Taking a break from gel while on maternity leave. Tips for making my natural nails look their best?

After years of continuous gel nails, I’ll be taking them off in a few weeks and taking break while a have a newborn and while I’m on maternity leave. My nails have always been brittle and am expecting the worst once I remove the gel. I will probably try painting them myself at home after some time until I go back to work and time regular salon visits. Any tips on how to make the most of my natural nails while they recover?