Maternity Leave is not Time Off!

When most people find out that I'm on maternity leave they are always telling me "oh you're soo lucky to have some time off..." I just smile at that comment because obviously I don't consider it as "time off" to be home with my baby. It is both physically and mentally demanding, as all moms know, to tend to a baby's every need 24/7!

Is it wrong that I get a little annoyed at that comment? If that's not enough, the question of "why are you always so tired?" is among one of my favorites. Really? You are well aware that I have a 5 month old baby and you really wonder why I am always tired? Pardon me but I find that to be a very ignorant question and one that I will not waste my time answering.

When baby J is up he requires my attention all the time. From feeding him, to entertaining him to ensure he stays on track developmentally, to comforting him when he cries, to helping him fall asleep when he's exhausted... yes, he needs my help to fall asleep.

When he does fall asleep I have to then take care my needs, yes, I also have needs. I have to eat as well otherwise he will have no food since I am breast feeding...

During the day he doesn't sleep for more than an hour at a time so there's not much time for me to take a nap as well so the best thing I can to is to just lay down and try to relax after I feed myself because when he wakes up, guess what? We have to do it all over again, and it is nonstop until bedtime which is usually around 11:00pm for baby J.

He's not sleeping through the night yet so that means I'm not sleeping through the night either. On a "good" night I get 4 hours of continuous sleep before he wakes up to feed again. He will sleep a total of about 9 hours in the night (not continuous obviously) before he's up for the day.

So please, don't think for a second that maternity leave is "time off"... And for goodness sake please stop asking me why I'm always tired. I have too much on my mind, I don't need to now be worried about looking tired. Thanks...