How to pass the time?

[Why1990]

I'm currently on mat leave with my 5 week old baby. For the last few days, I've started waking up wondering how I'm going to fill the day and im actually missing work.
Dh works away. This week he won't be back until Friday so I can't even look forward to him coming home in the evenings. I think I'm actually jealous that he gets to go to work and I can't.
I try to get out and go somewhere every day but the days are so long and that only passes a few hours.
I know it's terrible and I should be enjoying my time off but I'm bored :(
What can I do?

Could you pick up something you've previously thought of doing but not had a chance? Painting, learning a new language, etc...? I miss work too, but because of my field I'm able to do some of it when the baby naps (project based, so doing stuff now helps me in the long run). We also go to baby groups and do at least an hour of walking outdoors a day. But especially with a newborn mat leave can feel pretty boring.

Don't feel terrible! It IS boring: relentless and repetitive, and the days last FOREVER. Things I'm trying to fill the time:

A big park walk with pram to get DD to sleep and me some exercise, bonus if she stays asleep and I can read a book for half an hour on a bench or in cafe. Dreaming of the day she takes 2-hour pram naps 🙏🏻

Netflix! During long feeds or while DD rolls around on the floor under her activity gym. I use headphones or subtitles if she's napping (which she only does on me). Reading every Mumsnet sleep thread ever.

Slowly making mum friends who also have bad-sleeping, routineless children – more park walks and cake. This is the toughest for me, I've only made 2 friends I like and I hate my antenatal group!

Easy activities like Big Scream cinema, baby massage, storytime. Or taking the baby in the sling to galleries and museums – she looks around then drops off while I have a wander then a scone

Evenings: attempting a bath, book, boob routine that currently takes a couple of hours due to colicky baby but at least fills the time and gives me something to do to feel vaguely in control of a routine refusenik, sleep averse baby!

It does get more fun when they start smiling and coping and rolling so you can chit-chat or stick them in a bouncer to watch you shower/make toast/do laundry.

At 5 weeks I was still pretty exhausted and feeding round the clock so I dont think we did much (i did get into line of duty).

Any friends or family you can visit? Walks if you feel up to them. Baby groups (think i took my LO from 7 weeks), tummy time- read her books, read books myself whilst she sat in the bouncer.

It is so boring at the beginning and I felt the same as you. It does get easier as they get bigger and nap times become more predictable.

What I did:
Watch TV - there are some great shows on at the moment like Chernobyl or the Handmaid's Tale and I also bought some box sets in the charity shop
Read books - trips to the library also good for getting out of the house when you get to that stage
Play with the cat
Listen to audiobooks and podcasts
Play games on my phone
Go on Mumsnet
Call friends and family
Go to a newborn baby group at my local church once a week
Research holidays
Design my dream house on Pinterest

It will get less boring- honestly!

The phrase I've heard to describe the baby years is: "the years pass quickly but the hours pass slowly"!

We hear so much about making the most of this precious time etc, but the bottom line is that newborns are boring!

Try meeting up with other adults and their babies to make the time pass more quickly. Did you go to an NCT group or NHS group? Look up baby groups in your area and take DC along - they won't get much out of it at this age, it's for your benefit! Pram exercise club?

Your baby is actually quite portable at this age if you don't have a screamer, so shops, museums and art galleries are much easier than when you have a toddler (if you like that kind of thing).

If you end up cutting your mat leave short and going back to work earlier than planned then so be it. Being a SAHP isn't for everyone and there's no shame in that.

The phrase I've heard to describe the baby years is: "the years pass quickly but the hours pass slowly"!
This is so true.
Thanks all, I'm glad to know others have felt the same and it's quite normal.
I'll have a read through all the suggestions and start making myself some plans

Another one along to say quite normal. Go to all your local museums and galleries (hopefully quite cool in this weather). You won't get to linger over the exhibits that interest you when you're visiting with a toddler!
Find some local groups to join, such as baby massage or baby yoga.
Does your local cinema do a Big Scream (ie you can take under 1s)?
Do you have a garden you can potter in?

It's a big adjustment OP. I watched a lot of Netflix (new season of Queer Eye just released!), napped, met up with friends/my OH in lunch hours, met with my NCT group, went for long walks and have an ice-cream. We started baby classes at about 8 weeks and did a couple a week. Baby weigh clinic once a fortnight took up the best part of an afternoon!

It's rare that we don't go out and especially in the early days I'd set myself tasks to do every day - go the post office, get a new library book, buy bread, go for coffee. I build up a lot of Costa points.

Download the app Hoop it has lots of groups and activities in your area each day. I've got a toddler and newborn now every day for 6 weeks so I've used that to plan our days as none of my friends have children or any the same age. It is boring though!