Shows to binge watch on maternity leave

[Anonymous]

Bluetooth headphones or a band can help you stream the shows on your phone. My babies didn’t nap independently for awhile and that’s what I did for newborn naps.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I had no time to watch TV while at home caring for my baby. And I was too tired to watch anything at night. Plus I would be going to bed by 9:30 pm due to the middle of night awakenings. I got behind on all my shows.

Unhelpful

Very helpful so OP can adjust expectations. She probably won’t have time to watch much TV, let alone start and finish a new series.

Ok how's this for expectations. I have three kids. I probably watched 5-6 shows in their entirety each maternity leave. Maybe if a poster doesn't have an answer to OP's question they can just...not respond. The world doesn't need to hear your every thought.

OP, for my last baby last year I watched the staircase, Ted lasso, house of the dragon, white lotus, bad sisters and severance. All great.

Did you exclusively breastfeed? Did you start maternity leave prior to the baby being born? Did you have household or family help? All this would make a difference in being able to watch shows at leisure.

DP, but also with three maternity leaves and would probably only admit to 5-6 shows in their entirety, but likely could have been more. Yeah, there's a LOT of down time, and no, [/b]I didn't have a bunch of help, I was on my own with a newborn, and then toddlers as well. There is so much unstructured time and it's hard to really do anything else. I also cleaned constantly, and cooked, and did massive craft projects. [b]Babies, especially newborns sleep a ton. Toddlers have preschool.[b] TV was the most my brain and body could handle most of the time. And I'm not sure why it matters, but yep, also exclusively breastfed each of them for over a year.

Well then you are very lucky, as not all babies sleep a ton! My daughter (#2) was a catnapper. She would only nap for 45 minutes at a time, 3 times during the day. Between that and drop off/pick up from preschool, there was no time to actually watch TV for me. When my toddler was home, he was extremely needy.

Did you have any family such as your mother or mother in law come and help with the older kids at all?

I'm the original PP with three kids. Why are you so obsessed with this? I had a bad sleeper, a mediocre one and a good one. First baby was the worst one so I held her for all of her naps...while I watched tv. Sometimes with headphones in on my phone in there dark, sometimes in bed, sometimes on the couch.

[b]I didn't have any more help other than when I had #2 and #3 I continued childcare for them so I could you know, take care of the baby. I've EBF, bottle fed and combo fed.

It sounds like you had a rough maternity leave. As someone who also had rough leaves I'm Sorry about that. But part of what got me through those times was copious good tv.

Ah. There you go. You really don’t now what it’s like to take care of multiple kids all day for the entire maternity leave as you only had one baby in the house each time. That is a completely different experience then. Yes, with one baby there may actually be time for some TV. OP, is this your first baby?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had no time to watch TV while at home caring for my baby. And I was too tired to watch anything at night. Plus I would be going to bed by 9:30 pm due to the middle of night awakenings. I got behind on all my shows.

Unhelpful

Very helpful so OP can adjust expectations. She probably won’t have time to watch much TV, let alone start and finish a new series.

Ok how's this for expectations. I have three kids. I probably watched 5-6 shows in their entirety each maternity leave. Maybe if a poster doesn't have an answer to OP's question they can just...not respond. The world doesn't need to hear your every thought.

OP, for my last baby last year I watched the staircase, Ted lasso, house of the dragon, white lotus, bad sisters and severance. All great.

Did you exclusively breastfeed? Did you start maternity leave prior to the baby being born? Did you have household or family help? All this would make a difference in being able to watch shows at leisure.

DP, but also with three maternity leaves and would probably only admit to 5-6 shows in their entirety, but likely could have been more. Yeah, there's a LOT of down time, and no, [/b]I didn't have a bunch of help[b], I was on my own with a newborn, and then toddlers as well. There is so much unstructured time and it's hard to really do anything else. I also cleaned constantly, and cooked, and did massive craft projects. [b]Babies, especially newborns sleep a ton. Toddlers have preschool.[b] TV was the most my brain and body could handle most of the time. And I'm not sure why it matters, but yep, also exclusively breastfed each of them for over a year.

