Stay-at-Home Mom

Benefits
For you Babies are delicious, and watching them develop is miraculous. As your baby's primary soother and cuddler, you will know him better than anyone else, and you'll be around for every milestone, big and small. Staying home will streamline your life  -- it won't make things less stressful, but it will keep you focused. You can also make some of your best buddies during these early years. "It's an easy time for women to connect  -- even shy ones  -- because you have all that time to bond," says Lexi Welanetz, the director of the Family Resource Counseling Center in Los Angeles.

For your kids Having mom roll out of bed every morning ready for duty is a cozy situation from a baby's perspective. Even the most dedicated daycare worker or the sweetest sitter can't come close. There's no shifting gears in the morning, no daily separation anxiety, no confusing inconsistencies in routine, like when naptime is or what snacks are allowed. "I think my kids really benefit from the stability that comes from the same person disciplining and instructing them," says Lori Stepp, a mother of three in Durham, North Carolina. "It's not that I get on the floor and play with them all the time. It's just that I think they're very comforted knowing I'm there."

For your marriage Because it's your job to hold down the fort, when your baby gets sick, you and your husband aren't going to butt heads over whose turn it is to miss work. And while picking up the dry cleaning with a child in tow can be a drag, having the whole day to do it means that when your partner is off, you can be, too. "I'm not squeezing in housecleaning, grocery shopping, and errands after work," says Lisa Sinton, a mother of two in Brooklyn, New York. "When my husband gets home, we can spend time together."

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