Skip to content

Top Navigation

Parents Parents
  • GETTING PREGNANT
  • PREGNANCY
  • BABY NAMES
  • BABY
  • TODDLER
  • BIG KID
  • FUN
  • HEALTH
  • PARENTING
  • FOOD
  • HOLIDAY
  • News
  • THE STAY AT HOME GUIDE
  • SHOP
  • OUR MAGAZINES
  • MORE

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Your Profile
  • Your Profile
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Cozi Family Organizer this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Parents

Parents Parents
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 22 Chore Ideas for Every Type of Kid

      Find a chore your kid loves to do, and start a habit of wanting to help out that'll last a lifetime. Read More Next
    • Top 5 Mom Friend Problems—And How to Fix Them

      Parenting is so much easier with good pals. Learn to overcome friendship hurdles and bond with women who get you. Read More Next
    • How to Sleep Train Toddlers and Big Kids

      I’m a pediatric sleep specialist who has seen it all, and I’m here to tell you that it’s not too late to get your child to (happily) stay in his own bed all night long. Read More Next
  • GETTING PREGNANT

    GETTING PREGNANT

    See All GETTING PREGNANT

    Your Chances of Getting Pregnant Every Day of the Month

    When sex coincides withĀ your most fertile ovulation days, you'llĀ increase the chances of conceiving.Ā Get to know each phase of your cycle to get pregnant faster.
    • Ovulation
    • Reproductive Age
    • Maximizing Your Fertility
    • Pre-Pregnancy Health
    • Trying to Conceive
    • Dealing With Infertility
    • Genetics
  • PREGNANCY

    PREGNANCY

    See All PREGNANCY

    Signs of Approaching Labor: How to Tell Your Baby is Coming Soon

    Anxiously awaiting your baby’s arrival? Learn to recognize the first signs of labor approaching, which signal that your little one might make an appearance soon.
    • Signs of Pregnancy
    • Pregnancy Week-by-Week
    • Giving Birth
    • Labor & Delivery
    • Pregnancy Symptoms
    • Due Date Calculator
    • Pregnancy Complications
    • Fetal Development
    • Gender Prediction
    • Baby Showers
  • BABY NAMES

    BABY NAMES

    See All BABY NAMES

    These Are the Most Popular Baby Names of 2020

    Curious which baby names stole the show this year? From new classics like Noah to tried-and-true faves like Ava, here are the top boy and girl names of the year so far, plus more naming trends to consider.
    • Baby Girl Names
    • Most Popular Names
    • Names by Origin
    • Twin Names
    • Baby Boy Names
    • Names by Religion
    • Celebrity Baby Names
    • Baby Name Quizzes
  • BABY

    BABY

    See All BABY

    How to Decode Your Baby's Cough

    Caring for a baby with a wet or dry cough? Listen for wheezing, hacking, or barking first, then read on to find out what's normal and when it's time to worry.
    • Newborn Care
    • Crying Baby
    • Health
    • Baby Development
    • Safety
    • Gear
    • Breastfeeding
    • Diapers
    • Sleep Issues
    • Feeding
    • Nursery
  • TODDLER

    TODDLER

    See All TODDLER
    • Preschool Activities
    • Behavior & Discipline
    • Toddler Development
    • Milestones
    • Potty Training
    • Starting School
    • Health
    • Safety
    • Childcare
  • BIG KID

    BIG KID

    See All BIG KID

    How to Deal With Bullies: A Guide for Parents

    Mean kids aren't just a middle-school problem. The trouble has trickled to the youngest grades. Learn how to spot it—and how to protect children of all ages from bullies at school.
    • Education
    • Health
    • Food & Nutrition
    • Bullying & School Problems
    • Child Development
    • Safety
    • Manners & Responsibility
  • FUN

    FUN

    See All FUN

    17 Budget-Friendly Kids’ Birthday Party Ideas

    A fun celebration doesn’t need to cost a pretty penny. Throw a memorable bash with these clever cost-cutting kids’ birthday party ideas.
    • Birthdays
    • Indoor Activities
    • Outdoor Activities
    • Arts & Crafts
    • Printable Coloring Pages
    • Kids' Entertainment
    • Best Toys
    • Holidays
    • Family Vacation Ideas
  • HEALTH

    HEALTH

    See All HEALTH

    All About Coronavirus COVID-19: A Concerned Parent's Guide

    Here’s everything you need to know about the disease that originated in Wuhan, China.
    • ADD & ADHD
    • Allergies
    • Autism
    • Cold & Flu
    • Coronavirus and COVID-19
    • Cough
    • Down Syndrome
    • Emergency Aid
    • Fever
    • Medication & Vitamins
    • Obesity
    • Rashes
    • Stomach Aches
    • Vaccines
  • PARENTING

