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ow did you spend your mat leave? What do you regret about your maternity leave and what were you glad about doing

4 replies

JimmyChoo17 · 25/04/2012 16:00

I have friends returning to work following their 9 months off who really have some regrets about their mat leave....mainly how they spent it.

One decorated, pampered etc....all the stuff you would do with time and money during leave WITHOUT a child....she always thought I was mad about the amount of time I spent with my baby and gave him to family quite a lot even went away a few times as she wasn't having to use annual leave......well now she's returned to work she regrets her time off spent on that other stuff....hers is quite an extremely diff way of spending mat leave to most I'm sure but she used to make me feel like I was weird!

I do spend all my time other than the odd kit day with my bubs but I love it! Im at home with him when my hubby comes home for lunch so thts a family bonus hour....Whether it's a pj day at home, play groups or play dates with friends I love every second....favourite being pj days....just the two of us and cuddles. But we get to go out withthe dog, just walk, visit family go to activity filled places like the zoo etc...I'm off for a year and likely to be returning full time so I wanted to make the most of being with him....so just wondering what people did that they r so glad they did and also any regrets??

For me I'm glad I do spend the time playing with him and savouring him as i will really really miss him when I'm back at work! He's very interactive which helps as he loves getting stuck in and learning something new or discovering things.... her boy isn't very interactive but she now wonders of its because she didn't do much 1-2-1 with him from the start.

I'm guessing she may have found her return a little easier in a sense having had spent time away from him but I think I'd rather have spent more time than less with him!

I'd hate to return to work wishing I'd done differently so am wondering what you ladies did that you loved/regret? In case I need to fit more stuff in :)

OP posts:
JimmyChoo17 · 25/04/2012 16:00

How not ow!

OP posts:
duchesse · 25/04/2012 16:11

I am full of admiration for anybody who spends their ML setting up a business or writing a novel. I barely managed to look after me and the baby get the cleaning done when DS was little (high needs baby...who never slept in the daytime). I do in some respects wish I'd had time to do more but...

JimmyChoo17 · 25/04/2012 16:32

duchesse what is this housework you speak of? It's not been done for quite some time in this house! :D. Ha ha. I get about an hour and a half of nap time in the day....housework is therefore hit and miss :)

OP posts:
bonnymiffy · 27/04/2012 15:35

DD was born about 10 days into Mat Leave, and I spent the full 6 weeks relying on others to help out after an emergency CS! But I've totally enjoyed going to all the baby groups and things, and generally watching her grow. I'll be back to work full time next week - my employer doesn't have anything part time at the moment - and am dreading it! I've found the child care, and wouldn't leave her with anyone I didn't trust completely, but it'll be hard leaving her!
We did move house, but I dodn't think that counts in the same way as writing a novel/completing PhD/setting up own business!
I've enjoyed the flexibility of not having to plan around work for things like the dentist/hairdresser etc and will miss that too, but mainly I'll miss my little girl >sniff<
Housework? overloading the washing machine but that's about it for me.

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