Getting out of the house with a baby when you're on maternity leave can be a serious sanity-saver. Sometimes your entire week centres around a playdate with a pal in the same boat and you long for that moment.
You work the baby's naps around it, start organising the bottles/baby food/baby bag from the minute you drag yourself out of bed, storing up the juicy gossip and pent-up frustrations for that elusive, delicious half an hour of 'normal' caffeine-fuelled chat with someone who had just as little sleep as you and doesn't care that you look like a hollow mess.
But, with a new baby, comes new friends. Someone you met at 'Clap Handies' class or in the park. New friendships blossom and you're feeling a bit vulnerable and exposed. Like you need to present a squeeky-clean version of your usual disastrous selves.
For anyone who has ever had a playdate with a new Mom friend and attempted to present a picture-perfect duo from the get-go, this is for you:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3WReQz1JO0