Well then you are very lucky, as not all babies sleep a ton! My daughter (#2) was a catnapper. She would only nap for 45 minutes at a time, 3 times during the day. Between that and drop off/pick up from preschool, there was no time to actually watch TV for me. When my toddler was home, he was extremely needy.

Did you have any family such as your mother or mother in law come and help with the older kids at all?

NP, why are you so obsessed with this?
You’re coming off as unhinged.

Sharing my experience which may be different than yours makes me unhinged?! Ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had no time to watch TV while at home caring for my baby. And I was too tired to watch anything at night. Plus I would be going to bed by 9:30 pm due to the middle of night awakenings. I got behind on all my shows.

Unhelpful

Very helpful so OP can adjust expectations. She probably won’t have time to watch much TV, let alone start and finish a new series.

Ok how's this for expectations. I have three kids. I probably watched 5-6 shows in their entirety each maternity leave. Maybe if a poster doesn't have an answer to OP's question they can just...not respond. The world doesn't need to hear your every thought.

OP, for my last baby last year I watched the staircase, Ted lasso, house of the dragon, white lotus, bad sisters and severance. All great.

Did you exclusively breastfeed? Did you start maternity leave prior to the baby being born? Did you have household or family help? All this would make a difference in being able to watch shows at leisure.

DP, but also with three maternity leaves and would probably only admit to 5-6 shows in their entirety, but likely could have been more. Yeah, there's a LOT of down time, and no, [/b]I didn't have a bunch of help, I was on my own with a newborn, and then toddlers as well. There is so much unstructured time and it's hard to really do anything else. I also cleaned constantly, and cooked, and did massive craft projects. [b]Babies, especially newborns sleep a ton. Toddlers have preschool.[b] TV was the most my brain and body could handle most of the time. And I'm not sure why it matters, but yep, also exclusively breastfed each of them for over a year.

Well then you are very lucky, as not all babies sleep a ton! My daughter (#2) was a catnapper. She would only nap for 45 minutes at a time, 3 times during the day. Between that and drop off/pick up from preschool, there was no time to actually watch TV for me. When my toddler was home, he was extremely needy.

Did you have any family such as your mother or mother in law come and help with the older kids at all?

I'm the original PP with three kids. Why are you so obsessed with this? I had a bad sleeper, a mediocre one and a good one. First baby was the worst one so I held her for all of her naps...while I watched tv. Sometimes with headphones in on my phone in there dark, sometimes in bed, sometimes on the couch.

[b]I didn't have any more help other than when I had #2 and #3 I continued childcare for them so I could you know, take care of the baby. I've EBF, bottle fed and combo fed.

It sounds like you had a rough maternity leave. As someone who also had rough leaves I'm Sorry about that. But part of what got me through those times was copious good tv.

Ah. There you go. You really don’t now what it’s like to take care of multiple kids all day for the entire maternity leave as you only had one baby in the house each time. That is a completely different experience then. Yes, with one baby there may actually be time for some TV. OP, is this your first baby?

So what was your excuse your first maternity leave? And where was your partner in all of this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had no time to watch TV while at home caring for my baby. And I was too tired to watch anything at night. Plus I would be going to bed by 9:30 pm due to the middle of night awakenings. I got behind on all my shows.

Unhelpful

Very helpful so OP can adjust expectations. She probably won’t have time to watch much TV, let alone start and finish a new series.

Ok how's this for expectations. I have three kids. I probably watched 5-6 shows in their entirety each maternity leave. Maybe if a poster doesn't have an answer to OP's question they can just...not respond. The world doesn't need to hear your every thought.

OP, for my last baby last year I watched the staircase, Ted lasso, house of the dragon, white lotus, bad sisters and severance. All great.

Did you exclusively breastfeed? Did you start maternity leave prior to the baby being born? Did you have household or family help? All this would make a difference in being able to watch shows at leisure.