    PARENTING

    See All PARENTING

    The Stay at Home Guide for Parents

    Everything you need to thrive at home as a family.
    • Positive Parenting
    • Parenting Style
    • Celebrity Parents
    • Family Dynamics
    • Divorce
    • Home
    • Adoption
    • Just for Mom
    • Money
    • Toy Recalls
    • Stroller Recalls
  • FOOD

    FOOD

    See All FOOD
    • Family Recipes
    • Baby Food
    • Toddler Finger Food Recipes
    • Hints & Tips
    • Healthy Eating
    • Birthdays
    • Holiday Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Meals
    • Food For Pregnant Women
  • HOLIDAY

    HOLIDAY

    See All HOLIDAY

    44 Fun Valentine's Day Crafts for Kids

    Spend an afternoon making these Valentine's Day cards, decorations, and edible projects for kids. Bonus: These craft ideas are perfect for preschoolers and the ideal homemade gift for a few special someones!
    • Christmas
    • New Year's
    • Valentine's Day
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
    • Memorial Day
    • Father's Day
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Hanukkah
  • News
  • THE STAY AT HOME GUIDE
  • SHOP
  • OUR MAGAZINES

    OUR MAGAZINES

    See All OUR MAGAZINES
    • Parents
    • Parents Latina
    • Ser Padres
  • MORE

    MORE

    • Newsletters
    • Contests
    • ParentsIRL
    • Adulting
    • First Year Playbook
    • Celebrate Your Way

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Your Profile
  • Your Profile
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Cozi Family Organizer this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Pregnancy & Birth
  3. My Pregnant Life
  4. Maternity & Paternity Leave
  5. 12 Ways to Actually Enjoy Your Maternity Leave

12 Ways to Actually Enjoy Your Maternity Leave

By Isadora Fox
April 29, 2010
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Credit: Natalia Deriabina/Shutterstock
Maternity leave isn't easy for everyone. Our advice? Get it together before baby shows up so you have a chance to enjoy it. Here are some tips and tricks from the pros about how to make your time off count.
Start Slideshow

1 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Get Organized Early

Credit: Ae Cherayut/Shutterstock

Once you've told your boss that you're pregnant, talk to HR to find out what kind of maternity leave you're entitled to, and how long your job will be held for you. Some states have their own provisions for leave, so research yours here at ncsl.org.

Then focus on tying up loose ends at work well in advance of your due date — baby may arrive early! Start copying coworkers on emails and keep extra notes on new projects. Now is also the time to set expectations about your leave. Will you respond to the occasional phone call or e-mail? Make clear how available (if at all) you'll be.

RELATED: Know Your Maternity Leave Rights

1 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Prearrange Some Help

Credit: T.TATSU/Shutterstock

Take it from us: Line up some help to get through the first weeks with a newborn, and play to each person's strengths.

For example, my mother was great at grocery shopping, but virtually useless when it came to waking up at night for a feeding. My friend Pete was great at keeping me company when I got lonely, but hopeless at diaper changes. Getting help early makes it a lot more likely that you'll feel energized and ready to have fun later on.

2 of 12

3 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Test Gear

Credit: Sergey Ryzhov/Shutterstock

For weeks — pre and postpartum — I lived in fear of the Baby Bjorn. There were just so many straps and buckles, I was afraid I was going to hang myself or that the baby would slip out through a leg hole onto the sidewalk.

The lesson: Try out the gear you fear before you have the baby so you'll have the hang of using it by the time he's arrived. Return any stuff you don't like before you break it or baby spits up on it, whichever comes first.

RELATED: Parents' Best Baby Gear 2018

3 of 12

Advertisement

4 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Get The Right Diaper Bag

Credit: Brian Maranan Pineda

Here's a tip: It might not be the really cute one you've coveted since you conceived. If your bag is uncomfortable, too big, too small, or just impractical, getting out and having fun is going to be that much harder; so shop around and compare bags.

Keep in mind that you'll need to fit diapers, wipes, a change of clothing for baby, bottles (if you're not breastfeeding), burp cloths, a diaper changing pad, your wallet, keys, and a cell phone at the very least.

RELATED: What to Keep in Your Baby Diaper Bag

4 of 12

5 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

& The Right Diapers

Credit: Liderina/Shutterstock 

You're going to be changing a lot of these, so it's a good idea to do your homework and find a brand that works for your budget and baby's needs. While leak protection is important, you'll be changing your newborn so often that it might not be a priority for newborn diapers. Instead, at this point consider in a diaper with lots of stretch. Your newborn will be growing so quickly these first few months, that you'll appreciate a diaper that can grow with him. (We like Huggies Little Movers Diapers—they have a SizeUp indicator so you'll know when it's time to get your little one into the next size.)

