39+3, 2nd week of maternity leave, painfully bored

[1sttimemama1986]

I started maternity leave on 20th, and felt pleased to have worked up to 38 weeks! Had a great weekend beginning 20th as a friends hen do. Fairly busy week last week with the sun out I had lots of walks couple of lunches out. I am now bored to tears!!! I know some will think I'm
mad but I really need something to keep me busy. House is in order and ready for babe to arrive, friends/family at work or busy, it's raining so my nice walks last week are out the question as no coats that fit I've read a whole book in a couple days and run out of ideas!!

Any ideas what I can do I'm losing my mind

[elliej83]

Catch up on some rubbish TV? Maybe start a little craft project that you dont midn won't get finished for a very long time?!

[FrizzyNoodles]

Netflix !!!

[WineSpider]

Enjoy it! I am 36 weeks and already have a toddler and would love to be bored on mat leave while waiting for the baby.

Read, cinema, theatre, gallery - things you can't do with a baby very easily. Cook and freeze meals that are easy to eat with one hand. Sunbathe. Get a massage.

Don't wish away your relaxation time too much!

[FrizzyNoodles]

Do you have lots of food batch cooked ready for when the baby is here? I didn't and regretted it.

[figginz]

One Born Every Minute and a quick perineal massage?

Yeah, maybe not

I'd go to the cinema with a massive tub of popcorn and watch at least two films.

[JacketPoTayTo]

I second Netflix! I'm 39+4 and similarly bored at home. All my friends are at work so no lovely long lunches or coffee shop meet ups. To be honest I'm too fat and tired to want to do much anyway, but it's still boring being stuck at home.

All I can suggest is lots of positive thinking - I'm consoling myself with the fact that even if the baby is very late, it can't be much more than a couple of weeks away now.

[SpeakNoWords]

Go to the cinema lots, get lots of sleep, do a few small craft projects, all things that you're much less likely to be able to do in a couple of weeks. Also, you could get your hair/nails done, go for a massage or similar.

[amysmummy12345]

I'd just go to bed now until the baby arrives, I haven't slept since Sept 2013 when dd1 was born... I'm 38+5 worth dd2 and anticipate sleep sometime during 2020 😂😓

[RNBrie]

Oh you are SO going to regret this when your baby turns up

I've just started Mat Leave with a 2 and a 4 year old and I'd love to be in your shoes!! Do spontaneous things, go and have a coffee or pop out just for a walk. Go to the shops, go out for breakfast/brunch, have someone come to the house and give you a massage or a manicure or something. Have your bikini line waxed. Cinema is definitely a good idea. Go to Waitrose (lovely lovely Waitrose) and pick out your favourite things to eat, eat them without sharing. Make cups of tea and drink them hot.

Obviously I adore my dd otherwise we'd not be having a third but these are the things I miss from life before dc. Oh and quiet. I miss sitting in silence

Congrats OP, enjoy the next few weeks!!

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

Excellent job - 39+3 = baby is cooked.

Can't really comment as my two turned up within fecking hours of my leaving my desk so I've never had that sitting around waiting experience. Fecking chaos. Twice. Sigh.

What did I regret after my first in particular was that I wasn't mentally ready for breastfeeding and hadnt re-read all the NCT pamphlets on medical issues/ colour of poo - what's normal etc etc. As I was going to do all that reading while I sat around, went for preg massages and pedicures. FFS.
Techniques, issues, symptoms of tongue tie,
Colour of poo - will it be fatal
Interventions during labour, causes and effects.
Post natal issues for women
I must have spent hours on MN in the first few months in the middle of the night googling "Is this normal?"

Does your DH/DP have a raincoat you can borrow? I'd recommend that you keep up the walking, it's supposed to be a real aid to a successful delivery.

Leave the house with just your keys and your wallet to do something. Anything, even if it's to buy a newspaper at the end of the road. It will be some time before you do this again.

[Osirus]

How can you possibly be bored!? I'm 37 weeks and have been off work for the last five weeks on annual leave (started maternity this week). I've loved every minute of my last time off work as a non-parent. I go out for walks, read, watch rubbish TV and cuddle with my gorgeous cats. I've also been out for lots of icecream!

[frikadela01]

I'm 35 weeks and started annual leave that will lead into maternity last week. So far I've just been loafing on the sofa and napping. I do think I'll be bored out of my mind in a week or two but I have lots on Netflix I've been meaning to watch. If the weather improves I'm going to go and sit in the park and read.