DP, but also with three maternity leaves and would probably only admit to 5-6 shows in their entirety, but likely could have been more. Yeah, there's a LOT of down time, and no, [/b]I didn't have a bunch of help, I was on my own with a newborn, and then toddlers as well. There is so much unstructured time and it's hard to really do anything else. I also cleaned constantly, and cooked, and did massive craft projects. [b]Babies, especially newborns sleep a ton. Toddlers have preschool.[b] TV was the most my brain and body could handle most of the time. And I'm not sure why it matters, but yep, also exclusively breastfed each of them for over a year.

Well then you are very lucky, as not all babies sleep a ton! My daughter (#2) was a catnapper. She would only nap for 45 minutes at a time, 3 times during the day. Between that and drop off/pick up from preschool, there was no time to actually watch TV for me. When my toddler was home, he was extremely needy.

Did you have any family such as your mother or mother in law come and help with the older kids at all?

I'm the original PP with three kids. Why are you so obsessed with this? I had a bad sleeper, a mediocre one and a good one. First baby was the worst one so I held her for all of her naps...while I watched tv. Sometimes with headphones in on my phone in there dark, sometimes in bed, sometimes on the couch.

[b]I didn't have any more help other than when I had #2 and #3 I continued childcare for them so I could you know, take care of the baby. I've EBF, bottle fed and combo fed.

It sounds like you had a rough maternity leave. As someone who also had rough leaves I'm Sorry about that. But part of what got me through those times was copious good tv.

Ah. There you go. You really don’t now what it’s like to take care of multiple kids all day for the entire maternity leave as you only had one baby in the house each time. That is a completely different experience then. Yes, with one baby there may actually be time for some TV. OP, is this your first baby?

Are you seriously telling a mother of three that she doesn't know what it's like taking care of multiple children?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had no time to watch TV while at home caring for my baby. And I was too tired to watch anything at night. Plus I would be going to bed by 9:30 pm due to the middle of night awakenings. I got behind on all my shows.

Unhelpful

Very helpful so OP can adjust expectations. She probably won’t have time to watch much TV, let alone start and finish a new series.

Ok how's this for expectations. I have three kids. I probably watched 5-6 shows in their entirety each maternity leave. Maybe if a poster doesn't have an answer to OP's question they can just...not respond. The world doesn't need to hear your every thought.

OP, for my last baby last year I watched the staircase, Ted lasso, house of the dragon, white lotus, bad sisters and severance. All great.

Did you exclusively breastfeed? Did you start maternity leave prior to the baby being born? Did you have household or family help? All this would make a difference in being able to watch shows at leisure.

DP, but also with three maternity leaves and would probably only admit to 5-6 shows in their entirety, but likely could have been more. Yeah, there's a LOT of down time, and no, [/b]I didn't have a bunch of help, I was on my own with a newborn, and then toddlers as well. There is so much unstructured time and it's hard to really do anything else. I also cleaned constantly, and cooked, and did massive craft projects. [b]Babies, especially newborns sleep a ton. Toddlers have preschool.[b] TV was the most my brain and body could handle most of the time. And I'm not sure why it matters, but yep, also exclusively breastfed each of them for over a year.

Well then you are very lucky, as not all babies sleep a ton! My daughter (#2) was a catnapper. She would only nap for 45 minutes at a time, 3 times during the day. Between that and drop off/pick up from preschool, there was no time to actually watch TV for me. When my toddler was home, he was extremely needy.

Did you have any family such as your mother or mother in law come and help with the older kids at all?

I'm the original PP with three kids. Why are you so obsessed with this? I had a bad sleeper, a mediocre one and a good one. First baby was the worst one so I held her for all of her naps...while I watched tv. Sometimes with headphones in on my phone in there dark, sometimes in bed, sometimes on the couch.

[b]I didn't have any more help other than when I had #2 and #3 I continued childcare for them so I could you know, take care of the baby. I've EBF, bottle fed and combo fed.

It sounds like you had a rough maternity leave. As someone who also had rough leaves I'm Sorry about that. But part of what got me through those times was copious good tv.

