To ask for suggestions of what to do on mat leave?

[mum2Bomg]

It's my last day at work tomorrow and I'm a bit scared of being bored. Might sound stupid but I do 12hr days and a long commute and I'm worried I might struggle with things to do. Even considering cross stitch! Help!

OP - I'm exactly the same! It's why I'm working until 1 day before my due date I think you've probably got it right. No tips but just wanted to let you know you aren't alone in the feeling

Thank you all! I've now finished work I will be using all of your ideas to make life easier and make sure I relax!!

Whatever you want. Whenever you want.

That's the short answer really. Opportunities to do this will be in short supply very soon and so just do what will make you happy.

I built the baby's flat pack furniture, cooked and froze about 2 month's worth of dinners, went to the gym, watched many many box sets, and just did not very much. I went on Mat leave (well 5 weeks were annual leave) at 33 weeks because I knew I'd never get the chance to have that time again.

I have loved maternity leave (DS now 9 1/2 months, going back end of Jan). I never had a gap year so I've had a job since I was 16, temped every uni holiday, worked full time through my masters, so I think I was ready for a break. Not a break-break - it can be hard work - but a break from the usual routine. It's been amazing to be master of my own time (except for having a baby in tow). Haven't been remotely bored - I read, wrote, cooked, knitted, walked, saw friends, went to galleries, went to baby cinema. I have used the time to start working on my own projects - which is great because I'm now in a position to supplement my depleted income with freelance writing when I go back part time. It's been a really amazing time for me to regroup and (sorry this sounds so wanky, I've done a little sick in my mouth but it's true) reconnect with myself.

But before the baby? Oh god just sleep and fill the freezer with food, curries, shepherds pie, bolognese, chilli etc. Make sure you have well stocked food cupboards and back ups of all your favourite toiletries etc. Plenty of comfy knitwear to wear all winter. Get on board with the concept of the fourth trimester!

Visited Daycare nurseries (easier to be objective before baby arrives). Went to daytime cinema shows. Finished making the curtains and cushions for the nursery. Wandered around the shops. Had a pedicure and my eyebrows done. My parents came to visit the week before my due date and my mum took me out for walks everyday to encourage labour (DD arrived on her due date!). (Parents visited us in hospital after the birth then left the morning I came out of hospital so only DH and I were home.)

Set up a regular internet shop delivery for when bubkin turns up so when you go out its to nice places not essentials. Fill your cupboards with your favourite treats lol you deserve it after labour. Batch cooking takes pressure off dad who will be a bit sleep deprived too. If you are thinking about a baptism for baby you could start researching/organising for it. Really relax and enjoy yourself.

Batch cook.
Go to the hairdressers, get your legs waxed, toenails painted, head massaged.
Watch Poldark on Netflix.

This must be your first baby :)

Relax, sleep, go out for dinner with DP, catch up with friends and family, go to the cinema and batch cook food to place in the freezer. Do ALL the things you will not be able to do once you have a baby, like reading a book in peace, or going to the cinema or to see a play. Or having a conversation without interruption. Enjoy it, I wish I had made better use of my final moments of 'true' freedom ;-)

Things I didn't really realise before I had a baby: you really won't get a chance to lie in bed lolling around with books and mags and a cuppa for at least a decade if your kids are anything like mine. That may well not be your thing, but I used to work etc in bed, laptop, reading etc, and the next thing you know you'll be up at six every morning and having to hide laptop etc in safe place above head height . If you're the up bright and early type you'll be fine, but if you are the type to enjoy a duvet day, stay in bed for literally a day because in my experience it'll never happen again! (Sob) #feelingblessed

Do your eyebrows. Makes you look less tired in the post birth pics .

#feelingblessed lol

7.5 years into parenthood and I can't help but laugh out loud. Can assure you that you will not have a worry of this kind again this side of retirement!

Enjoy the time and the space and best of luck for meeting your little girl. Its your last fling!

My first baby was early and came a week before I was due to go on mat leave. So next time I planned ahead. Booked a haircut and a wax. Got two box sets and had a list of other tasks such as batch cooking and arranging cord blood banking, familiarizing self with TENS machine/breast pump erc, making up some ipod playlists (first labour very long).
Second baby came two days before the end of my maternity leave ffs! With only two hours notice, born in assessment room while I was still wearing most of my clothes, so wouldn't have the chance to have listened to a playlist. Gutted about the cord blood banking though...

Yes normally I scoff at such mumsnet things as 'have a spa day' and neither I nor apparently anyone else could have cared less about my bikini line, but DEFINITELY have a great haircut and colour BEFORE the birth and make sure it's easy to care for, ooh and before my second bebe (learned from first) I had a pedicure, present from sis, so lovely being in hospital with every part of me a wobbly mess and occasionally catching glance at feet and thinking WHAT LOVELY FEET I HAVE. Also neither time have I ever found time to get nails done in year after birth but this is prob just me.

Agree get your hair done. I was all set to go and have my hair done then go to the Jacuzzi but DD arrived two weeks early on the very day I had my hair appointment booked for!

I did clean my car out though, which might be why she arrived early from the shock of me doing some cleaning!

Sleep, sleep, sleep. Sleep some more. Give birth to baby. Come to Mumsnet and laugh at people asking what to do on maternity leave

Drink a hot cup of tea, eat uninterrupted meals with partner, go to the cinema, do odd jobs, wash and iron baby clothes 20 times (or was that just me) watch TV with feet up. Catch up with friends

Do all your Xmas shopping and wrap it

Be really bored. Spend entire day making a pie. Realise your pie is crap.

That's what I did

ElizabethG81 and ladeyjadey lol

I think I slept, a lot, very tiring the last few weeks. More than enough to do once little one arrives x

Three weeks? I left my job 3 month before having my DD, I did have a long commute and long hours but to be honest i just wanted time to relax.

I done all my Christmas shopping and wrapped it, wrote cards etc then spent my days having big long baths, going for lunch, coffee, sitting on the couch with a tin of quality street watching old movies or reading.

It was amazing, i loved it, and my DD was 3 weeks early, so don't count your chickens yet!

Grim laughter.

With DD1, I finished writing a huge project. I sent it to my publisher and went into labour a few hours later. Or, rather, I went into 'early labour', which lasted three days before twelve hours of established labour and a two-hour pushing stage.

DD2, DH was off (he's a teacher, it was the summer holidays), but we had a toddler and were moving house. I had a DV bug and segued straight from that into labour (this time 14 hours, sped up by a sweep 11 hours in).

DD3 is due in 7 weeks. I'm working until two weeks before she's born, and then it will be Christmas with two DDs and then the new baby will be here.

PLEASE somebody give me some time to do nothing and be bored! That's my ultimate aim in life :D

In retrospect I wish I had - Spent time with friends if they were free. Also wish I had sorted out my pension which was on my "todo" list (Still havent sorted out paperwork issues and it is now nearly 9yrs on.) Also wish I had read more about breastfeeding as I may have got my son's tongue tie sorted earlier, which would have spared me much pain.

So I would say any organisational tasks outstanding. Eg getting self assessment tax uptodate (if you do this) or comparing utility bills/car insurance premiums. that type of stuff.

But I am no good at sitting around "relaxing" it would drive me bonkers. I'd be doing something after about 15 mins, its got worse as I have got older (I'm 36) and now would be the worst person to go on a sun holiday with, for example. I could spend a day though going to get a pedicure. Read a book. Tidy some cupboards. etc

Went to antenatal class this morning, then lunch with my DM and then a snooze. Now reading Bridget Jones's Baby. Think I'm handling this quite well