Maternity leave must haves – lovely people

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I’ve now been on mat leave for 8 months. There are people who have got me through this time, as it can be really really hard and would be very lonely without them.  

• Parents & sister – I talk to my mum most days… I’m not sure what about, but we seem to manage to blabber away! They came to see H as soon as she was born and also spent load of time with us all at Christmas when she was teeny tiny. It was lovely and I’m so glad they were around so much when she was so so tiny. 
• Good old friends – the friend who can see you looking your worst, and the house a pigsty. In my case the friend who came over on hubby’s second day back at work. The first day had been constant feeding and I had hardly eaten or left the couch. It turned out that Mondays are H’s worst day! She’s always that bit more demanding! But El was fab, she came over and we had a lovely catch up and a little walk. It was just the break from being on my own that I needed. 
• New mummy friends – my group of NCT friends have been amazing. We’re all at the same stage of mummy-hood, experiencing the same growth spurts and regressions, helping each other and texting at 4am to arrange a much needed coffee the next day! They are fab! We meet up most weeks for a walk in the park, coffe or baby play dates.
• New mummy friends nights out! – Yes, this is definitely a separate point! We have been out twice so far and it’s been brilliant. We still talk babies a lot of the time, but we have a nice meal and wine! We let of steam, relax, laugh so so so hard we cry, and let our other halves put the wee ones to bed. It’s fab and I recommend it to everyone ??????
• Hubby – he’s been amazing. In the early newborn days he always changed H’s nappies and brought her to me to feed her…. I was in so much pain, but he just did it all. It was amazing. I have no idea how I’d have managed. It was so so sore to sit, but once I was sat I knew it would take a lot to get vaguely comfy again. Still, I do the majority of night feeds, but now we sometimes give H a bottle if she wakes in the night, so if he wakes up he’ll see to her. On a weekend morning he’ll let me sleep longer and bring H downstairs to play. He does so many other things around the house that make my life easier. 

I also found the following have helped immensely, and really are part of my support network! Mat leave would not have been the same without them!

• Skype with parents – I Skype my parents once or twice a week. It’s lovely seeing their faces and to let them see their granddaughter. It’s also nice to do it during the day when hubby is at work and whenever H is in good form! It also means hubby doesn’t have to listen to my mum singing twinkle twinkle or old macdonald, or all the random things we talk about! The best bit, is now that H is 8 months she gets so excited, clapping and smiling and screeching when I call them and she sees their faces! It’s amazing ? #HappyMummy!
• Google hangouts with hubby – I send him little updates throughout the day, catching when H does funny things or things for the first time, or just a smile if he’s having a stressful week. It’s a nice way to keep him up to date while at work and a little reminder to us of when she first sat up herself or crawled.

Have I missed anyone you think are essential?

There are so many other things that make mat leave easier, doing baby clubs and classes, and certain activities we do with friends…. But I’ll save them for another post!

Now I’m off for a coffee with El who helped us on my second day alone,

Lynne x