It seems like only yesterday I wrote about 10 things all mums should do before giving birth.

In fact it was four months ago, just before Littlest B was born on Valentine’s Day.

10 things all mums should do on maternity leave

I don’t know where the time has gone but this week marks my last week of maternity leave before returning to work. Unless we win the lottery between now and next Monday this time next week the babymoon will be over, I’ll be back at my computer and normal life will have resumed.

Being a stay-and-work-at-home-mum I’m planning to wing it and work with Littlest B at home with me until she’s one so I can feed her myself. I’m not looking forward to it, but that’s another post for another day.

In the meantime I’ve been looking back at my maternity leave – and the two before that – and it got me thinking there really are some things all mums shouldΒ do before going back to work.

10 things all mums should do on maternity leave

1. Eat cake for breakfast. There’s always left over cake when the visitors have gone, and it’s just the job when you’re surviving on the least sleep you’ve ever had in your entire life.

2. Watch Jeremy Kyle. It’ll reassure you that even in your sleep deprived hag-like state you’re still totally normal.

3. Stay in bed with your baby when the rest of the world is going about it’s business. Because there’s nothing quite like being curled up under the duvet counting your baby’s fingers and toes on a Monday lunchtime.

4. Stay in your jim jams until 2 o’clock. Just because you can.

5. Sleep when your baby sleeps. It’s only with baby number three that I’ve actually done this. Contrary to popular belief it is possible and it makes the world of difference.

6. Sign up to a class. Baby massage, baby yoga, baby swimming – it doesn’t really matter, a class is one-to-one bonding time when the mountain of washing and everything else that needs doing can’t get in the way.

7. Do things you’d never normally do when working, and relish it. Like having tea and cake in a coffee shop while they’re napping, or sitting on a bench with your face turned to the sun.

8. Capture their babyness. Whether it’s with a photoshoot, hand or foot imprints or pottery painting, because if you think time is flying now wait until you go back to work. Blink and they’re two.

9. Do things with other mum friends – and dads. Things you wouldn’t be able to do if you were at work, like drinking wine at lunchtime.

10. Enjoy being ‘just’ a mum. Because if you’re going back to work like me it won’t be long before you’re juggling meetings with food shops and your weekends are spent cramming in everything you didn’t get the chance to do during the week because you were working.

Have you recently returned to work after maternity leave? Is there anything you think all mums should make sure they do? I’d love to know!

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