Now that i’m coming to the end of my first maternity leave, it’s safe to say that some of the expectations I had for my “year off” were VERY unrealistic and dreamy!
Expectation: Lots of time to watch box sets
Reality: I think I have managed one box set in the early days after giving birth, whilst breastfeeding *constantly*, but that was it!!! These days it’s Lorraine and This Morning on in the background if i’m lucky, whilst shouting “no, don’t touch that” every second minute!
Expectation: I’ll be able to sleep when baby sleeps
Reality: Sleep? What’s sleep?! I was told this A LOT when the little man was born, and it is the biggest load of sh*t!! Firstly, you can’t just turn on sleep, because what’s likely to happen is that they wake up as soon as you fall asleep and then you feel a hundred times worse (sound familiar?). And secondly, unless you have a cook, cleaner, maid that lives with you, then you need to use that time to get stuff done around your house, or just have a shower!
Expectation: Lots of sitting in coffee shops having chats with mummy friends
Reality: Now this is something that I was really looking forward to, but in reality it has been trying to wolf down a coffee & some cake before the little one throws the mother of all tantrums and needs feeding / entertaining. NOT relaxing at all!
Expectation: Wandering around the shops whilst browsing at my leisure
Reality: Get in and out as quickly as I can (before another tantrum prevails). The end.
Expectation: Having dinner ready for when my husband gets home from work
Reality: I thought this was something that I would have loads of time for. In reality it was clock watching the whole afternoon whilst trying not to rip my hair out / cry (most days!), and then handing the bundle of joy over as soon as he gets home, and shutting myself in the bedroom for some silence. This leaves time for a frozen pizza to be shoved in the oven, or time to ring for a take-away. No 1950’s housewife here!!
Expectation: Having a tidy house
Reality: I’ll be at home all day so can get loads done, yes? NO. Babies make a LOT of mess, and i’m just not quick enough (or bothered enough anymore) to tidy up after him. I now do a quick tidy after he has gone to bed every night so he can’t mess it up again within seconds.
Expectation: Lots of spare time
Reality: I’ll admit, I was naive. I hardly get time to have a wee in peace, let alone anything else (including all of the above)!
Right, enough is enough – get me back to work so I can wee in peace and have hot cups of tea!
Mummy S x
Haha! It’s a lot different in reality isn’t it!?
Totally get the ‘sleep when the baby sleeps’, like who the hell has ever been able to do that?? Congrats to them, because it never happened for me. ?
#twinklytuesdays – I loved the hot teas when I got back to work, just started my second mat leave so feel a lot more prepared for the realities of it 🙂
It’s not a year off is it? In fact I think there is a blog called something like ‘Not My Year Off’ if I remember rightly! It sounds like you never really got into the swing of the being at home thing. Maybe because you knew that you’d always be going back to work? It’s not for everyone that’s for sure I’m not a natural born housewife but I’ve learnt not to burn frozen pizza haha!