Goodbye Maternity Leave
After 13 wonderful months, I am fast approaching the end of my maternity leave. As Neve is my second child, this is my last maternity leave, my last baby and my last prolonged period of time ‘off’ until I retire (most likely!). It is a very surreal feeling. I am so thankful to have been able to take such a long period of time off with both my children, and feel incredibly lucky to have been able to do so.
Last week we celebrated Neve’s first birthday, marking this my reluctant time to wave goodbye to the baby years, and get my head around the fact that as of Wednesday next week I will be a part time blogger, part time HR Advisor, school run mum and nursery run mum. All at the same time. I have no idea where to begin.
What I am looking forward to:
- Regaining my sense of identity. Over the last 12 months, I have felt like ‘just’ a Mum. Not even Lucy, just ‘Mum’. It will be nice to go somewhere where my name isn’t Mum for a change, where I can have my own identity and responsibilities other than ‘just’ being a parent.
- Adult conversations. I love a bit of poo chat just as much as the next person, but I also love to chat about how GBBO will never be the same, and even to have the odd semi intelligent conversation about burning issues such as how Cadbury’s Crème Eggs are far smaller than they used to be.
- Work Clothes – after rocking the leggings and the messy mum bun for some time now, I am looking forward to actually making myself look somewhat presentable, be it in a smart work dress or even a pair of tailored trousers that aren’t covered in a snot or wotsit trail. *I hope*
- Going to the toilet on my own…. being able to visit the loo at work without seeing small fingers appear under the door or someone asking to come in with me. At least I hope my new colleagues aren’t into that sort of thing.
- Two words… hot coffee.
- Money and independence. This one may seem obvious, but after the last 3 months on zero pay, some spondoolas wouldn’t go amiss. That said, it’s amazing how you can have a relatively frugal maternity leave when you try hard enough. All things considered I haven’t done too badly.
Things I will miss:
- Watching Neighbours whilst eating my lunch (is it bad that this is top of the list??)
- Waving Daddy off in our matching pyjamas, and not needing to worry when I get no sleep and look like an extra out of the walking dead as a result.
- Pre naptime cuddles. There is NO better feeling than a snoozy post feed baby snuggling on your chest before you pop them in their cot.
- Watching every stage of Neve’s development, from the rolls to the crawls, the cruises to the steps. I hope she saves those first independent steps till the weekend!
- Seeing the friendship form between two sisters!
- Not being penalised for holidays during term time, or day trips where the queues are short and the prices friendly!
Things I am dreading…
- The multi layered commute – nursery, school and me. It’s going to be hectic. Whilst I have managed with the girls, add getting myself ready into the equation and things get a whole lot more complicated!!
- The bugs… as an emetaphobic who has already experienced our first sickness bug of the year just 3 days into the school term *sigh*, I am not looking forward to all the new germs our family will be exposed to over the next few months!
- Juggling school holidays, childcare, annual leave, and after school clubs – if anyone has found an easy way to do this with please send me your pearls of wisdom.
Overall, the end of maternity leave has bought a whole mixture of emotions from anxiety, excitement, sadness, worry, reluctance and acceptance, but I will get there. If I am a little quieter than usual. you know why!!
See you on the other side! Wish me luck!
How did you feel when your maternity leave came to an end?
*This is a collaborative post*
Aww I bet it is a time full of mixed feelings for you coming to end of your maternity leave. I hope everything goes smoothly for you.
I am sure you are going through an array of emotions , the hardest being leaving your child whilst you go to work. But I am sure in time you will settle into anew routine and everything will be fine. after all its quality time that is important not quantity time.
Oh good luck! Enjoy all the benefits of a double life. I always felt relaly conflicted when my maternity end came to an end but hot coffee, I totally agree, is a real bonus 😉 Plus, record Neighbours for a bit of evening chill out (I do!!). Good luck for the return to work, I hope it goes really well.
Good luck with going back to work. I loved having adult conversations again but not the nursery / school commute
It is a hard transition for sure. I went back after 3 months (although I work from home) and it has been difficult, but you have to do what you hav e to do.
I don’t have kids so I’ve never had to think about this but I am sure you can manage it especially when it means some adult you time at work.My friend who has kids loves the days she works as she can feel like herself again x
Good luck with going back to work, its not easy I know but it gets easier and routine comes back
I’ll be in the same boat as you soon as my maternity leave finishes in November. But I’ve not got a job to go back to. I don’t know how il manage living my little one for the first time!
Good luck going back to work! I hope its an easy transition for you and the babies x
Definitely going to be a time of mixed feelings for you but I am sure you will handle them well! Enjoy being back at work xx
I hope it all goes well for you. I work for myself form home so have never faced this issue – I don’t know if I could to be honest. Kaz x
don’t get me started on GBBO. other than that, I do hope it goes well for you! it might feel overwhelming at first but take your time settling back into it
Good luck with heading back to work!
I totally agree on the Creme Eggs too – they’re so much smaller and not as goo-ey!
Good luck starting back at work. It is such mixed emotions but you’ll really enjoy the adult time (and hot drinks and peaceful toilet breaks!) I’m sure You’ll get the hang of the morning rush and multiple drops soon enough.
I don’t have kids but my friends who do all said that coming off maternity leave was a really emotional time for them. I’m sure it’ll go really well for you and you’ll get back into the swing of things in no time!
All the best for starting back to work! I’m sure it’ll be hard at first, but getting that time to yourself can be great too!
Good luck for starting back at work – I am glad to hear that there are lots of things you are looking forward to 🙂
My wife had a lot of trouble going back to work, mostly because of her colleagues… They had almost entirely changed, so it was a bit shock for her.
It’s certainly going to be different! I think it will be really refreshing to regain your “identity” and be more than mum again – enjoy it!