“I have come to a decision”, I announce triumphantly to my husband who pretending he is immersed in playing with our five month old son rather than watching Sunday afternoon football. I refrain from whinging about the television being on long enough to make my new declaration. “I have entered a new phase of my life. It is called “Making the Most of Maternity Leave”.
“Okay… well good, you should,” he responds. “Can you move a little to the left, you’re blocking the television.”
I’ve been in the bath – the place where all good thoughts come to me - long enough to become both pruny and inspired. Billy is five months old and I am in what I refer to as the Honeymood Period. He is truly an absolute delight. He smiles, giggles, has favourite toys he plays with (or at least puts in his mouth – let’s not get too carried away) and has an emerging little personality. Best of all, he’s easy to put to bed at night and while he’s not even close to sleeping through (I’m convinced this is a myth propagated to encourage mother’s to carry on in hope) he wakes, feeds and sleeps straight away, two or three times a night. For some of you, this may not exactly be revolutionary. For us, it’s a massive achievement.
So he’s reasonably settled. But here’s the other winner - he’s unable to get around by himself just yet and so I haven’t had to crawler-proof the house just yet. I can leave him on his playmat or in his bouncer while I make a cup of coffee without worrying he’ll be climbing on the dog bed or devouring crumbs crusted on the kitchen floor. While I’m excited about that next stage, don’t get me wrong, I can’t help but think that this is pretty well as easy as it’s going to get.
Hence… Making the Most of Maternity Leave Mark One.
Until about a month ago I will admit, I had been doing little more than just coping. But now, suddenly counting down the months til I return to work, I am so thankful for all the time I have to do different things with my son. Its not free time, of course, there’s no going to the hairdresser, the gym, the shops for endless hours (just one or two…) with baby in tow but its time nonetheless.
I’m also revelling in the new found mental space. Having emerged from the fog of tiredness from those first few months, I find its liberating not having my brain cluttered with the trivia of work. Its lovely not to have to mentally remind myself of my professional to do list all the time. I feel free to think about the world, my place in it and the way in which we all live today, particularly women as mothers.
So, Making the Most of Maternity Leave step one? Start a blog. Maybe even start some discussions. About motherhood, womanhood and the art of living.
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