Things to do on maternity leave

[PregnantPumpkin]

My little one is 6 months old and I'm very lucky to have a further 6 months of maternity leave left. I want to make the most of all this time off I have with my baby, he really is amazing 🤩
So far we have done baby massage and baby yoga classes. We do weekly walk and play sessions and are starting a second walking session next week which involves stopping for stories and songs. We've been to rhyme time and we've got music sessions booked for later in the month.
We've been to baby cinema, sensory session, jazz in the park and a classical music concert my friend was involved with. We've visited national trust places and art places.
We go for walks most days, we've had picnics in the park, I take him everywhere with me - he's even been to race days, foraging and wrestling 😂 he really is my little pal and he seems to really enjoy being out and about and around people ❤️
We haven't been swimming yet but will do soon but does anyone else have something they did with their little one that they'd suggest doing?
I'm sorry if I sound like a first time mum stereotype but I literally spend every minute of the day with this little guy and want to make the most of it all before I have to go back to work and he won't get my undivided attention and time.

Oh my goodness you are doing so many amazing things for your little one already! Can I suggest that you also factor in some things you like to do…? Go out shopping, go for lunch or for a coffee, go for days out at places you’d like to see. You’re already doing so much I couldn’t even think of anything else! I will say that the next 6 months are going to get even more fun as he becomes more interactive and more mobile, my little girl is 11 months now and her personality is so fabulous, she keeps me entertained all day! My little boy was the same, he’s now 2 and the most awesome, friendly, outgoing little boy. You’ve got so many wonderful times ahead 🥰

Honestly if I could go back I'd spend more time just chilling out with the baby and soaking them in. I had a jam packed mat leave, much like you, did loads of awesome stuff and had a great time. Would put the baby carrier on and go for some decent walks, went to visit friends/family, travelled abroad etc. We were pretty much always on the go. I don't really remember just laying down together and enjoying just existing, even if out for a picnic or something I was usually with friends, socialising etc. Saw a video recently of a couple just laying on the sofa with the baby between them not doing anything but having a lovely time and honestly I wish I'd done that sort of thing a little more!

You certainly sound like you've packed a lot in so far, glad you're enjoying it!

Swimming sounds lovely. There's also art classes (Artventurers) and messy/sensory play classes although I'm not sure what age they start from. Also see what sensory rooms are around, there's some really lovely ones.

I would maybe try and do more adult things too, a weekend away before baby is more mobile, meals in restaurants, go shopping, spend time with your parents/grandparents/family/friends, host a bbq or pizza party. Binge watch a tv series whilst baby contact naps on you (I watched a lot of netflix over the winter part of my maternity leave!)

Blimey - you are doing amazingly. I did lots of watching CSI with cuddles and walks by the sea. I would try to acclimatise to getting back to "adult " life ahead of going back to work. Meet colleagues for lunch and show baby off? Get a hair cut and get some new clothes, if money allows? Do you leave him with other people e.g GPs for a few hours or have nursery settling in periods on offer? And just chill a bit.

In hindsight (over 20 years!) I wish I'd just spent time quietly with my babies instead of trying to keep up with my NCT group. One of my happiest memories is of my eldest DC playing on the floor of his room on a sunny afternoon and me sat watching him. Cherish these moments before school/college/uni speeds their childhoods up!

Thanks for the lovely responses and suggestions.
An art group sounds so fun, I'll have a look for one, I love the mess 😆 really enjoying weaning, we've only just started but seeing him enjoy eating is great and seeing him try and manoeuvre a spoon all over his face before he finds his mouth is so good! I'm definitely in team embrace the chaos rather than fight it!
I've met up with friends for meals quite a few times, varying success. When he was younger I used to have to stand up to eat because he couldn't settle on my lap and would get upset, but now he's a bit older and more interested in what's going on around him then he lets me eat in peace ☺️ people might turn their noses us but we go to Wetherspoons quite a bit because it's cheap and lots of the regulars come and say hi to him (neither me or my husband drink btw) and he loves interacting with random people so I already think he's going to be an outgoing little guy, really looking forward to seeing more of his personality come out as he grows.
He will pretty much only contact nap, and co-sleep so the cot wasn't really necessary, so I'm going to start the next series of Clarksons farm and chill a bit. I can't lie, going from a responsible and sort of stressful job to just chilling with him makes me want to be a stay at home mum!

Eas going to say weaning will take up some of your time but see you are there already, then comes crawling...I spent a lot of the 2nd six months cleaning the kitchen floor.....it was winter as well as more difficult. We did seim weekly though and soft play is great for crawlers...

Sorry forgot to answer - my in-laws have looked after him 3 times but other than that he's always with us, which is lovely but has definitely been a bit of a challenge in terms of maintaining our relationship especially with him sleeping in bed with me and my husband being in the spare room! We're hoping as he gets older we'll get him into his own bed if not his own room!
We're going away in July for 2 weeks, staying with my in-laws (who are lovely, A very un-mumsnetty thing to say I know 😂) they live near the coast so that'll be great.
I'd have taken him abroad by now if my husband liked flying and we didn't have a dog who freaks out in kennels or escapes from relatives! I like to be on the go and am missing city breaks!

My biggest regret is not joining a gym with a creche so i could do something for myself.

If you love the mess you'll definitely love art and messy play! They literally get covered in paint, custard, jelly, etc.

Definitely keep up with the eating out, its not always easy but I feel like it's a good skill for them to learn how to sit and be entertained in a restaurant. My DS is 3.5 and he's great company for a meal out, sits on his chair properly, chats with us, can be entertained for an hour or 2 without screens.

I loved maternity leave and took an extra year off with my DS before he started nursery and I went back to work. That second year was more challenging than the first as no friends on maternity but still enjoyed it.

We still haven't been abroad but it's been fun trying out Haven caravan holidays, Centreparcs, Premier Inn etc. Good to take advantage of low prices before they start school and you can only go during school holidays.