Five free days out on maternity leave

Maternity leave might not have been what we thought it would be and we may have become accustomed to our routine of staying in. Going out again and thinking what to do is hard. When are are allowed to do so baby and toddler classes may have restricted numbers so we have thought of 5 things for you to do that does not reuqire you to book. 

There are so many things you can do that will make your maternity leave more precious. 

Before you read our ideas, let me emphasise that it’s not meant to pressure you into feeling like you’ve got to be out and doing something, anything, from day one of your leave. No way! It’s here to give you ideas of what you can do when you have had a sleepless night and don’t have the brain capacity to think of what to do next.  

Hopefully it will help you to look back fondly for having done them during your year off. 

1. Walk – after a bad night or tricky day, just getting out and walking can help you both. Explore new places in the area, find new parks, chat to your baby as you walk and point out things you can see like the blossom on the trees and a dog walking by. Listen out for different noises. Can you find a train station, police station, fire station, bus stop or hospital? Little ones love seeing different transports and hearing the noises they make. And if you have a walker, find an open space where you can safely practice them walking with you while holding your hand.
2. Library - they  have great spaces for kids and usually have free sessions like bounce and rhyme time which should hopefully be starting up again soon.
3. Beach to explore baby's senses – can you find a woodland to explore, or a beach on a lovely summer's day. The sand is a new texture for your baby to feel and the waves lapping the sand will be a new noise.
4. mini photoshoot – indoors or out, grab some props like blankets, bubbles, flowers, hats and toys, pull some funny faces and get snapping. And don’t forget to take some with you and your baby, even on the days you’re feeling meh. When you look back in 20 years time you’ll see a mum having fun with her baby.
5. Picnic –  A lot of mums won’t have been able to make mummy friends because of lockdown which can be tough. Why not join a local Facebook group and ask if there's any other mummys who want to meet up, we promise you won't be the only one wanting to reach out. Be brave and chat to that mum alone on the park or join apps like Mush for meeting local mums.

Let us know what you have/are doing whilst on maternity leave, we would love to know.