Currently living in AUS/NZ with SO. We’re going to be trying for a kid soon, but we have no support network here and no family to help out. I think we should move back to the States, where I’m 100% certain family members would come to help us out for as long as we needed. Given the distance, that just wouldn’t happen if we stayed in AUS/NZ. SO thinks we can just handle it on our own.
We wouldn’t need to find new jobs, as we can just transfer internally. Would taking advantage of your home support network be enough of a reason to back to your home country?
My partner and I had a child in NZ without family support and it was fantastic! We are so lucky to have paid parental leave for both parents, and truly excellent early childhood care in NZ. Stay put, and reevaluate later if and when things get unmanageable. However as kids get older they are easier to look after so I don’t anticipate that happening.