 

5 of 12

6 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Understand Your Insurance

Credit: NA HNWD/shutterstock

There's plenty of paperwork that must be completed shortly before and after your baby arrives. As Dana Paiz, a physician's assistant in Grand Rapids, discovered, she needed to contact her short-term-disability insurance provider and make a claim prior to her leave. Once her baby arrived, "We needed to call again from the hospital so they could begin paying my short-term disability," she says.

In some cases you'll also be required to notify your health-insurance company within 30 days of your baby's arrival. Get the details now and create a calendar alert so you won't forget when sleep deprivation kicks in.

6 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Accept That The First Weeks Will Be Hard

Credit: OndroM/Shutterstock

My husband and I, fools that we were, thought we could take advantage of my extended time off and head to Europe for a relaxing vacation. The truth? Those first few weeks with a newborn are a shock to everyone's system.

You're getting used to being a sleep-deprived, milk-leaking mom; your baby is adjusting to living outside the warm comfort of your womb; and your husband is adjusting to being a dad. Simply walking around the block can feel like a major accomplishment so this is not the time to pressure yourself into running around being social or productive.

RELATED: 7 Post-Pregnancy Feelings No One Warns You About

7 of 12

8 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Explore Your Neighborhood

Credit: Natalia Deriabina/Shutterstock

You'll need to get dressed and get out of the house, ideally once a day at least, for your own sanity's sake. Scout around and see where other mothers tend to gather, where the best playgrounds for young kids are located, and what other places seem stroller- and child-friendly. The last thing you want to do is schlep your child to a local restaurant or store, only to realize when you get there that it's too cramped for your stroller or too uncomfortable for you to nurse.

8 of 12

9 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Arrange (Mom) Fun

Credit: bruce mars/Pexels

There's only so much socializing a postpartum body and new baby can handle. On many a day I found myself alone in the house with a snoozing baby, too wired to sleep, but too tired to do anything productive. I would have liked to watch the various movies I'd missed in the theater or read a trashy novel.

The problem was, I had such a bad case of Mommy brain, I couldn't remember the titles of any of those books or movies. Avoid this pitfall by writing down in advance any movies you want to rent, and pick up a bunch of novels at a used book store.

RELATED: 13 Totally Relatable Places Moms Go to Find 'Me Time'

9 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Make Mommy Friends

Credit: Tyler Olson/Shutterstock

Brand-new parenthood can be lonely, especially after your help has departed. So if you see another pregnant woman at Starbucks every day, strike up a conversation. I made a new friend on maternity leave while standing at a crosswalk. She was there with her newborn, I was there with mine; it turned out we lived in the same apartment complex, and our daughters, who were born two weeks apart, had the same name. We've been friends ever since.

You can also find out where the new-mom groups meet (your OB-Gyn's office, pediatrician's office, place of worship, or town Web site likely has information) and check out the scene. Groups come in all styles and sizes. That means that if you're a big co-sleeper/breastfeeder type, you may not want to mingle with the strict bedtime, no-snacks-before-dinner supermoms, if you catch my drift.

10 of 12

11 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Arrange Child Care

Credit: Shutterstock

You'll need child care at some point if you decide to go back to work, and the start of your leave—when you're focused on your newborn and exhausted to boot—isn't the ideal time to start researching options. Wait lists for space with a child-care provider may be six months to a year, depending on where you live, so you may need to apply well before you deliver.

If you plan to hire a sitter or a nanny, start asking friends or coworkers how they found their caregiver. Also check out services such as Care.com. Your leave will go by quickly, so it's essential to get a plan for child care in place early.  

RELATED: 8 Tips for Choosing Child Care

11 of 12

12 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Start Saving

Credit: Sergej Cash/Shutterstock

Chances are you'll need some extra funds to cover your time off. "We started putting money away almost as soon as we found out I was pregnant," says Heffelmire, who took 12 weeks unpaid leave with her first son and 12 weeks of partial-pay leave with her second son. "Small amounts can add up over nine months. I budgeted for all of our 'musts'—the mortgage, groceries, utilities—and tried to save three months' worth of that amount."

RELATED: How to Get More Paid Days During Maternity Leave

12 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 12 Get Organized Early
2 of 12 Prearrange Some Help
3 of 12 Test Gear
4 of 12 Get The Right Diaper Bag
5 of 12 & The Right Diapers
6 of 12 Understand Your Insurance
7 of 12 Accept That The First Weeks Will Be Hard
8 of 12 Explore Your Neighborhood
9 of 12 Arrange (Mom) Fun
10 of 12 Make Mommy Friends
11 of 12 Arrange Child Care
12 of 12 Start Saving

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Login

Parents

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
  • Cozi Family Organizer this link opens in a new tab
  • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • From Our Sponsors this link opens in a new tab
  • Affiliate Program this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en EspaƱol this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Parents.com is part of the Parents Network. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.parents.com

View image

12 Ways to Actually Enjoy Your Maternity Leave
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.