[SpeckledFrog2014]

If you really can't enjoy your boredom (you'll never have it back) You could try out all the silly labour inducing dances on YouTube. Mopping the kitchen floor broke my waters first time round. You'll never see a cleaner kitchen floor from when I'm 37 weeks onwards as I can't manage carrying my 18 month old with my huge bump anymore at 35 weeks.

[Pinkheart5915]

Get a good box set to watch.
Go and see a film
Nice lunch somewhere with a friend that has the day off or mum, sister even
Eat cake (a personal favourite of mine at the moment)
Take yourself for a hair cut

Batch cook meals for the freezer? Me and dh found these really handy for dinners after we had our first baby last year, will do the same near my due date this time too.

[wigelspigels]

I never got to the boring stage. With DS1 I stopped work at 38 weeks and he came at 39 weeks.
DS2 who is 9 days old - I stopped at 36+1 and he came at 37+4.
All my plans to get my allotment in a weed free state before he arrived didn't pan out.
Enjoy it

[1sttimemama1986]

Thanks everyone, lots of useful practical ideas I will give some a go! Crafty bits are a good shout for sure. some I will have to avoid like cinema and any major pampering mainly as trying to save money (as maternity pay via my work is going to mean some scrimping to be done in the near future!).

My friends and family all work so no-one to hang out with boooo! But I've been walking when weathers nice. Suggestion to wear other halfs rain coat would be good if he wasn't a skinny little rake haha. No chance getting in his either!

I know those that are already parents think I'm mad to be bored and say it out loud- I don't mean to sound ungrateful Its a big transition for me as first pregnancy and self confessed workaholic, which means lots of changes are ahead of me. I can't wait to be a mum and am so ready and looking forward to it and accept the challenges that await.

I ended up baking a cake today and finished a book I've been reading. Will get into some of the suggestions tomorrow. Thanks all.

[isittimeforarainbow]

Glad you have had some good suggestions of what to do, seriously you will not be bored again for at least a decade, probably longer so don't wish it away!!

[1sttimemama1986]

Batch cooking is definitely needed but bloody freezer is full! No room to fit meals in. May have to have a binge and make room

[whiteychappers]

Crossword puzzles, keep your brain stimulated!

[Shanster]

Count your blessings! I'm in the US and can take up to 12 weeks off (without pay), so I'll be working until the baby arrives. I'm 27 weeks, its hot here and I'd fed up. My kids just finished school for the long summer holidays, my DH is a teacher too...and I'm a little resentful now that I have to haul myself into work everyday. Couple of days bingeing on netflix sounds wonderful to me!!

[FabFiveFreddie]

Revel in your freedom cos it ain't coming back!

[positivity123]

What about making some photo books on snap fish or boots? I really want to make some from the holidays I've been on recently. I also want to put photos in frames around the house.

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

Did you do an NCT course? I'd recommend having a hunt around Facebook for some local mum's groups and meet ups. Local NCT groups often meet up too - you don't have to do the courses to join in [though you might have to join the NCT and pay an annual sub if you go to a lot of events]

It can be very lonely and isolating being at home with a small baby - new mates are a bit of a sanity saver even if a newborn is the only thing you have in common.

Any local gym/pool doing prenatal swimming or yoga? Swimming [aka standing around] is great for taking down swollen ankles.

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

Things in hindsight it would have been useful to do before my firstborn arrived.

Shop for/acquire clothing suitable for breastfeeding discreetly in. Weirdly pale colours work well [hides the baby milk puke]
Sort through wardrobe to establish what I could wear when out of hospital [and still as big as a house]
Identify clothing and knickers which would be friendly for a C-section - non maternity yoga trousers are great for this. Mat trousers with hefty elastic band are NOT
Put together wedding album [wanted to do one of those books from digital pics]
Sort out archive of digital photos on the computer into albums etc, deleting the crap.

Written up meal plans - especially for quick nutritious lunches that can be eaten with one hand. In my fog of sleep deprivation I mostly ate croissants and got fatter rather than thinner.
Created shopping lists on Ocado so a full weekly shop could be created in minutes.
Bought thank you cards to send to relatives etc.
Vases for flowers [you get loads with your firstborn, nada for the second]
Find a nice handcream - you will wash your hands a lot.
Download some stuff to ipad from iplayer in case you are in hospital for a few days. Don't bring it with you on Delivery day. Handy to have a small pile of stuff ready for your DH if you have to stay in.

[1sttimemama1986]

Thanks again for more ideas. Getting photos sorted is a definite to do so good shout there.

I've developed sciatica and for last couple of days have been barely able to put weight on my right leg, walking, bending extremely difficult and painful.

Perhaps this is karma for feeling bored as now I can just about scuffle around the house.