oh crap - work/childcare/BF smorgassborg of questions - help!

Huahine

I have kind of an amazing opportunity to take on some more work and I don't know if I should or not. And if I do, there would be a whole slew of logistical issues to address.

Here is the background.  I work from home (except when I am onsite with a client).  My last full time project ended just before LO was born.  Since then I've been doing 5-10 hours a week, which I can do while he naps.  I expected this level of work to continue until August, at which time I would ramp back up to full time. 

I just got a call to take on another project.   A really cool project.   That would be 20-30 hours a week, which would bring my workload up to 25 - 40 hours a week. 

I think I want to do it, however I hesitate because I'm not sure I want to be apart from LO that much this summer.  But assuming I crossed that threshold, these are the immediate issues:

Eventually I would be able to work from home, but since I would have exposure to the board, the c-suite would need to check me out and get comfortable with me. That means I might have to be ready to travel as soon as next week.

I don't have a freezer stash (I EBF).  If I started pumping today would I have enough to be away (in another city/state/timezone away) from LO several days during the second half of next week?  Alternatively I could bring him with me and pump during the day and nurse him at night (and that means flying with him by myself and that's a whole nother issue . . .) but anyway would I be able to make a 2-3 day daytime stash in 5-6 days?

Which leads me to childcare.  I could ask my mom to fly out and join us to watch him for a few days while I work onsite.  But once I get home, I would need some very flexible childcare.  Since I wouldn't be working fulltime I would like someplace that would let me do partial days.  Do they exist?  Or would a nanny be a better option?  A college student looking for a summer nannying/babysitting gig? (I'm totally thinking outloud here, as if you couldn't tell . . .) Where would I find such a person?  What other options are there? 

My mom lives in another state, as does my MIL, so relying on family wouldn't be the easiest option.  I could decamp from my home and stay with one of the grandmas during the work week, but that would suck for DH (he would miss the little guy terribly (and maybe me too).  

The logistics are a little overwhelming at the moment.  I'd appreciate any and all advice and suggestions.

 

mrs.larry

if you can take the baby with you, that would be the best bet. I think that pumping enough for several days of 24-hour feedings in less than a week is most likely impossible. and when you stop pumping + feeding your level of engorgement would probably be epic.

pumping for daytime feedings is a lot easier. you can pump enough for the first day or two, and then of course you'll be pumping during the day while you're away from LO and so will have enough for the next day. building a stash first is smart too. will you have a way to transport it safely? a place to store it wherever you're staying?  a place to pump while you're at work?

if you can't take the baby, then you could try giving formula while you're away, and pumping religiously every 3 hours around the clock so you don't lose your supply.  

as for childcare when you get back see if there are any in-home day cares in the area that might be flexible with hours. that's a more likely scenario than finding a center with flexibility. where I am, centers also tend to have crazy waiting lists.

good luck! congrats on the new project opportunity too!  

namara5532

I think you need to assess how important this project would be for you.  It sounds like you'd take it on if the baby wasn't in the picture, so that isn't the issue.  It also sounds like you have a few good options for long-term childcare.  So the problems are how to have LO taken care of while you fly out there and how much you (and DH) will miss him.  If the inconvenience of those two issues outweigh the benefits of doing the prooject, maybe it's not the best idea.  Is it one of those jobs where there will be another project in a few months?  If not, then perhaps it would be worth it to take it.

Huahine

mrs.larry:

if you can take the baby with you, that would be the best bet. I think that pumping enough for several days of 24-hour feedings in less than a week is most likely impossible. and when you stop pumping + feeding your level of engorgement would probably be epic.

 . . . . 

Oh my gosh, I didn't even consider this!

Thanks so much for pointing out the rest of logistical/transport/storage issues.  I wasn't even considering them.

My mom is on deck to travel to meet me there.  And the firm would cover her costs and comp me for this all being so last minute (the used the phrase "hazard pay."  So I would only need to produce a day or two of daytime milk to get us started.  But still, all the transport and storage issues . . . hmm. 

Huahine

muffin87:

. . . . 

As far as flexible childcare, where I live it doesn't really exist, but I think it would depend on where you live. There might be part-time daycare or a nanny could be a good option if you can find someone. Another option could be a SAHM in your area who might watch your LO casually to earn a bit of extra cash. Do you have any friends that might be willing to do it?

It sounds like something you really want to do, so I hope you can make it work somehow!

I don't really have friends who live near us, but I joined the local Moms club a few months ago.  I hadn't even thought about tapping that network.  Thanks for the suggestion!

Huahine

namara5532:

I think you need to assess how important this project would be for you.  It sounds like you'd take it on if the baby wasn't in the picture, so that isn't the issue.  It also sounds like you have a few good options for long-term childcare.  So the problems are how to have LO taken care of while you fly out there and how much you (and DH) will miss him.  If the inconvenience of those two issues outweigh the benefits of doing the prooject, maybe it's not the best idea.  Is it one of those jobs where there will be another project in a few months?  If not, then perhaps it would be worth it to take it.

That absolutely is the threshold issue.  The project has some really sexy aspects (well, as sexy as things get in the realm of securities law, which means they would still be pretty much not at all be interesting to most people) and would be a great addition to my resume.  

lukalover

Our in-home daycare does part time if she has the room. You might have some luck since a lot of teacher's pull their kids out of care for the summer. Good luck!

SoonToBeMsP

mrs.larry:

if you can take the baby with you, that would be the best bet. I think that pumping enough for several days of 24-hour feedings in less than a week is most likely impossible. and when you stop pumping + feeding your level of engorgement would probably be epic.

pumping for daytime feedings is a lot easier. you can pump enough for the first day or two, and then of course you'll be pumping during the day while you're away from LO and so will have enough for the next day. building a stash first is smart too. will you have a way to transport it safely? a place to store it wherever you're staying?  a place to pump while you're at work?

if you can't take the baby, then you could try giving formula while you're away, and pumping religiously every 3 hours around the clock so you don't lose your supply.  

as for childcare when you get back see if there are any in-home day cares in the area that might be flexible with hours. that's a more likely scenario than finding a center with flexibility. where I am, centers also tend to have crazy waiting lists.

good luck! congrats on the new project opportunity too!  

Ditto all of this. I think having your mom come with you would be best and easiest on you/your supply.

I know there are a few daycares here that do part time (at a lower price, amazingly). So it's definitely worth looking into.

Good luck with your decision!