Thinking that this is a good idea?

[maternityleave]

I'm a sahm and currently pregnant (high risk pregnancy)
I mentioned today that I would like to have 'maternity leave'. By that I mean clearing my whole schedule after a certain point and actually having time to myself each day. Currently it's hectic - school run, various admin tasks and paperwork, appts, housework, shopping, etc etc etc

It was met with a bit of a 🤔😳reaction ....
I was planning to get all the paperwork etc done, appts out the way either now or cancel and reschedule till the new year, everything sorted out and to start getting food shopping delivered so I don't have to go grocery shopping at all. Basically I'd have a few weeks where kids go to school and I have the day to myself I was planning to get everything organised for Christmas, get the house tidy and organised and just have a nice rest. Some days I would possibly even get kids collected from school so I wouldnt have to do the school run.
Is it a silly idea? Am I being precious? I'm so exhausted already and with it being a high risk pregnancy (and also my last) I feel like I need to rest and take it easy?

I don't see why you couldn't do some version of this. If your pregnancy is high risk it makes sense to wind down what you're doing. It's whether you can get people around you to help or whether you pay for help, or a mixture.

A bit precious IMO.

What do you think women who work whilst also looking after their kids and being pregnant do?

Maybe it's because I called it 'maternity leave' when I don't actually have a job to go to iyswim? Perhaps it was he phrase that got the reaction ..

I never felt the need with previous pregnancies to even consider it. This time I'm really desperate for just a few weeks of not much

It sounds like a very sensible idea but referring to it as maternity leave when you don't work sounds a bit odd. Maybe just refer to it as getting organised so you can take it easy before that baby arrives

Met with a 🤔😳 by whom? It sounds pretty reasonable to me especially with the high risk preg

I think it's a great idea. I don't get the need to be a martyr and compete over it. I wish I'd been kinder to myself and got a cleaner, got the shopping delivered and stuff just for a few weeks. If I ever have another baby I will do this.

Yes I wondered if that was why....I just felt it was the best phrase to use when mentioning it so others got the message otherwise I get 'booked' to do things for them weeks in advance and I wanted to make it clear after a certain date id be unavailable ! Perhaps maternity leave wasn't the right thing to say

Extremely sensible. Just do it and don't ask opinions. Grown adult =fully able to make decisions for oneself.

@Regularsizedrudy - I expect it was the phrase, rather than the concept, that got the 🤔😳

DM mostly although dh did laugh (kindly) when I said 'maternity leave' 😂
I just feel like I have enough housework/admin/appts anyway so can clear my own diary but DM always wants favours done and has been asking recently for bookshelves to be cleared for her/paperwork to be done/things organised/etc etc etc and I wanted to get across that I wont be able to

Seemed like the best way of explaining that I won't be able to help was to use the phrase
I just want to be at home during the day or to go out but at my own pace not rushing to appts or running errands for family

Sounds a great idea to me and entirely sensible! Especially as you have extra reason.

Its easy for me to understand what you mean by maternity leave - taking it easier on yourself than in non-heavily-pregnant life. Its not a great leap of translation to get there.

Trust your instincts and enjoy taking care of yourself :)

Wouldn't call it maternity leave. I'd say winding down or taking things easy

Sounds fine to be honest, especially with a high risk pregnancy. You don’t want to push yourself to hard. It was probably the ‘maternity leave’ phrasing that got the funny looks. You’re not being precious at all.

Just tell people that while you're settling into a new routine with an extra human person you won't be available to be doing their stuff.
No need for a name for it.

Sounds sensible to me

Very precious OP. Makes you sound like a total diva.

However, I think the problem here is that you have announced it as a 'thing'. Stop making it a thing and do it anyway. All you have to do is say "I'm feeling a bit tired today, sorry, I can't help you right now." or "Today I'm focusing on getting the house in order." (you don't actually have to say that you're not going to do anything).

Don't explain, don't complain, just do it.

I think it's rubbish that you're having to justify this to others! You should be able to do whatever you need to. Why should life be harder than it has to be. We only get one shot at it.

I think I would laugh (with confusion) if a SAHM told me they were taking maternity leave, as to me being on maternity leave means being a SAHM for a few months/year.

Taking it easy for a few weeks does sound like a good idea though, especially in a high-risk pregnancy.

Yeah, you don't need a concept. Just become clear about your boundaries and where you need to look after yourself.

Just rephrase it as taking things a lot easier after such and such a date - as advised by the doctor... They can't argue with that.

I'll go against the grain a bit here... the mother sounds a little demanding, there's no way I would be asking my hign-risk pregnant daughter for non-vital stuff like the above. Maternity leave in this context gets it across that yes, she DOES have something more important to do than sort out her mothers bookshelves- and that's fine and even necessary!