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From being viewed as a privilege accorded to a select few, maternity leave has now come to be seen as a right of every working woman. Most countries have a mandatory maternity leave for female employees, which can be paid or unpaid. In Singapore, for example, working women can avail a 16-week paid maternity leave.

The first couple of weeks after the birth of a child are crucial to forge the bond between mother and child. This is also the time when the woman’s body requires a lot of rest. Maternity leave allows her the chance to transition into the new role at her own pace. However, since this time can be confusing and confounding, it is important to put it to good use. Here’s a few things that can help you better utilise this ‘break’.

You can even use the first few weeks of maternity leave, before the delivery, to put together a postpartum plan so that you are well prepared for when the baby arrives. After the birth, the focus should be on resting your tired body, even as you adjust to the new normal of being a new mom.

Spend time with the baby

It goes without saying that this is the time when the baby needs you the most. Feeding, cuddling and a lot of skin-to-skin cuddling are important parts of the bonding process. There are a lot of magical moments to be experienced for the first time – the yawns, their first smile, the way their fingers automatically curl around yours. There are also a lot of not-so-pleasant tasks that you need to master including changing dirty diapers, cleaning up poop, vomit and all sorts of bodily fluids off clothes, sheets and from yourself.

Don’t overwhelm yourself

While your body is still trying to overcome postpartum exhaustion, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the feelings of inadequacy and self doubt regarding your capabilities as a mother. Remember, that every woman who has given birth goes through this phase. (Yes, your mother felt the same way when she held you as a child!) Like every one of them, and like every other skill that you have picked up over the years, you will keep getting better at motherhood as well.In the meantime, don’t be too hard on yourself. You got this!

Document it

As we already said, there are a lot of milestones and firsts that the baby will achieve in the first few weeks of his life. You can record these memories in a baby book. Alternatively, you can take up journaling. This will help you jot down your thoughts (and there will be a whole lot of them!), make to-do lists as well as record the baby’s developmental milestones. Also, take a lot of pictures, not necessarily for social media but to remember this special time by.

Outsource the chores

These few weeks, put the focus on the baby and yourself. Everything else needs to be either postponed or delegated. If possible, enlist the help of your spouse, other family members or even paid help. Remember, anyone can take care of the dirty laundry and dishes but only you can provide nourishment, love and care that the baby needs in the initial few weeks of its life. And, your work has already given you the go-ahead to focus on the baby in the form of this maternity leave.

Re-evaluate and reflect

Sometimes it may take a while for the responsibility of keeping another human being alive to properly sink in. The baby’s birth could completely change your life, your thoughts and even your perspective on life in general. As the weeks progress, you might feel the need for making some drastic changes in your life and routine. Take time to arrive at the right decision for yourself without feeling any guilt.

Reserve some ‘Me Time’

It would be just the baby and you for most of the day. You might even end up smelling like baby products due to the constant nursing and cuddling. It is also important to make time for yourself and do things that you enjoy. It could be simple pleasures like reading, exercising or dancing. If you do get someone to look after the baby, don’t hesitate from stepping out of the house to enjoy a cup of coffee or taking a leisurely stroll in the park if you feel like it. Additionally, it could end up being a good bonding exercise for your spouse and the baby to spend some time by themselves.

Make arrangements for future

As you get more comfortable in this new role, you might feel the urge to get back to work. This will require making arrangements for childcare, and taking over some of the domestic chores to be able to attend to the baby. This might need some research into the daycares near you or passing on some responsibilities to a hired help or to a family member. You might want to learn to pump your milk for the kiddo to be fed when you are not around, or to wean them off of breast milk. Organise the necessary help before your maternity leave gets exhausted.

In short, maternity leave is a good time (and reason) to take a break from everything around you – including your work. Your body has accomplished a marvel by bringing forth new life. Give it the time to recover from the experience. Once you start doing it, you will gradually develop more confidence as a mother and transition smoothly into the post-baby life. Until then, be patient and enjoy the precious bonding time with your baby.