So sad about my maternity leave

[Sarah180818]

First of all I feel so blessed to have an amazing husband and three beautiful children. I also know hoe fortunate we are to all be in good health but I can't help but feel sad that my maternity leave is not how I envisaged it and I am struggling to enjoy spending time with my three children. My husband is working from home and I am juggling home schooling a 9 year old, entertaining a 2 year old and caring for a 14 week old baby. I don't feel like I get quality time with any of them and I never get a break. Also up twice in the night with newborn which is not helping. This is our last child and I can't help but feel sad that my maternity leave has become endless days of juggling three children, washing up, cooking and tidying up. Please tell me I am not the only one feeling like this?

I feel the same. I didn't do many baby groups with my first but now I'm more confident with my second I'm sad I can't go to the groups and meet new people. The days are rolling into one and I feel like by the time lockdown is lifted and we can do more I'd have to be back at work anyway.

that really sucks! I’m lucky this all kicked in towards the end of mine so I’m in the prep stages for going back to work so was never going to be a whale of a time. Stuck in the house with a baby is so hard and must be verging in unbearable with additional children. I think quite a few new mums are going to feel a bit robbed of their time. Yes there’s a pandemic and yes you’re lucky you’re all healthy, but you are allowed to be sad that it’s not what you envisaged

YABU.

Yes it's ok to be a bit sad and disappointed that your mat leave isn't how you had planned it and would want it to be.

But you need to keep a sense of perspective. As you say you are lucky to have your family and your health. You're lucky that you are on mat leave, not trying to work full time as well as home school and look after your children.

You're lucky that you have a job to go back to, and you're lucky that your husband also still has a job, and that he is able to do his work from home.

I'm sure you're very well aware that there are millions of people worse off than you, and whilst that doesn't mean you can't have a tiny bit of sadness for your own situation, you really need to look at the bigger picture and be thankful and appreciative for what you do have.