As the year comes to end so does my maternity leave.
With my first baby I only got 3 months and I’m really grateful that with my second girl I got 2.5 months more thanks to ServiceNow’s global maternity leave policy and some accumulated PTO.
Many people think that maternity leave is free time to chill and relax.
This can’t be further from the truth. Rather your time is spent feeding, getting to sleep, changing diapers, washing clothes and cooking, and at the end of the day you wonder where your day really went.
For an overachiever like me who likes to be busy, it’s been tough not to be able to say read more books, brush up on knowledge for work, finish courses I’ve wanted to do and so much more…
But I’ve also learned that there is time for everything and that every moment with my little baby is way too precious.
To all the expectant moms, I would say:
The 5 Top Maternity Leave Tips for Expectant Moms
1. Soak in every second
The joy a newborn brings is much stronger than any hard moment. The smell of your little one, the soft skin, the snuggles, the first smile – enjoy every second and take those pictures and videos. Most babies love sleeping in your hands but make the most of it as it won’t be forever even though you’d be tempted to get something else done as time is never enough with a baby. Maternity leave really is over before you know it.
2. Prioritise sleep
People will keep telling you to sleep when the baby sleeps but when they sleep in your hands or on your carrier it’s difficult so go to bed early. You can’t predict what night you will have, how often they will feed, whether they’ll decide that the night is their day etc. Lack of sleep is the toughest part of being a mom so try to find strategies to cope, especially if you have another one like my 4-year-old that just likes to get up at 6am every single day (full of energy on top of it).
3. Eat more
This is another overlooked yet basic need you have to cover for yourself because it gets hectic and you end up staying hungry for too long. Especially if you are breastfeeding, get your nutrients in because you lose a bunch of calories just from breastfeeding which seems like not doing much but it burns about 500 calories a day. I returned to my pre-pregnancy weight at 4 weeks postpartum and now I am 2kg below it…
4. Move every day
Exercise has always been my sanity keeper. I went back to training at 6 weeks after giving birth and even when you’re tired, moving helps you feel better physically and mentally. Simply by taking daily walks with your stroller your body will thank you later.
5. Stress less over the household
The dishes can wait, so can the laundry. Work at home never ends but let it be or get more help from your partner or family around. You’ll soon be getting back to work and the usual routines of home and job so it’s okay if things are not perfect in your household for a while.
These things might seem basic and they are but they are crucial for your health and recovery so you can return to your work life with energy and strength.
And it’s okay if you didn’t manage to read all the books you wanted to or do courses or whatever else while on maternity leave.
Maternity leave is meant for you to recover from the hardest workout of your life – childbirth – and to adjust to a new world of less sleep, stressful routines and busy periods but also to more joy and beautiful memories.
To the moms out there, how did your maternity leave go?
