17 Low-Stakes Shows To Binge Watch On Maternity Leave

This was my go-to show on maternity leave with my third (and last) baby. I came to it for the humor, but I wasn’t expecting to find each episode so moving. Whether you’re a Phil Dunphy or more of a Jay Pritchett, Modern Family will help you fall a little bit deeper in love with your own new family. This show is low-stakes in the best possible way — like if you miss an episode or nod off during the middle 10 minutes, you aren’t going to be completely lost — but it’s still got well-developed characters, engaging storylines, and laugh-out-loud writing. The little monologues at the end will absolutely make you cry, but in the best way.

You can stream Modern Family on Peacock and Hulu.

If you want something extremely (and I mean extremely) low-stakes and also incredibly entertaining and also a show you can completely ignore if your baby needs something and come right back to without missing anything important — then you want Love is Blind. This reality dating series is kind of hilarious, occasionally painful, but does have some sweet moments (and also some enraging ones). In other words, it’s the perfect show to watch when you just want to zone out with a sleeping baby on your chest and eat a mediocre lasagna one of your neighbors gave you that isn’t that good but at least you didn’t have to make it.

You can stream Love is Blind on Netflix.

For a nice dose of hormone-tinged nostalgia, consider Dawson’s Creek for a mat leave marathon. The show is ridiculously melodramatic, but you will find pure comfort in the many (many) love triangles (and... squares?). If you need a reminder that you’re going to be a good parent, just watch the parents on this show for two seconds. It’ll do wonders for your confidence. Also? The soundtrack is amazing.

You can stream Dawson’s Creek on Disney+ and Hulu.

Maybe a little too on-the-nose, but Parenthood the show is based on the 1989 film of the same name (which should also be on your watch list) and is lovely in an unchallenging way. It has an all-star cast — including Craig T. Nelson, Lauren Graham, and Dax Shepard — and the entire series follows this sweet Braverman family’s three generations as they grow and change and experience grown-up life.

You can stream Parenthood on Disney+ and Hulu.

It’s messy, it’s funny, it’s glamorous, and there are a bunch of spinoffs and a ton of episodes, so you never have to leave RuPaul’s perfect sequined world. Just cocoon yourself and your baby in there, where the biggest drama you have to face is if the false eyelashes stay on or not (while also feeling deeply emotional for the people who get to be their authentic selves). What a gift.

You can stream RuPaul’s Drag Race on Paramount+.

OK, if you haven’t seen it yet, here are all the components of Friday Night Lights that make it the perfect maternity leave show, even if you’re not into football:

• Character to fall in love with by the name of Coach Eric Taylor — a good and flawed dad and husband, a man who gives it his all, a coach who sees the best in his players and expects that best, always;
• Melodrama between teens, between adults, between a whole town of adults who never quite grew up;
• Epic soundtrack;
• Long episodes full of many storylines that don’t often make it into the next episode

You will be saying “Clear eyes, full heart, can’t lose” to yourself over and over, I promise you. And Connie Britton shines in this one.

You can stream Friday Night Lights on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Vampires are known for being a wee bit dramatic, and the ones in The Vampire Diaries are no exception. Listen, this unsubtle show is all about a supernatural town called Mystic Falls, and the teen drama and romance is off-the-charts mindless and good. Bonus: There are over 160 episodes. Perfect for cluster-feeds, pacing around the living room as you bounce your baby, and folding impossibly small onesies.

You can stream The Vampire Diaries on Peacock and Max.

That step into parenthood brings a whole lot of emotions, and honestly, The Mandalorian works through similar ones beautifully. This is a TV show in the Star Wars universe, but you don’t have to be a huge Star Wars fan to enjoy watching the (unfortunately, helmeted) Pedro Pascal uphold the honor of his people while also keeping a tiny Baby Yoda safe from those who want to harm him. You might also start to think your own newborn looks a lot like Baby Yoda, and I promise that’s totally normal.

You can stream The Mandalorian on Disney+.

