Maternity Leave To-do's

Bensbride2006

I've been extremely fortunate and was given 20 weeks of maternity leave...which seemed like a long time in the beginning.  Now that I have officially 4 weeks left, I'm trying to think of things I want to do.  Small and big...more morning walks, a trip to the pumpkin patch, lunch date in the middle of the week with DH, a weekend away with DS.

The past few days have been hard and I got quite sad today that the last few weeks will not be as I pictured them.  I do not want to look back on my leave thinking I wish I had done more of this or less of that.  I had planned on taking a few beach trips, lunches with my mom,etc...but unfortunately my youngest brother was diagnosed with a very rare neurological disease and my grandfather had open heart surgery.  So we have not got to spend the time together we had planned. 

What things do you wish you had done on maternity leave?  Any suggestions.  Mostly I want to spend quality time with DS rather than sit around the house, which seems to be what we mostly do!

BackthePack

BensBride2006:

 Mostly I want to spend quality time with DS rather than sit around the house, which seems to be what we mostly do! 

To me, that is quality time. What would you prefer to do in order to spend quality time with him? Not trying to be snarky, just want you to think about it.

Even though I stay home, we have a much busier schedule now than we've ever had (gone every morning except Tuesday) and I relish the time where we just get to hang out at home, play, wrestle, read books, and watch TV. You'll have so much less time at home when you're back at work that you'll probably miss just getting to sit around the house and relax.

Enjoy those tiny-baby moments now b/c they will be gone so fast! 

Bensbride2006

Thanks!  I know what you mean...I guess since this has been a rough week, I just feel like I'm getting through the days and not enjoying them.  I want to make it a point to do quality activities with DS that we won't get to do when I'm back at work whether that be read books, go for walks, etc...

hgunter

I would hold him and snuggle all.day.long.

lah1177

I just returned to work this week (I work afternoons but it still has not been fun!) after taking 12 weeks off. We really did not do much during my leave, we went to the beach for two weeks (my parents have a house there), but other than that, we mostly stayed at home. There is a small part of me that wishes we did more, but at the time, it was so hot to get out and walk each day and I was really trying to keep Peyton on a good napping schedule (he does not nap well out and about). Of course there were days that I just wanted to "get through" but I am so happy I took that much time off and a very small (crazy!!) part of me is looking forward to possibly having a 3rd so I can have that much time off again.

I guess if I have any regrets is that I did not go to see my best friend in Apex more (she is a SAHM and her oldest is the same age as my oldest). I did that my last week of leave and we just sat around, chatted, played with the babies while the older ones played. So I guess I wish I had made more of an effort to get together with her (she lives an hour away though). 

Like the other posters said, I would just cuddle/play as much as you can, I am sure your baby is at such a great age. Peyton will be 3 months this Sunday and within the last week, he is awake more, more alert and just smiling and cooing all the time, so much fun to be around!! Enjoy!

iheartnutella

I always wanted to be busy - sitting on the couch staring at the baby wasn't enough for me - no offense to anyone else.  I mean yeah some days it was nice to nap with him and just hang out, but in general, I wanted to get out of the house and do something every day.  I found a mom's group that met once a week and went to that when I could.  Went to a couple breastfeeding cafe meetings, etc.  We are lucky to have family in town so I would hang out with our grandmas so they could see the baby, and go have lunch with DH sometimes, and have my mom over, see my neighbor, hung out with the moms from my birth class a couple of times.  My goal was to not look back on my maternity leave and be like "what the hell did I do the whole time?" and instead remember it as a time I bonded with the baby yet took advantage of the fact that I didn't have to go to work by doing things I couldn't otherwise.