KtA78's Profile

I was in a very similar situation when my youngest daughter was about 3 months. I started a new job at a small non-profit shortly after maternity leave at my old job. The main reason I took the new job was that I was able to bring my daughter to work with me until her first birthday. It was the hardest 8 months, but the most rewarding 8 months of my life. Was it an ideal environment? No, but neither is group child care. I am a firm believer that your baby's needs are best met when she is cared for by a parent. I had a very supportive work environment. I was able to successfully breastfeed for 13 months, and I hardly ever had to pump! My daughter always had a welcoming lap to go to if I needed to be on a conference call or in a meeting. She napped in a pack n' play right next to my desk, and the whole office did their best to keep quiet. When she got a little older, she'd stroll around in her walker and munch on Cheerios (we still find random O's whenever we move furniture). I'd talk to her and sing to her while I worked the day away. I'd even do work on the floor so she could crawl around and on me. I think that since I was at the office and NOT at home that I was able to focus on work. I was pretty efficient. Not every day was perfect. We had days where I didn't get a whole lot of work done thanks to a growth spurt, teething or some other developmental milestone, but at least I was with her to soothe her. As she got older and more mobile I'd arrange for alternate care one or two afternoons a week. I look back fondly on my "office baby" days. I highly recommend it!