What is the FIRST image that pops into your head when you hear the words "Maternity Leave"?

[iamwhaticallpregnant]

Hi all,
I am working on an Art project and thinking about images associated with Maternity leave. So far - as I am pre-baby I associate Maternity Leave with

• tea cups
  
• pots of tea
  
• biscuits and cake
  
• bed
  
• tv and sofa
  
• birthing books
  

what image pops into your head?
and if you have any images related to Paternity Leave then that would be brilliant too

[StrawberriesTasteLikeLipsDo]

A baby... A bottle... The moon.

[anastaisia]

Mums walking through a park together with babies in slings and prams. But then dd was an April baby - not sure will be doing that right away with a December baby.

[iamwhaticallpregnant]

thanks strawberries - like the moon idea

[WizardofOs]

meeting up with other pregnant mums from antenatal group for tea and cake

getting the baby's room and clothes ready

as for paternity leave - very tired looking dads in supermarket looking for stuff in the baby aisle.

[SoupDragon]

Being fat, in pain and waddling!

[sundaesundae]

Freshly washed baby clothes hanging on a line in preparation for birth. Heavily pregnant women painting a nursery.

[FannyFifer]

Leaking boobs, tiredness.

[StrawberriesTasteLikeLipsDo]

The very first thought that popped into my head, I must admit, was FREEDOM in like bulbs like on old signs? But that is because I hate my job!

[TheDetective]

Grumpy hormonal women who are overdue and huge. Well, that is my maternity leave right now anyway!

Frustration?! Sorry, I'm not really being any use here!

[Longtalljosie]

Crippling exhaustion, and a house which looks like a bomb has gone off in it. Sorry to shatter your image!

Paternity leave? A husband in the next room on his work mobile

[McPhee]

exhaustion, no money, filling in forms, trips to drs, puffy ankles, losing your hair/........yeah. Mine is a blast.

[StuckInTheFensAwayFromHome]

Read the first few responses and thought they sound like idealised views of maternity leave that I used to think of before finding mumsnet and getting pregnant. Now have had my views coloured a little more with other peoples experiences and am expecting it to be more like soupdragon and fannyfifers responses!

As with most Art its all down to you as the artist - you can do what people want to see, or you could go for the starkness of reality!!!

[LauraPalmerPlusOne]

A big red neon sign that's flashing the wonderful words 'only 3 more work days!'

[LauraPalmerPlusOne]

(And if neon could sparkle and shoot confetti as well as flash, this sign would!)

[iamwhaticallpregnant]

ha ha ha! I love you all

[TheDetective]

The inability to control farts?

Wait, that is just me, isn't it? Glad it didn't happen BEFORE maternity leave. That would have been embarrassing

[badtasteflump]

A lazy year

[dontcarehow]

call me cynical, but i've always associated maternity leave with anxiety over what my employer will think and whether it reflects badly on me. such a shame that it has to be like that though

[FrightRunScream]

My baby DD!

[CarolynKnappShappey]

Starbucks hot chocolate. And the scary rabbit-man from Donnie Darko (the first film I saw at a Watch With Baby screening).

[xxDebstarxx]

a big pregnancy bump

[OrangeKat]

Sore fanjo. Leaky boobs. Costa coffee. Being awake EVERY HOUR all night long.
Watching really odd crap on the telly at four in the morning.
Mumsnet.
Beautiful baby dd, lots of cuddles. THe special baby smell

[Meglet]

A messy house.