Not only is this a sitcom with a million seasons (more time for imprinting), but the tender conceit of How I Met Your Mother vibes perfectly with new motherhood: Ted is literally sharing with his kids about how he met and fell in love with their mom. Now depending on who you ask, the series finale has a lot to answer for, but Barney Stinson has a pretty gorgeous redemption arc that any new parent is going to feel emotionally invested in.

You can stream How I Met Your Mother on Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+.

If you’re a fan of the soapy melodrama genre but don’t want a show that’s terrible and boring, Nashville is your gal. Bonus if you’re into country music, but even if you’re not, this show starring Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere will have you fully committed to even the most ridiculous subplots. (You’re also going to fall in love with Deacon Claybourne, and honestly, every postpartum girly needs a new crush.) Fair warning: There will be a tough postpartum storyline a couple of seasons in, so if you think you’re maybe not ready for that, stop about halfway through Season 3.

You can stream Nashville on Disney+ and Hulu.

If you’ve got older kids to entertain while you are glued to the couch, all of you will enjoy this Nickelodeon rewatch. Listen, Stu and Didi Pickles feel much more relatable when you’re marathon-watching Rugrats as an adult with your own babe — but the show still never misses. Prepare to love it even more as a parent and catch all the feels on some particularly iconic episodes, like one where Tommy’s sick, the Mother’s Day episode, and of course baby Tommy’s memories of being in the NICU and wanting his mommy. Sob. Plus, it just doesn’t get more comforting than going back to your childhood for a bit when you become a mom.

You can stream Rugrats on Paramount+.

If you’ve ever browsed Zillow just for funsies or wandered into an open house in your neighborhood out of sheer curiosity, please consider the House Hunters universe for your maternity leave. From House Hunters International to House Hunters on Vacation and even House Hunters: Million Dollar Homes, you might find it comforting to watch a bunch of people you don’t know pick a house you’ll never set foot in while you rock your baby to sleep.

You can stream House Hunters on discovery+.

Motherhood is political, and you know that. So if you want a show that’s low-stakes enough to make you feel human while recovering from childbirth, but also want something that keeps your fires going and makes you want to scream, “Hell yeah,” while your baby naps next to you, then you want The West Wing. Aaron Sorkin delivers a liberal fantasy like no one else, and the further we get from 1999, the more sentimental it feels. This series has an incredible cast (two words: Allison Janney) and a whole lot of heart. It’s even better on the rewatch.

You can stream The West Wing on Max.

Everybody needs a village when they become a parent, and I’m proud to say I consider Dorothy Zbornak, Sophia Petrillo, Blanche Devereaux, and Rose Nylund mine. Not only are these characters funny and sharp, but they also feel like they want to wrap you up in a blanket and take you to the kitchen for a slice of cheesecake. When the baby won’t stop crying, this is the energy you need. Start from Episode 1 and feel truly thankful they are your television friends.

You can stream The Golden Girls on Disney+ and Hulu.

I’ll be very honest with you: Teen Mom will make you cry. The early seasons of this show are extremely real and emotional as you watch teenage parents (many with not-so-great homes and support systems) try to raise their babies, and you’ll seriously consider adopting all of them and raising them alongside your own newborn. But there are tons of episodes and a lot of drama, and a few seasons in, they’re all rich and buying mansions and the stakes get much lower.

You can stream Teen Mom on Paramount+.

OK, bear with me — yes, Party of Five is about five orphaned children. But there’s the sweet comfort of a ’90s drama plus a whole lot of heart. Also, Scott Wolf. This also might be the most relatable house on TV for families, and you’re going to realize it’s because set decorators wanted it to look believable that kids were in charge. And that might make you feel a little bit better about the state of your own kitchen counters.

You can stream Party of Five on Apple TV and Prime Video.

When the Diaper Genie is overflowing and the smell of curdled formula seems to be expanding out of the drain and you’re still wearing the same leggings from two days ago, let The Brady Bunch be your light. It is so low-stakes that it almost doesn’t feel real, and there is great joy in a show where everything — and I mean everything — is wrapped up in less than 30 minutes. No lingering storylines, no continuity, just pure brain mush with a side of baby gurgles (your own).

You can stream The Brady Bunch on Paramount+.