Suggestions on asking for work schedule modification

Hey Everyone:

I will probably cross post this on the working moms board as well, but I wanted to get your opinions first because I am comfortable with you J

So? I am back at work. As some may remember, this was one of the things I was dreading as I wasn?t sure what to do with daycare, my non-traditional work hours, my Beau?s non-traditional job and his pedi not wanting to sign off on daycare quit yet (Off-Topic: But FLU AND RSV SEASON HAS COME TO DFW, TX AND IT HAS BEEN HITTING HARD!!!). I requested an additional 60 days of personal leave off (unpaid) after his November 20^th NICU discharge so I can be as vigilant as possible with his care and his doctor willing to sign him off at the beginning of February (side note: I had to return to work the day after he was discharged and I went. I had no choice. But Dad had taken off). At first, I was told that the 60 days would be fine etc. But the week of December 10, I was told by my director that I was only approved for 30 days and that I had to return to work on December 26^th. Once again, I was lucky that my Beau had taken off and that his parents were visiting.

Next week things return to ?normal?. My Beau goes back to his over the road truck driving (gone 2-3 weeks at a time) and I pick up on my ?regular? schedule of Mondays and Tuesday Noon-9pm, Wed and Thursday 9am-6pm and rotating Fridays 9-6 and Saturdays 9:00-2:00pm. While looking for daycares (even though he cant start right away), one of the directors gave her sister in law our number for some temporary in-home care as she is not working right now. It looks like she will work out until the end of the month and then we transition into regular infant daycare.

This is what I am needing help with. How do I tell my employer that I need to adjust my work hours? I reside a good 30 minutes away from my employer and the in-home care (and after that the daycare) is another 10-15 minutes from our home meaning a good 40-45 minutes from work. I have a little piece of an email drafted but wanted more input. This is not my dream job. I have been here for five years after saying I was only gonna be here for 6 months. I have been ready to quit since forever yet I am trying to hold on to it simply for benefits sake. This is a last ditch effort for my Beau and I and I do not know what we will do IF they cannot accommodate.  (Side-Note: I do have a new supervisor, my fourth in five years and the 3^rd one I have to train. When the position became open the 2^nd time, I was going to apply for it, but I started having complications during my pregnancy and then I had to go on bedrest and then baby came? I guess it was a sign).