Cried because the baby didn't sleep in long enough stretches for what I needed to fall asleep even for quick naps.
Watched a lot of the Today show and TV. We watched a few My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding marathons.
Sat around in a nursing sleep bra and one of four pairs of sweatpants, which I did not own before giving birth and was thankful for after giving birth.
Ordered a lot of takeout.
I also read a lot since I could nurse HJ and hold a Kindle easily at the same time.
Slept! I took as many naps as possible. Pumped a ton (but that was because we had issues). Walked a ton - around the park but also to restaurants where I could sit for a while. Watched The Good Wife, Hearts of Dixie and some other shows. Went to stay with my family for a few days here and there. Took a couple weekend trips with H and DS.
Can we discuss how bitter I am that the 2nd season of hart of Dixie isn't free on netflix/ Amazon streaming? I refuse (re-fuse!) to buy it but I also binge-watched this show on maternity leave.
Honestly? I loved maternity leave. I was only out November 12- Dec. 31 though. There was a lot of coming and going over the holidays in there. We went for a walk every day, just to get outside.
Went to the lactation office about three times a week on a slow week. Lots of out to lunch. Met h in the park for lunch. Lots of dvr, especially motn. Then it was summer, h was off, so we did lots of summer things. Boat ride almost every day, lots of friends and family coming over. Laundry...Lots of laundry. Really, my fondest memory of the early days is just the two of us up in the middle of the night, me feeding him, trying to get him to stay awake long enough to eat. I watched the show preacher's daughters and now when I see it on I'm immediately taken back there!
I took 3 months with DS1 and 4 months with DS2. I was off through the holidays with DS1, so I did a lot of prep for the holidays, since I hosted Thanksgiving and Christmas. I watched some tv, but I dd a ton of magazine and book reading. I did a lot of walking around the mall to get out and move in the colder weather. I could not get DS1 to sleep unless I was pushing a stroller. The moment we walked into the house, he was up and crying.
With DS2 I also joined a gym with child care, so when he was big enough, we went to the gym a few times a week as well.
This. I am shocked most everyone had such positive experiences, lunches out, errands, cleaning, cooking?!?! How did you do it? With the crying, sleep deprivation, hurting body parts, etc.
I want more kids but i am DREADING the first few weeks, it was a dark time for me, I don't want to go back =(
It was Summer o' Fun. I miss it so much. Lots of time at the hospital group, making friends, learnig to get the boob feeding thing down. But once it was down, we took trips to the beach, to NY wine country, hiked a bunch of state parks with the baby in the becco, visited family, brunched outside (if only I didn't have FTM guilt and didn't stop at the first glass of wine!).
With ODS, I watched a lot of t.v. while he napped, read books on my kindle, cleaned the house. I went to lunch every Friday with my mom and to do a little shopping after about a month. It was the middle of winter, so we couldn't get out much. I did do a little scrapbooking (That was probably the last time I scrapbooked.) With YDS, I did mostly my regular routine since I couldn't relax as much due to ODS. We went on walks, and I made sure to go out to lunch once a week after about two weeks home.
This. I am shocked most everyone had such positive experiences, lunches out, errands, cleaning, cooking?!?! How did you do it? With the crying, sleep deprivation, hurting body parts, etc.
I want more kids but i am DREADING the first few weeks, it was a dark time for me, I don't want to go back =(
I am with you. I am currently holding my two week old. I love her dearly but I hate the newborn stage. Sleep deprivation sucks and makes me never want to go any fun things like lunch out. I think it improved greatly at week 3 with my son.
With Ella, we pretty much had Summer of Fun lol. DH was off too so we did a ton of day trips, some long weekends, etc. Basically played tourist in our area and had a complete blast. We also put Lu in several summer camps (half-days) so we got a lot of hang out time when the baby napped. Ella was just as easy going as Lu so again, super easy to have her out and about from early on. We did our first long weekend away when she was less than three weeks old (five hour car trip) and she did great.
This is pretty much exactly how I hope my summer ML will go
I am so jealous of everyone who had an awesome maternity leave. DS was born in early fall, my favorite time of year, and I basically didn't leave the house - barely left the living room - for 3 months.
Post by Ashley&Scott on Mar 4, 2014 11:11:39 GMT -5
I watched the entire series of Friends during my 8 week ML. The first few weeks I slept when M slept. Around 3w pp we started doing short errands & visits to get out of the house. I went to a few BF support groups around 6/7weeks. I wish I would have started going to those sooner.
This. I am shocked most everyone had such positive experiences, lunches out, errands, cleaning, cooking?!?! How did you do it? With the crying, sleep deprivation, hurting body parts, etc.
I want more kids but i am DREADING the first few weeks, it was a dark time for me, I don't want to go back =(
Right? I was a disaster with DS. I cried at least once a day for no reason for about the first 6 weeks, I had a pit in my stomach every time he cried. It just stunk. I am hoping I skip that part this time.
Post by dcrunnergirl52 on Mar 4, 2014 15:00:45 GMT -5
First time, with my twins, mostly just fed them and kept us all alived, combined with some exercise and some naps.
Second time was like a vacation. One (non-fussy, long-napping) baby after fussy twins was so easy. I watched tons of TV, took 2-3 naps/day, went to Target, exercised, and just recovered from my months of bedrest.
I didn't watch much Netflix. Just TV. Particularly TLC.
I tried to get out every day, even just for a walk around the neighborhood. We went to Target and the grocery store a lot.
this! I walked about a million miles on ML... not really, probably 15 miles a week though, enought to wear out my shoes and the tires on my first (non-jogging) stroller.
Currently in the middle of ML, but so far: pumping, attempting to latch, mom's group, breastfeeding support group, LC visits, pedi visits, attempting to sleep, washing bottles, interneting/video games, self-doubting/crying, fighting with my HR/STD, baking (making lactation cookies), and wishing it were warmer. (I told DH the next one is a spring/summer baby!)
I feel like my boobs were attached to a baby or a pump the entire leave. We had a difficult time establishing breastfeeding. It also didn't help that she was born in November so I was off in the winter and it was too cold to do anything outside.
Post by dancingirl21 on Mar 4, 2014 20:43:48 GMT -5
J was born in July. The first few weeks we did nothing but watch TV and hold the baby. I started going for morning walks around week 3, just to get out of the house. Near the end I took him to stores.
Post by browneyedgirl9 on Mar 4, 2014 20:55:34 GMT -5
I'm currently on maternity leave...it's so cold here there is no getting out and walking. We make trips to Target a few times a week. Visit with a friend of mine who is also on maternity leave. Watch waaaaay too much tv, we have Netflix, so i have been binge watching shows. Do laundry/ cooking. Made lactation cookies this week. We attend a 6 week new moms group weekly.