does not work. So I will have plenty of help. I have also considered an Au-pair maybe from france or Itlay to help out with the kids 4 hours a day while I shower, run errands and all that stuff.

I consider myself to be a pretty intelligent person. I enjoy engaging conversation about politics, literature, current events and the like. I am currently trying to finish my degree in school. I don't intend to allow all of this to simply drop when I become a mother. However, I do intend to become a SAHM. I know that some of you might think that this is a bit of a contradiction, but it most certainly isn't. Just because a woman decides to stay at home to act as the primary caregiver for her children does not mean that she will automatically become a Stepford Wife, with no motivation outside of keeping everyone else around her happy. Also, I'd like to point out that just because a woman decides to remain dedicated to her own career, that doesn't mean that she is a selfish person whose children will grow up stunted. I firmly believe that it's completely up to the person to choose, and for everyone who comes in contact with that choice to be supportive. That also leads to it being necessary to acknowledge the man's sacrifice whatever he decides, i.e. being the primary breadwinner, or staying home. I think that if you absolutely have to say something negative, then you ought to stick to those instances where you disagree with how someone is doing something, instead of what they chose to do.
Just my two cents.

To be a SAHM would be great. I live in Atlanta and since I've been in the infant and children business, I've learned there are tons of things for mommy and baby to do. Things that will allow you and baby to bond and for baby to learn social skills and receive early education. In order for me to be a SAHM, we would have to have an active life, there are tons of things to do with your child that cost little money or nothing at all. Just being at home and being wife and mother is not enough for me.

On the ohter hand, I do plan to open a business in the near future. The type of business I'll open will allow me to have my baby with me. But I would much rather be a SAHM.

I love my children very much, but in my opinion, working and being independent is so much better for my well being and my children's well being. My kids who are 3 and 1 did so much better when I had them in daycare. They learned so much and got to interact with other children. My older son was talking so much and was becoming 'mommy-free'. Since I moved from Florida because my husband was promoted I have been a SAHM and it has been awful! My kids are off track, I'm practically losing my mind because I seem to be cleaning up every 5 minutes. I don't really know anyone here either which I think makes it that much harder to deal with. I really wish I could move back and get everything back on track. Including having my own paycheck to be able to pay some expenses and use it on extra things for myself and my kids without asking the 'boss.' Hopefully I will find a job soon! Wish me luck!

Before I got pregnant with my daughter, my husband and I didn't feel that we were financially stable enough to have a baby. We had only been married 6 months and wanted to wait a few years and do things together before adding a child to the mix. However, God had other plans for us and I found out we were having a baby almost exactly 6 months after we got married. I was ELATED! Both my husband and I had SAHM growing up, so it was just kind of one of those things that went without saying...that I would be a SAHM. There were times when were weren't sure we'd be able to make it financially...but we've managed to make it work. I am so lucky to have a husband that supports me staying at home with our child and to have him work so hard to provide for his family. There isn't anything that I would change...we just give up things when needed to get by. Everything has fallen into place over the past 2 years and I love being at home with my daughter. She changes so much everyday and I just can't imagine what it would have been like if I would have returned to work. It's the simple things in life that we take for granted. I would give up anything to stay at home with my child to give her the kind of love and environment that she needs to grow into a healthy and loving young woman. I couldn't imagine someone else "raising" my daughter for me. Mom's are meant to be home with their babies...that's just my opinion!

Well for me, I've been blessed to be a WAHM. It was an option with my job when I began to have problems with son 4 years ago. I tried it out and I've been home ever since. Some days I miss being in the office, I definately don't miss meetings. However, it is great to be able to spend so much time with my children and care for them the way that I feel they need to be. I would consider my position to other moms, but if that isn't an option I would definately suggest to other moms to be a SAHM, at least for the first 3 years if possible.