A COVID Maternity Leave – What You Need for a New Baby During COVID

COVID hit the US just as my maternity leave was coming to a close. Just as I was preparing to head back into the world, the world shutdown.

I have been fortunate enough to spend Rosie’s first year with her at home, although I have been home for a long time. Parents of newborns tend to be homebound for awhile regardless of a pandemic, but I found that having helpful baby items was ESSENTIAL. This was even more so since both my husband and I had to begin working remotely.

We needed easy places to keep and entertain baby, as well as a space that was inviting since we were/are spending ALL of our time at home. Below are items that have saved us! This post is not sponsored – I am just simply sharing what has been most helpful to us during this crazy time. Make sure you also check out what I recommend packing in your hospital bag here!

Baby Bjorn Bouncer – an essential for a COVID maternity leave in DC

I cannot even tell you how much we used this bouncer. My kids have never seemed to enjoy being put down somewhere for very long, but this bouncer helped tremendously when we had to put Rosie down to get anything done. It is so convenient because it is lightweight and does not take up much space at all, so you can move it anywhere. Furthermore, it doesn’t require being plugged in, so you can even take it outside (we’d put it on our back porch). There are also cute toys you can attach to keep baby entertained. AND, it comes in many colors, so you can get an aesthetically-pleasing one!

Stroller (a COVID maternity leave lifesaver!)

We used our UppaBaby Vista SO much during quarantine. As I’m sure most can attest, we looked forward to moments outside throughout the day. We would take walks before dinner, and our kids always went in the UppaBaby Vista. The Vista was perfect for us because of how versatile it is – you can arrange it in so many different ways to meet your needs. I also love how much storage space it has, so I could throw my diaper bag easily below. When it comes to being stuck at home for extended periods of time, you don’t want to skimp on a nice stroller – you will use it A LOT.

Wrap/Sling/Carrier

You will need some kind of carrier if you want to get anything done, especially if you have other children. I love SollyBaby for a soft wrap, especially with newborns, and MiaMily for a hard carrier because of its ergonomics and comfort.

Book Club

One of my goals this maternity leave was to spend less time on my phone while nursing and more time reading. Introduce COVID, and I WANTED to avoid the news and social media many times. There are so many online book subscriptions or clubs to be a part of. I personally like alternating between Reese’s Book Club and the New York Times Bestseller List. I cannot tell you how great it feels to get back into reading and spend less time on screens. It was a savior for my sanity, especially during a troublesome time.

Busy Toddler

This is if you have other kids around to preoccupy. Susie seriously comes up with the most creative and easy activities for toddlers. A lot of the time you already have the materials at home, so it’s just a matter of setting them up. You can even prearrange some activity boxes in advance to use later.

Combining COVID with a baby makes for a long maternity leave. Hopefully these tips help you get through yours.

All the best,

Marie

About Marie

Marie Elizabeth Photography specializes in fine art Maternity, Newborn, and Family Photography based out of Washington, D.C. and serves the areas of Arlington, Alexandria, McLean, Falls Church, Vienna, Bethesda, Potomac, Chevy Chase, Kensington, Silver Spring, College Park, and Riverdale Park. 

It is always an honor to serve as your DC Fine Art Film Photographer. I provide a custom, luxurious experience to lead you every step of the way, beginning with a planning guide to make you feel confident and prepared, a consultation to achieve your portrait goals, a client wardrobe, hair and make-up artists, and finally, artwork to adorn your walls and preserve your memories forever. Let me be a part of your story today.