Ah. There you go. You really don’t now what it’s like to take care of multiple kids all day for the entire maternity leave as you only had one baby in the house each time. That is a completely different experience then. Yes, with one baby there may actually be time for some TV. OP, is this your first baby?

Are you seriously telling a mother of three that she doesn't know what it's like taking care of multiple children?

During maternity leave, yes. She didn’t have all 3 kids at home during the week. That’s very different from a full time SAHM who doesn’t have childcare for the older 2 so she can “you know, watch the baby”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had no time to watch TV while at home caring for my baby. And I was too tired to watch anything at night. Plus I would be going to bed by 9:30 pm due to the middle of night awakenings. I got behind on all my shows.

Unhelpful

Very helpful so OP can adjust expectations. She probably won’t have time to watch much TV, let alone start and finish a new series.

Ok how's this for expectations. I have three kids. I probably watched 5-6 shows in their entirety each maternity leave. Maybe if a poster doesn't have an answer to OP's question they can just...not respond. The world doesn't need to hear your every thought.

OP, for my last baby last year I watched the staircase, Ted lasso, house of the dragon, white lotus, bad sisters and severance. All great.

Did you exclusively breastfeed? Did you start maternity leave prior to the baby being born? Did you have household or family help? All this would make a difference in being able to watch shows at leisure.

DP, but also with three maternity leaves and would probably only admit to 5-6 shows in their entirety, but likely could have been more. Yeah, there's a LOT of down time, and no, [/b]I didn't have a bunch of help, I was on my own with a newborn, and then toddlers as well. There is so much unstructured time and it's hard to really do anything else. I also cleaned constantly, and cooked, and did massive craft projects. [b]Babies, especially newborns sleep a ton. Toddlers have preschool.[b] TV was the most my brain and body could handle most of the time. And I'm not sure why it matters, but yep, also exclusively breastfed each of them for over a year.

Well then you are very lucky, as not all babies sleep a ton! My daughter (#2) was a catnapper. She would only nap for 45 minutes at a time, 3 times during the day. Between that and drop off/pick up from preschool, there was no time to actually watch TV for me. When my toddler was home, he was extremely needy.

Did you have any family such as your mother or mother in law come and help with the older kids at all?

I'm the original PP with three kids. Why are you so obsessed with this? I had a bad sleeper, a mediocre one and a good one. First baby was the worst one so I held her for all of her naps...while I watched tv. Sometimes with headphones in on my phone in there dark, sometimes in bed, sometimes on the couch.

[b]I didn't have any more help other than when I had #2 and #3 I continued childcare for them so I could you know, take care of the baby. I've EBF, bottle fed and combo fed.

It sounds like you had a rough maternity leave. As someone who also had rough leaves I'm Sorry about that. But part of what got me through those times was copious good tv.

Ah. There you go. You really don’t now what it’s like to take care of multiple kids all day for the entire maternity leave as you only had one baby in the house each time. That is a completely different experience then. Yes, with one baby there may actually be time for some TV. OP, is this your first baby?

So what was your excuse your first maternity leave? And where was your partner in all of this?

I said with with one baby there may be time for TV. But in between feedings you may need to nap, pump, or run a load of laundry. You didn’t read that? Once you hit multiple kids at home all day, forget it. My partner was working all day at an office as I was on leave.

[Anonymous]

In sum, you may or may not have time to watch some TV. If you have multiple kids at home all day, you won’t be able to.

[Anonymous]

This thread seemed so innocuous but really went off the rails. Lots of mommy martyrs out here today!

Anyway during my maternity leave I watched lots of shows. We have no family close by and my DH was working out of home for about 9 hours a day. My child would not nap unless I held her. We also have a dog. And I exclusively breastfed.

I watched:
Gossip Girl
Lots of real housewives
Rewatched pride and prejudice (miniseries and movie)
Project runway

Probably other things I can’t remember- I watched mindless tv while my baby breastfed or napped on me. She never watched anything as her eyes were facing me or closed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In sum, you may or may not have time to watch some TV. If you have multiple kids at home all day, you won’t be able to.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread seemed so innocuous but really went off the rails. Lots of mommy martyrs out here today!

