New Working Moms: Full Time, Part Time or Flex Work - The Pros and Cons

You've had a couple of months at home with your baby, and now your maternity leave is over. It's time to go back to work. But the thought of leaving your child in day care from 9 to 5 is unappealing, even though your friends and colleagues assure you that you'll get used to it.

If this is you, you're not alone. According to Time Ideas, 67% of mothers would prefer part time work rather than full time workweeks. And then there's the possibility to choose flex work.

So what's a working mom to do?

To help you decide, we've listed the pros and cons of each option below.

Full Time

Back in 1938, President Roosevelt signed what we now know as the full time workweek of 40 hours into law. Many companies still employ primarily full time employees, offering contract salaries with benefits packages and sometimes even professional development opportunities in return.

Pros

Salary and benefits. Naturally, full time work lets you keep your full time salary and accompanying benefits-both of which you'll need more than ever with a new baby.
Onsite daycare. For moms who want to return to the workplace full time, many larger companies offer onsite day-care. For companies, these types of arrangements are generally considered to be very beneficial. In fact, according to Businessweek, onsite day care programs reduce absenteeism and employee turnover, making them very good investments. Off-site day care can offer the same caring environment to your child, but offers less opportunity to check in during the day or respond immediately in the event your child needs you.
Professional development. Full time work still results more easily in landing high profile assignments, as well as promotions. If you're equally interested in being a career woman as well as a mom, your best chances are to work full time.

Cons

Costs of day-care. Even if your company offers onsite day care, you'll likely contribute some of your salary to cover the costs. And if you take your child to an independent childcare center, you can expect to pay top dollar.
Heavy workload. When you're working the full 40 hours per week and attending to your child's needs on your time off, it's easy to become exhausted. Add to that the likelihood of having to take extra days off work when your child's sick, and you'll find yourself stuck with a very heavy workload.
Distraction. After you've spent 24 hours a day with your baby, it's hard to be separated. Many new mothers find themselves distracted from work by concerns about their child, and when they don't learn how to deal with this, it can affect professional performance.

Part Time

Part time work can vary from 15 to 30 hours per week, depending on the specific situation.

Pros

More time with your child. Spending fewer hours at work means you'll have more time to be with your child. Many mothers find this especially important during the first few years of their children's lives.
Benefits. Most employers offer benefits for part time employees.
Less professional pressure. If you're working part time, chances are you'll have a lighter workload.

Cons

More productivity in less time. According to Working Mother, many mothers who reduce their hours are motivated to do more in less time. Reasons can be anything from wanting to remain competitive to being able to focus better with less hours. However, a relatively higher workload can cause more stress, especially when combined with parenthood.
Lower income. It goes without saying that fewer hours equal a lower salary.
Fewer professional advancement opportunities. Part time workers often find themselves overlooked for professional advancement opportunities, since full time workers are usually first on the list.

Flex Work

Flex work involves taking advantage of flexible work hours and locations. Either full time or part time, it allows working moms to work from home and set their own hours so long as they maintain their professional performance.

Pros

Less hassle. When you don't have to dress for the office and drop your child off at day-care, your mornings are much more relaxed. By working from home, you can omit both of these time consuming steps.
More time with your baby. Working at home allows you to spend more time with your baby.
Income. Flex work can be as much as forty hours, with many employers not caring when and where you do your job, so long as you complete assignments on time. This enables you to still maintain a full time salary while working from home.

Cons

Divided attention. Working while your child constantly needs attention can be stressful and even adversely affect your professional performance.
Later or earlier hours. Many flex working moms find themselves devoting the hours their children are awake solely to their kids, and then working early mornings, late hours and weekends to catch up.

Before you make your decision, it's important to understand the pros and cons of each work arrangement. Consider the points above and discuss with your boss which option is most appropriate.