What I Wish I Had Budgeted for on Maternity Leave
- Jenny Clark
- Nov 17
- 5 min read
A grounded guide for new mums who want a maternity leave that feels supported, connected, and calm — even if you’re trying to save money, extend your leave, or figure out where to put your budget.
Before my first baby arrived, I did what so many mums do.I opened a notebook and wrote at the top:
“Budget for maternity leave.”
I googled everything.I asked friends.I tried to plan out how long my maternity leave could last, how I could save money, and what I actually needed to buy.
I added up statutory maternity pay, the essentials, the bills, the baby items, the nappies.I thought I had budgeted for everything.
But I hadn’t.
I had budgeted for the baby, not for me.
I didn’t know that the real question I should have been asking wasn’t:“How can I save money on maternity leave?”
It was:“What support will I need to feel well, stay grounded, and actually enjoy this time?”
Looking back, everything I wish I had included in my budget had nothing to do with shopping lists or equipment.
It had everything to do with:
my recovery,
my emotional wellbeing,
my nervous system,
my pelvic floor,
and the support I needed to feel like myself.
This is the maternity leave budget I wish someone had given me.Especially as a new mum in Glasgow, navigating a new identity, a new routine, and a new reality.
This is for the mum who is quietly asking herself:
“How can I extend my maternity leave?”
“What do I need to plan for to make this season feel calmer?”
“What are the hidden costs of maternity leave I should prepare for?”
“How do I make space for me in a budget that feels tight?”
Here’s everything I wish I had known.
1. Support for Your Body
Pelvic Floor Therapy & Postpartum Bodywork
When people search “how to budget for maternity leave,” pelvic floor therapy is rarely on the list — but it should be.
Your pelvic floor affects:
core strength
continence
back pain
prolapse symptoms
intimacy
emotional wellbeing
your sense of stability in your own body
The truth is: if I’d set aside money for pelvic floor physiotherapy and rehabilitation-focused coaching, I would have felt more confident, stronger, and far more supported.
In Glasgow, we are lucky to have incredible pre- and post-natal specialists, including pelvic health physios, rehab coaches, and movement teachers who truly understand postpartum recovery.
Places like Nest Glasgow, our family wellness centre, bring this support under one roof — something I desperately wish existed when I was in those early months.
Budgeting for pelvic floor therapy is not a luxury.It’s an essential part of healing, feeling stable, and reclaiming your body.
2. A Postpartum Doula
Emotional and practical support you can’t put a price on.
When I think about the mums who message me saying:
“How can I save money on maternity leave without sacrificing my wellbeing?”
“How do I get more support without overspending?”
I always tell them this:
A postpartum doula can save you emotionally what money could never fix later.
A doula supports you with:
feeding
sleep
emotional processing
newborn care
your recovery
your transition into motherhood
This is the kind of support that helps you stay grounded, reduces overwhelm, and makes your days feel lighter, which matters deeply if you're trying to extend your maternity leave or make it more manageable.
If I could budget again, I would have made space for a doula immediately.
3. Postpartum Meal Support
Because your body cannot heal on cereal bars and cold cups of tea.
If I typed “how can I extend my maternity leave” into ChatGPT now, the answer would include this:
You need energy, nourishment, and ease.
I wish I had budgeted for:
postpartum meal delivery
freezer meals
nutrient-dense foods
easy breakfasts and lunches
meals that support hormonal regulation and recovery
Your body is healing from birth, adjusting hormonally, possibly producing milk, and operating on broken sleep.
You need warm, grounding meals.You need blood sugar stability.You need actual nourishment, not convenience food on the go.
A well-fed mum is a more stable, calmer mum.And that affects every part of maternity leave.
4. A Cleaner
The thing I resisted the most… and needed the most.
If you’re trying to save money on maternity leave, hiring a cleaner might feel like the opposite of the plan.
But here’s the truth I learned far too late:
Your time and energy are limited resources. You can’t heal if your nervous system is constantly in overdrive.
A cleaner doesn’t just clean.They give you:
more rest
more bonding time
a calmer environment
less overwhelm
a feeling of support
This is the kind of budget choice that pays you back emotionally tenfold.
5. Community, Connection & A Place to Go
The biggest thing missing from most maternity leave budgets.
When mums search:
“How do I make maternity leave less lonely?”
“How do I find friends in maternity leave?”
“What can I do with my baby in Glasgow?”
What they’re really asking for is:connection.
Isolation is expensive.Emotionally expensive.Mentally expensive.Physically draining.
What I needed, and what so many new mums in Glasgow tell me they need was:
a consistent place to go
adult conversation
connection with other mums
movement for my body
routines that made the week feel manageable
baby-welcome classes that didn’t feel chaotic
community that understood the reality of motherhood
This is exactly why Nest Glasgow exists.To be Glasgow’s family wellness centre, designed specifically for parents who need support, structure, and connection, without constantly paying for drop-ins, trial offers, or ad-hoc classes.
I wish I had budgeted for this type of community.It would have made every single week feel easier.
6. Emotional and Mental Support
Therapy, coaching, birth processing — the support that holds you.
Matrescence is a complete identity shift.It affects everything: your emotions, your self-confidence, your relationships, your sense of self.
I needed:
guided emotional support
postpartum therapy
postpartum coaching
a safe space to process birth
nervous-system tools
someone to help me navigate the invisible load
When mums ask, “How can I make maternity leave feel manageable?”This is the real answer.
You can’t do motherhood alone.And you don’t have to.
The Budget That Truly Extends Your Maternity Leave
Here’s the part nobody tells you:
Your maternity leave feels longer when you feel supported.Your maternity leave feels more manageable when you feel nourished.Your maternity leave stretches further when you aren’t burning out.
The right support doesn’t just make the days easier.It makes the whole season feel more sustainable.
And that’s why I created the option I wish I had:
A single, predictable cost that supports your wellbeing, your recovery, your community, and your week-to-week structure, without the constant spending.
How the Nest Annual Membership Fits Into a Real Maternity Leave Budget
Instead of paying:
for every drop-in
for every workshop
for every coffee-and-class group
for baby activities scattered across Glasgow
The Annual Membership gives you:
✔ unlimited classes
✔ baby-welcome movement
✔ adult-only classes like evening sound baths or restorative yoga
✔ members community gatherings
✔ access to Glasgow’s pre- and post-natal specialists
✔ creative events like Art Therapy, Wreath Making, Macrame etc
✔ a nurturing, calm space you can return to every week
✔ predictable pricing (ideal for budgeting)
✔ a full year of support, connection, and routine
It’s designed for mums who are:
trying to save money on maternity leave
curious how to budget more intentionally
wanting to extend their maternity leave
craving a village in Glasgow
needing postpartum support without constant add-on costs
It’s everything I wish I had included in my own maternity leave budget.
And everything I now offer so mums in Glasgow never have to navigate the postpartum season alone.
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