Bringing up baby

Jenny Nannestad turned her back on an academic career after spending a year juggling her German PhD study and 12 hours' tutoring a week with care of her first child. She recalls writing letters of resignation on the night of his first birthday.

"I expected that I could combine being a mother and an academic," Nannestad says. "I had found academic life thoroughly enjoyable but then found my whole focus changed."

It took her a year to come to the decision, and while it shocked many she hasn't looked back.

Breastfeeding played an important part in that decision, says Nannestad, who is still breastfeeding her fourth child, now 2. "I feel strongly that children need the security of their mother and breastfeeding is part of that. You get to know your child intimately and develop a strong sense of trust and security."

And being out of paid employment doesn't equate to dullard land. "I continue to grow. I became very involved in early childhood education through Play Centre, did lots of courses and reading. I am a La Leche League leader and get a lot of fulfilment through that, plus adult company when I need."

As a La Leche leader she gets calls from women heading back to work and wanting to know about weaning.

"Often they hadn't thought there were other options."

Money shouldn't be the driving force, says Nannestad. "Our family doesn't live off a huge amount of money, but that is our choice. In meetings we talk about ways to cope on one income or reduced income to extend that time at home if women want it."

Jacinda Paice went relief teaching a day a week when her baby was young but gave up after six months. "I wanted to go back to keep my teacher's registration current and didn't want to lose my teaching skills. I also thought it would be exciting because I loved teaching, but I found I hated being a reliever and the rush of preparing and expressing milk the night before."

The school management was happy for her to express, but there often wasn't a spare room and she didn't feel comfortable in the toilet.

Her first child is now 3, she now has a 4-month-old and has decided to stay at home until both children start school. Next year she intends to begin further study in education with the long-term aim of working as a maths adviser. Paice feels she is developing a number of skills through her children and her avid reading on discipline and children and adult learning.

La Leche League leader Barbara Sturmfels finds many women change employment direction after being on maternity leave. "Combining employment and breastfeeding isn't always as easy as mothers are led to believe," she says. She fields many calls from women who return to work fulltime, then struggle to keep breastfeeding because of the stress.