THE bust up between Natalie Cassidy and Denise Van Outen has reopened the debate over when is the right time to return to work after having a baby.

The backbiting took place on the social networking website Twitter, between Basildon’s singing star Denise and former EastEnder Natalie.

Natalie criticised Denise for returning to work two weeks after having her daughter Betsy.

However, Denise responded by accusing Natalie of being a hypocrite after she appeared with her baby daughter Eliza on TV to promote her new E4 programme Becoming Mum.

We asked two mums in south Essex for their experiences on how soon is too soon?

Dance teacher Nikki Lewis, 23, of Malyons Place, Felmores, Basildon went straight back to work after the births of her two children.

She said: "Because I’m self-employed I had no choice but to continue to work, because I don’t get maternity leave.

"I stand by my decision, because everything I have done to make my business work has been motivated by my love for my children.

"I danced all the way through both of my pregnancies. With my first child I remember being in the studio on the Friday and practising the splits and having him the following Saturday. Five days later I was back teaching.

"The doctors said it was fine for me to carry on dancing because I had always danced – they wouldn’t recommend someone who had never danced to take it up when pregnant.

"But it kept my body fit and it felt fine for me to carry on dancing afterwards. I decided even before I had the baby that I wasn’t going to give up my business.

"When Marli was born in 2007 my partner Natami became a stay-at-home dad and took care of him.

"In 2009, when my second child Neecie was born, I again went straight back to work.

"Now Natami works and my mum helps out and they are at an age where they can sometimes come to classes with me. They both absolutely love it."

Julie Howe, 39, of Retreat Road, Westcliff, had her daughter in 2006 and decided to give up work so she could devote more time to her.

She said: "I’ve worked hard and paid my taxes all my life so when my daughter was born I decided, why shouldn’t I have some support to look after my child?

"I didn’t want my child to be brought up, potty trained and looked after in a nursery.

"I’m a single parent and found myself having to make the decision about returning to work.

"I was in a well-paid job as a residential home manager, that meant I had to work long hours and be on call 24/7.

"Without support, I decided while pregnant I would not be able to return to the job after the baby was born and I would have to go on benefits.

"This was not an easy decision for me, because being on the benefits system is frowned upon.

"I am not someone who likes to sit around and I did a lot of voluntary work with Sure Start as a breastfeeding peer support worker and even got an award for my efforts. For me the voluntary work was more flexible than working hours.

"A couple of years ago I started to look ahead and I trained as a hairdresser at the Central Training Group in Southend.

"My daughter started school in September and I am fully qualified and taking a course in starting up a business.

"I am now desperate to get back to work. However, I still feel staying at home was the best and easiest decision I have ever made.”