The one thing that new moms worry about is that there won’t be enough things they can do on maternity leave. Even though, given the fact that mat leave in the USA does not last for very long as it does in other countries.
Mat leave is longer for the neighbor up north, Australia, and in many countries in Europe.
However, the point of being on maternity leave is to not only take care of the new baby but to have the opportunity to bond with the new baby. Let’s take a look at seven things that you can do while you are on maternity leave right now.
Sign Your Baby Up For Swimming Lessons
The best thing that can be done is by exposing the baby to water, and this can be done as soon as the baby turns 4 months old.
The baby will get a head start on learning some important swimming lessons that he or she will need to have learned later on in life.
Because of the baby’s age, the parent will need to stay in the water with the baby and this will also increase the bonding time as well with the baby while your baby is learning how to swim.
Take The Baby To Music Classes
Music is very good for the baby’s overall development as it actually helps to nurture their creative and imaginative side which is essential for getting them prepared for learning.
Not to mention, being in music classes will help them learn the basics of socializing which babies need to learn at a young age. That is because they can and when mom and baby are enjoying music class, they can also bond together as well.
Go And Enjoy The Outdoors
It is important for babies to be outdoors as it is good for them to get fresh air and to be out in nature. However, this can only be done during the times when the UV rays are at its lowest which means any time before 11 am and any time after 4 pm.
Now, mom and baby can still go out during the times even within those hours, but mom needs to find shade and the baby needs to wear protective clothing and a hat.
Sunscreen can only be given to babies over 6 months of age and it must be the infant type that has a strength of 15 SPF or higher.
Get Plenty Of Cuddles
The point of maternity leave is to bond with the baby, and what better way can that be done other than spending time to cuddle with the baby?
And, mom can cuddle with the baby to have some downtime which means it is completely time for mom to lie down and have the baby laying on her shoulder.
This will not spoil the baby, as it will only increase the bond between the mom and the baby.
Join Or Start A Mommy Group
After having your first baby you will realize that your circle of friends will be changing if you don’t have other mom friends already.
Your single or childless married friends will no longer have much in common with you and this can cause you to feel quite lonely. What do you do then to combat that? Look for some mom groups or even create one if you are the driven type.
You will find it is the best decision that you will make to finally find others that you have in common with which is being part of the motherhood club.
Make Sure There Is ME Time Carved Out
Do you know the saying that you cannot pour from an empty cup?
Well, that is true because this is why it is essential for moms to carve out time alone so that they can recharge their batteries, and even if that means reading a book while the baby is napping, or literally taking the advice to sleep when the baby sleeps by taking a nap.
It is important to have alone time. Otherwise, resentments will boil over and that is something that you would want to avoid at all costs.
Do Some Fun Photography Sessions
The one thing that mom can do alone with the baby is playing with the phone camera and take all kinds of pictures. Even upload some apps that can jazz the pictures up which can be shared on social media or kept otherwise.
Being on maternity leave will only last for so long and that is why every mom will want to make the most of it while she is off with the baby by utilizing all of these ideas! Therefore, there are plenty of things moms can do on maternity leave.
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