Anyway during my maternity leave I watched lots of shows. We have no family close by and my DH was working out of home for about 9 hours a day. My child would not nap unless I held her. We also have a dog. And I exclusively breastfed.

I watched:
Gossip Girl
Lots of real housewives
Rewatched pride and prejudice (miniseries and movie)
Project runway

Probably other things I can’t remember- I watched mindless tv while my baby breastfed or napped on me. She never watched anything as her eyes were facing me or closed.

Seriously!l only in DCUM can a request for TV show advise turn into a crusade against TV/mom shaming.
I watched lots of TV when my first was born - during every nighttime feeding; it’s what made it tolerable to get up at 2 and 4am.

Some suggestions for you:
Comedies:
Schitts Creek
Catastophe
Shrinking
Only Murders in the building

Dramadies
Dead to me
Severance
Physical

[Anonymous]

PP here- meant to include Jury Duty! Such a great show.

[Anonymous]

I watched HGTV all day. I wouldn't have been able to focus on anything too involved.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for all the good recs!

This is my second baby. My first just started daycare 😊

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had no time to watch TV while at home caring for my baby. And I was too tired to watch anything at night. Plus I would be going to bed by 9:30 pm due to the middle of night awakenings. I got behind on all my shows.

Unhelpful

Very helpful so OP can adjust expectations. She probably won’t have time to watch much TV, let alone start and finish a new series.

Ok how's this for expectations. I have three kids. I probably watched 5-6 shows in their entirety each maternity leave. Maybe if a poster doesn't have an answer to OP's question they can just...not respond. The world doesn't need to hear your every thought.

OP, for my last baby last year I watched the staircase, Ted lasso, house of the dragon, white lotus, bad sisters and severance. All great.

Did you exclusively breastfeed? Did you start maternity leave prior to the baby being born? Did you have household or family help? All this would make a difference in being able to watch shows at leisure.

DP, but also with three maternity leaves and would probably only admit to 5-6 shows in their entirety, but likely could have been more. Yeah, there's a LOT of down time, and no, [/b]I didn't have a bunch of help, I was on my own with a newborn, and then toddlers as well. There is so much unstructured time and it's hard to really do anything else. I also cleaned constantly, and cooked, and did massive craft projects. [b]Babies, especially newborns sleep a ton. Toddlers have preschool.[b] TV was the most my brain and body could handle most of the time. And I'm not sure why it matters, but yep, also exclusively breastfed each of them for over a year.

Well then you are very lucky, as not all babies sleep a ton! My daughter (#2) was a catnapper. She would only nap for 45 minutes at a time, 3 times during the day. Between that and drop off/pick up from preschool, there was no time to actually watch TV for me. When my toddler was home, he was extremely needy.

Did you have any family such as your mother or mother in law come and help with the older kids at all?

I'm the original PP with three kids. Why are you so obsessed with this? I had a bad sleeper, a mediocre one and a good one. First baby was the worst one so I held her for all of her naps...while I watched tv. Sometimes with headphones in on my phone in there dark, sometimes in bed, sometimes on the couch.

[b]I didn't have any more help other than when I had #2 and #3 I continued childcare for them so I could you know, take care of the baby. I've EBF, bottle fed and combo fed.

It sounds like you had a rough maternity leave. As someone who also had rough leaves I'm Sorry about that. But part of what got me through those times was copious good tv.

Ah. There you go. You really don’t now what it’s like to take care of multiple kids all day for the entire maternity leave as you only had one baby in the house each time. That is a completely different experience then. Yes, with one baby there may actually be time for some TV. OP, is this your first baby?

So what was your excuse your first maternity leave? And where was your partner in all of this?

I said with with one baby there may be time for TV. But in between feedings you may need to nap, pump, or run a load of laundry. You didn’t read that? Once you hit multiple kids at home all day, forget it. My partner was working all day at an office as I was on leave.

I'm confused. If you were on maternity leave presumably you had a job to go back to. Who takes care you your kids while you're at work? Did you pull your kids from childcare while you were on maternity leave? Just to make your life harder?