Lots of mothers have opted out of their careers to become stay-at-home moms. While others choose to work because they either thrive on it or, they cannot afford not to. The explosive 'working moms vs. stay-at-home moms'. A topic that I would not want to touch with a ten-foot pole. I dare not make comparisons.

IMO, there is no perfect solution because our needs as parents (and our children's) vary and change over time. Whatever your decision as a mother is, only you alone can judge what would work for you best. No one else. Avoid the parenting police at all cost!As a working mom, I have experienced the dilemma of choosing, the anxiety of leaving my child with someone else for the first time, the paranoia of thinking that my child might confuse his prime caregiver as his mom, etc.

Should you be going through the same predicament, take a look at the following articles. It might help you go through this period in your life:

Handling the Guilt by Kari Lomanno. What you can do when your conscience starts to get the best of you.

Shortening The Second Shift by Julie Shields. Sharing the load with dad.

40 Mom-Tested Tips for Balancing Work and Family from iVillage.

Master the Working Mom Shuffle by Sarah Max. My favorite.