For most moms, maternity leave involves an endless cycle of diapers/feeding/pumping, repeat, with an occasional walk or activity here or there. The most amazing feelings of being a new mom with a perfect little blessing are sometimes met with exhaustion, loneliness, and overwhelm.

We understand, and we want to help. Here are some tips from many recent moms to make the most of your maternity leave that will save time, money, sleep, and maybe even your sanity.

Key Themes for a Fulfilling Maternity Leave

Above all, next to keeping your precious baby alive, mental health and healing are your top priorities! Tactics like creating a routine and planning out your days can set the stage for a happier, healthier maternity leave.

Prioritize Self Care

So often, moms run their tanks down to empty without even realizing it. Experts found the biggest barriers to new moms’ self-care are often “time, limited resources and difficulty accepting help and setting boundaries.”

Keep your eyes on the prize in being the best version of yourself that you can be. Think about your favorite way to relax and treat yourself to a pedicure with foot massage, a manicure, massage, facial mask, or other self-care treatments you like.

Get into a Routine

Seriously, schedule your life. Fall into a routine where the baby’s eating on schedule, napping, and getting lots of snuggles. Better yet, schedule your shower and your own meals, too, after the baby arrives.

Take Shifts

Share responsibilities and take turns feeding and changing the baby so no one gets overwhelmed. Lean on each other and trade spots if you need help.

Call in Backup

Sometimes caring for a new baby can still be overwhelming even with schedules and life hacks in place. Call on family or friends to give you a few hours off. And, particularly if you’re a single mom and need a little backup, ask someone close to come sleep over and give you a night off!

Take Breaks

Avoid doing too much constantly or all at once. Accept that it’s more than okay to take breaks from the endless flow of housework, washing dirty dishes or baby clothes, and errands. Ask for help if you need it and really enjoy the baby. Maternity leave goes by quickly and if you blink, you might miss it.

Create a Plan with Your Partner

Some partners dive right in when the baby arrives and others may need a little direction. The biggest ways your partner can contribute is to help Mommy get more sleep and to help her heal. Make a partner checklist for maternity leave to keep you both on the same page, combining the honey-do list with tasks that make your life easier as a brand-new mom.

Consider:

Help with feedings and changing, especially the night shift.
Shop for groceries, cook, meal prep, or order takeout.
Bring Mom water, food, ice, whatever she needs.
Supervising the baby so mom gets a break, especially daily tummy time.
Baby-proof the house.
Wash dishes, do some laundry, or catch up on cleaning.
Snap photos so Mommy gets to be in a bunch!

Finalize Important Logistics

Prioritize these important logistics for baby’s arrival.

Officially add little one to the health insurance plan and confirm it.
Open a custodial savings account. Deposit any monetary baby gifts.
Provide payments or set up payment plans for your hospital bills.

Send out Baby Announcements

Welcome your little one to the world in full color with precious baby photo birth announcements you can mail to all your friends and family. Include baby’s birthdate, time, weight, and length for a special keepsake you can add to the baby book, or try these other birth announcement ideas.

Adjust Expectations

Sometimes making a To-Do list is one of the last things you should do on maternity leave. Having a baby can be stressful enough, so avoid adding undue pressure to your life. When your schedule is totally out of whack, focus on making time for simple things like showering and eating. Give yourself some grace and don’t get discouraged if your plans to learn a language, bake, or start crocheting all fall apart.

Creating Lasting Memories During Maternity Leave

Make the most of your maternity leave snuggling your baby, taking tons of photos and videos, and getting into plenty of pictures yourself! Try a new family tradition or even a sweet photo idea. While some days are challenging, these moments are priceless, so breathe them in and capture your favorites in a journal, scrapbook, or baby photo book.

Visits and Video Chats with Family

Invite special loved ones to come visit in person and make faraway family feel just as special with personal video calls to meet the baby. Set expectations ahead of time with a schedule that politely introduces boundaries to keep your meetups short and sweet. Now is a great time to get into genealogy and begin documenting your family history!

Share the Camera

So often, moms are the ones taking the photos, which means moms make it into far fewer photos. Empower other family members, like Daddy, big bro, or big sis, to take photos regularly, too, so you aren’t missing from these priceless moments. Even an unexpected, kid-angled photo can be a framer!

Write Down Your Birth Story

The story of your baby’s birth deserves to be an immortal part of your family’s history. Sleepless nights may eventually take a toll, so act now while it’s fresh to document your child’s birth story down to the details. Replay the birth story in a personal journal, as the intro to a baby photo book with at least one pregnancy photo alongside, or on designated pages in the baby book.

Monthly Milestone Photos

Babies grow so fast, so snap those pictures for each “month birthday,” starting at 0 months, and every day in between! Take pictures and videos of milestones like first smile and first laugh to lock down the baby’s age when these precious moments first occur. Snap monthly photos with onesie stickers, monthly milestone blankets, or other fun photo props.

Get Some Fresh Air

Lots of recent moms on Reddit agree that daily stroller walks can be greatfor everyone! You get a healthy dose of vitamin C, some exercise, fresh air, and a chance to get out of the house while making even more memories. Try outdoor baby and me yoga or another activity designed for active mommy and baby bonding.

Whatever you decide to do when you get a split second to yourself, really immerse yourself in this precious gift of time. Focus on creating lasting memories for yourself, your partner, baby’s older siblings, and grandparents, and take lots of pictures to show your little one when he or she gets a little older!

Maternity leave is hard, and it’s definitely not a vacation, but it can include some of the absolute memorable days of your life.