Maternity Leave 🎟

I was one of those people who associated maternity leave with mom’s-to-be sitting at home, busy organising their newborn’s room or clothes or something and then in a few days they give birth and ‘voila’ it’s on to mothering. Well may I say that is so not how it works.

Instead of ‘nesting’ (a fancy word for readying things for baby), there’s pain in your pelvis, thighs, calfs, lower extremity joints and plus you start to do the Donald Duck waddle. And for some of us, we get to roll out of bed each time we need to get up. And then there is the back pain that seems to go up five notches. And your favourite seat in the lounge feels like a glorified bench. The arch in your back created to support your grown tummy needs support.

Now I know each woman has a different pregnancy experience due to many factors, but I’m a 33 year old woman with a back that seems like it will break any minute! I also know no one has the 411 on pregnancy but everywhere I read says all the above is normal!😱

So the next time you think maternity leave is a vacation prelude to childbirth think again: it’s the supposed calm before the storm!