feeling weird about maternity leave

[elpreggo27]

Erm, so my mat leave starts next week, and I feel really odd about it. I've had a tough pregnancy and although working has been very hard work, it's given me some routine and space to not just be someone growing a baby.

Did anyone else have this weird anxiety about starting mat leave?

Hi I am on mat leave which started last May, had baby in June. And I know exactly how you feel. After my whole life of school then uni then constantly working it was a very odd nerve inducing feeling being off work for so long. But all I'm going to say is when baby arrives you'll think work is way easier and the time you have before baby arrives just organise everything and also get as much rest and down time as you can. As amazing and lovely as being a mum is you will miss your "me time", I certainly did. I'm due to go back to work in May and I am very nervous but for different reasons.

I certainly felt weird about the lack of structure that my day was going to have! I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 28 weeks and work routines definitely helped me not sit around obsessing and googling.

Friday was my last day of work and I’ve come up with a sort of “plan” for the next couple of weeks. I have a list of “productive” things I want to do and will do one every morning; things like batch cooking, ironing, washing baby clothes etc. Then in the afternoons I have “me time” things planned; getting my hair cut, having my eyebrows tinted, a massage etc.

Obviously this may well be scuppered if she comes early or I’m too knackered to actually do any of it, but I feel much better having a plan than just bumbling around...