Things To Do on Maternity Leave – Learning to enjoy maternity leave isn’t easy for everyone. Maybe you feel boring, sometimes emotional, and utterly drained. One key challenge of maternity leave is that there’s no useful handbook on how to handle it, professionally. Do you disappear from sight, hoping your employer will still remember you when you opt to go back…? (If you’re unsure whether you want to go back, even at this stage, there may be an element of hiding, actually; you don’t want to give the game away or even look your boss in the eye – un-grown-up as that may actually be.) Or do you call, at least occasionally, for a catch-up, a reminder of your existence, showing/ feigning interest in what’s happening at the office …?
People say ‘make the most of your time before baby comes along’ and you understand but don’t really? I would have lye-ins Also get out meeting other people most baby groups have pregnant women going- means you will have a support network already once you have baby. So,to make the most of your maternity leave, check out these simple suggestions on what things to do on maternity leave :
Things To Do on Maternity Leave Checklist
- Try to live in the moment at least once a day. I know your day is one giant schedule—feeding times, diaper changes, and naps—but take at least 5 minutes every day and relish the precious time you’re spending with your babe. I have several that stick out in my mind and I remember them fondly.
- Do something for you. If there is something you dreamed about at your desk, or thought you would do if you had a year off, the time is now. I had a checklist of things I wanted to do while on mat leave, and I’ve ticked them all off my list. It feels so good, and now I’m returning to work with a whole new perspective.
- Meet other mamas and make play dates. I can’t stress this enough. Go to the library, your local rec centre, public health, or go to meetup.com, and hook up with other moms. I have had a year of awesome coffee talks, long walks, and great new friendships.
- Explore your culinary skills. I know I’m going to get flack for this, but since you’re home all day, you really should, at the very least, be able to get something ready for dinner. So, take this time to try new recipes, do some baking, or make homemade food for your little babe once he/she starts eating solids.
- Schedule date nights and make your partner do the early shift at least one day on the weekends. Every day for you will feel like Groundhog Day, so you need to recharge your batteries.
- Invest in a cleaning lady. Trust me. This will save your marriage and reduce loads of stress.
- Travel. I know money is tight (EI is helpful, but . . . ), but if you can get away at least once, go for it.
- Stay connected. It’s easy to zone out to the blather of daytime TV, but, honestly, it’s so much more productive to listen to the radio, go online, meet up with coworkers, and stay on top of what’s going on in your industry.
- Organize. All those annoying, messy drawers, closets, and shelves are calling your name. Purge and de-clutter, because all of those baby toys will slowly take over your life.
- Have fun! There are so many things you can do with your baby in tow. Go out for lunch, go to museums, go to movies, check out all of your local coffee shops, go swimming . . . you get my drift.
- (For Muslim) Read Qur’an. You can spending your time to read Holy Qur’an, You can read Surah Yusuf and Surah Maryam. Its good for your baby, reading Surah Maryam is for a smooth and easy delivery while Surah Yusuf is for a good looking child.
If you have a plan to work after maternity leave, there’s some fact you must know. According to a survey by the National Childbirth Trust, one in three women returning to work after maternity leave found their job ‘unrecognisable’ to the one they left.
Fact: we live in a fast-paced world, and no company can afford to be set in aspic. And while that shouldn’t panic any woman into returning to work before she’s ready (and is probably getting enough sleep to contemplate being able to apply herself to a challenging project or role), change happens. Only you can decide how much want to be kept abreast (as it were) of that.
So, be wisely and stay positive. I do think there’s reason to be optimistic, looking forward. There’s no question in my mind that when the law changes in 2015 and allows couples to share parental leave, this will start to alter the entire maternity/ paternity leave landscape. It will enable couples to feel secure that the most trustworthy person they know is in charge of the baby, and potentially make it much easier to ease back into the workplace.
Well, I hope this short reviews about what things to do on maternity leave will help and can be a consideration for you.
References :
- 7 Super Ways to Enjoy Your Maternity Leave : parents.com/pregnancy/my-life/maternity-paternity-leave/ways-to-enjoy-maternity-leave/
- Power maternity leave : telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-business/10874123/Power-maternity-leave-Is-this-how-you-should-be-spending-your-year-off.html
- How To Enjoy Your Mat Leave : yummymummyclub.ca/family/mummy/how-to-enjoy-your-mat-leave
- What to do while on maternity leave? : netmums.com/coffeehouse/pregnancy-64/netmums-52/590619-what-do-while-maternity-leave-all.html
- Images: sheknows.com
Article publié pour la première fois le 04/10/2015