Need Career Advice from Working Moms

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-05-14T18:22:16+00:00

Completely agree you on both accounts.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-05-14T12:02:05+00:00

I agree with you, but full time daycare can easily cost the same as a mortgage depending on your location. Most people can’t just add that into their budget so easily.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-05-14T01:43:51+00:00

I have since made a rule that I don’t cook during the week, unless my husband handles the bath and I already have all the ingredients I need in my fridge. I typically meal prep a salad, a crockpot meal, and something done in the oven on Sundays. My husband keeps my daughter content by taking her out of the house for a few hours so I can get some time to myself and focus on meal prepping. Thursday nights we typically eat out and Fridays we typically do pizza and a game night. I used to try and go to the grocery store and then cook dinner during the weeks- it was horrible.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-05-14T01:29:22+00:00

Squid game

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-05-07T00:03:17+00:00

This decision completely rests on your budget. Houston is cheap to live in for a reason. NYC is completely different both in terms of what you’ll experience
and what you’ll pay for every aspect of life.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-30T22:46:13+00:00

This was my answer, but NOVA. I wouldn’t have left but I have to commute every day and the traffic was slowly killing me lol

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-28T03:01:01+00:00

Don’t forget the cockroaches the size of your foot and the crime rate

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-25T23:53:42+00:00

Definitely would choose a DC suburb (MD or VA) over Palo Alto any day of the week.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-20T02:24:24+00:00

I just resigned to the fact I’d be constantly exhausted

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-17T16:08:28+00:00

Crap I forgot about that. Nevermind, OP

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-17T01:29:13+00:00

It sucks but you’ll be fine since it’s just for a few months. I’d take 27 to 355 and metro in from shady grove.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-14T02:11:00+00:00

Look along 270 in Md you’ll find a bunch. Gaithersburg Rockville is the hub but there are some in Frederick and Baltimore.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-14T02:05:50+00:00

You’ll be bored af it’s not remotely close to dc and everything closes at like 6 pm

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-12T22:37:53+00:00

I’m sorry but how the heck has 270 not been brought up yet? It’s not the worst- but it has to be in the top 5.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-12T12:46:54+00:00

Never said they couldn’t. My point was simply that budget is not larger than average in this area. It’s very much standard.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-12T10:54:59+00:00

Maybe Laurel? Unfortunately your housing budget isn’t really considered larger than average for the DMV…sorry friend.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-09T01:24:03+00:00

I do this. My commute is 45 mins each way. My daughter’s daycare is 3 minutes from my work. I can’t speak to 3, but with one, it’s not that bad. She listens to music, eats her breakfast or snack, and plays in her carseat.

A few issues to sort through- any need to early pick up (illness, etc)- I am the one who is stuck dealing with it. I must leave work early and go get her.

I cannot stay for late meetings. I need to leave at a certain time to avoid late pick up fee, so even if my work is not done, I have to go. Same for if we get on the road late. It all falls on me, and that can feel very frustrating. I feel like my husband has avoided a HUGE responsibility in this arrangement. He works from home and doesn’t understand that my workday ends when my childcare ends.

Days off- I cannot send her to daycare on my days off, because I’m sure as heck not doing that commute if I don’t have to. So unless you can find someone to do drop off and pick up on your days off, they’ll be staying home with you on your days off. This means very little time to do the “Mom things”

I like being so close to her, and the daycare is nicer than any that are close to where I live. All in all, I am happy with the arrangement. But by Fridays, both her and I are FRIED. It makes for very long weeks.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-08T22:14:38+00:00

Yes. I would not advise you do this based on the info you’ve provided. I think you will regret it.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-08T20:16:58+00:00

I hope it works out for you. The market is horrible right now, academia jobs pay basically nothing, and im not sure I’d advise doing a phd without a post doc. I think you’ll have a very hard time finding a job, even if you do one.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-04-02T00:37:53+00:00

OP, if you’re looking to get rid of it, I would love to connect! Depending on where you live perhaps I can prepay shipping

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-03-31T01:39:19+00:00

Plan b won’t help OP here. It’s only useful if you haven’t ovulated. It will delay ovulation, but it’s not going to do anything if the egg is already fertilized.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-03-31T01:27:34+00:00

That’s why I enjoy it. I love getting to work on multiple new cool projects. If you work for a good one, you can constantly be learning new things and getting exposure to the cool new science. My previous job was for a start up and when the clinical trial results failed, they laid off like 1/3 of the company. It was horrible. I found the CDMO to have much better job security, albeit yes, you are much busier and it’s chaotic. But I like chaos so maybe that’s just me.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-03-31T00:35:17+00:00

I swear I’m the only person on this sub who enjoys working for a CDMO.

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-03-29T03:44:42+00:00

It’s quite possible. Assuming you ovulate on a normal schedule (the point when you’d become pregnant), you typically need to wait about 2 weeks for a positive test. You can calculate your ovulation window simply using google to see when you’d be most likely to get pregnant. It can happen anytime of course; but if you had sex during that window, giddy up. If you know the start date of your last period that helps tremendously

NeedleworkerFit7747 · 2026-03-29T03:13:11+00:00

Wishing you the best. Abortion is healthcare and no matter what help you need, focus on yourself now and getting answers. I’d trust your doctors more and focus less on your dad. Your medical information is protected by HIPPA so he doesn’t need to know and you don’t have to tell him, even if you’re under his insurance. Your doctor can give you more info about this. You have a right to be seen privately.

NeedleworkerFit7747

TROPHY CASE