Maternity leave. It’s a season of change, adjustment to your ‘new normal’, and yes, still a hefty serve of sleep deprivation. It’s that special time when you get to know the little person who has been growing inside you for the past 9 months, without the added whirlwind of work and ‘pre-baby’ life. Maternity leave gives you the gift of time to spend with your baby, and while there’s no pressure to fill your days with Instagram-reel-perfect activities, sometimes it’s nice to add a few memory makers into the mix.

Whether you’ve got six weeks or six months at home with your little one, here are some fun, simple, and soul-nourishing ways to make the most of this unique chapter of motherhood.

1. Embrace the pace and go with the slow

There are times, as I wrangle three, school-aged children out the door to school and myself to work that I think wistfully of the days when I literally had nowhere to be by any set time. Those glorious, slow starts where I could snuggle my baby (then baby and toddler, then pre-schooler, toddler and baby) in bed, potter around making breakfast, and drink endless cups of tea to the soundtrack of Fireman Sam and Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom. While it is important to get out and about, try and embrace the slower mornings when you can. Snuggle with your bubba in bed, read picture books on the couch, and enjoy a leisurely paced breakfast. If you're a morning person (or just need to get out of the house in search of caffeine and adult conversation), try a slow afternoon. Take a bath with your bub or give the baby massage a whirl. You’ll often find this slower, more deliberate pace keeps you both calm and regulated, even when battling a lack of sleep and the steep learning curve of new motherhood.

2. Get outside when you can

The perfect accompaniment to a slow morning is some time outside. Experts recommend trying to get out for a slow walk or even to just sit in some natural light to help boost mood and start to develop your bubs natural circadian rhythm. If you’ve got a baby-carrier, taking bub out in that can be a great way to bond while also allowing you to have your hands free. Newborns and young babies will often settle very quickly in a carrier as they love being next to you and hearing your heartbeat. You can also go for a spin with the stroller. If you’re feeling adventurous, try visiting somewhere new each week. As your baby gets older, they’ll love exploring new parks, coffee shops, play spaces, or beaches and the activity will help to form the building blocks of a new routine.

3. Explore your local early childhood scene

There’s a whole world out there for baby-friendly activities that you’d likely never have known about till you became a parent. Whether it’s joining a mother’s group (highly recommended), dropping into your local library for baby storytime, finding a baby yoga or fitness class or just catching up with friends at a baby-friendly cafe, connecting with people can really make a difference in the early weeks and months of parenting. This can be especially helpful if you don’t have friends with young babies or are new to where you’re living. After my first, I joined my local mother’s group run out of our early childhood centre and, 13 years later, am still friends with two of the women I met in that very first session. I was the first to have a baby in my friendship group so finding people who understood what it was like to be completely exhausted yet utterly besotted, helped pave the way for settling into new motherhood.

4. Create a “Firsts” Scrapbook or Journal for important milestones

You don’t need to be crafty or own a hot glue gun to document baby’s firsts. Whether it’s a store-bought baby journal or a simple notebook, jotting down little milestones; first smile, first bath, first poo-explosion in public, can be a beautiful ritual. If you’re feeling short on time, set a reminder once a week to note down a few highlights. Or go digital with a shared photo album or voice memos. And remember: milestones aren’t just for baby. “First coffee drunk while it was still hot” is absolutely celebration-worthy.

5. Find your rhythm and start building a routine

While the first months of bubs life are very much led by them, you can start to form some basic ‘building blocks’ to help your days feel a little more organised, during your maternity leave.  A loose rhythm like “morning play, midday outing, afternoon rest” can help create predictability for both of you, without adding stress. Even adding in a small daily ritual—like a morning cuddle and cuppa, or reading the same book each night can help both you and baby feel more grounded and add a small amount of structure into the unknown.

6. Take (and Be In) the Photos

Yes, your hair’s in a mum bun and you’ve worn the same hoodie three days in a row. Still, take the photo. Let someone else take the photo. Be in the photo. So many mums look back and realise they have thousands of pictures of their baby and barely any with their baby. You don’t need to curate a picture-perfect feed, just capture the real, everyday beauty of this time. Milk-drunk smiles. Snuggles on the lounge. That first gummy grin that melted your heart. Print a few and pop them on the fridge. These are the days.

Remember: Making memories doesn’t mean doing it all. Let’s be clear: maternity leave is not a challenge or a a to-do list. You don’t need to tick off an activity every day to make it meaningful. Sometimes the best memories are made in the quiet moments: the 3am feeds when it’s just you and baby in your own little world. The days spent entirely in PJs, binge watching Bluey, and cuddling on the couch. Whatever your maternity leave looks like, it’s uniquely yours. Be kind to yourself, soak up what you can, and don’t stress about the rest. There will be time for everything else later.

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