After pregnancy, back to work, where to leave the newborn?

Yeah, that's definitely a calculation you have to make. I only know the Dutch system, and in that case, the amount of childcare allowance you get depends on the combined income of you and your partner. For us, that means we have to pay more than half of the costs ourselves, and last year it was 2/3, so we spend about as much on childcare each month as we do on the mortgage. If there's a big income difference between partners, it might not be worth it to keep working. Though I think you'd still end up spending more if you work compared to not working. We both work because it has more value than just the income. I personally value personal development and having a role beyond just being a father/mother. But everyone's different, and I can totally understand choosing to stay home with young kids. You can check the Dutch government website for the childcare allowance amounts and do your own calculation. I don't know about Belgium.

My kid also goes to daycare 4 days a week. A lot of people might think that's a lot. But I see that he's having a good time there, and even after being home for a while, he sometimes misses other kids. So I actually feel pretty good about it now. I can't work less anyway at the moment.

We enjoy spending time together on the weekends. And I don't think I'm depriving him of attention.

Whether it's smart to keep working probably varies from couple/person to couple/person. I'd probably work less if it were possible. But then I'd probably have to settle for a less enjoyable job. And by having a good time somewhere else, you can also keep things going at home when it gets tough.

thanks a lot