To ask what you did on Maternity Leave pre-baby?

[WonderLime]

I'm 38 weeks pregnant now and expecting him anytime. Officially I'm not on Mat Leave until due date but I had so annual leave to use, so now I'm sat at home feeling bored and useless.

I don't have any local friends (they would be working anyway) and my DP is working normal and I'm pretty much broke. Gym kit no longer fits me and I'm far too lazy to go to the gym at the moment.

I played some Xbox games yesterday but my patience is not what it used to be. I'm so bored I'm tempted to go into the office and work for free!

What did you do whilst waiting for labour?

[ExPresidents]

Do you have any friends from antenatal classes who are in the same boat? If not maybe you could look on Facebook for local mums to be. It's really good to have some people going through the newborn stage at the same time.

Otherwise, do things you won't be able to do with a baby! Go to the cinema. Go for a walk without having to push a buggy. Go for a cheap lunch and take a book with you and stay all afternoon. Go swimming.

[jingscrivvens]

Moved house/unpacked house.

A lot of cooking for the freezer.

Watched a lot of maternity hospital on some weird channel.

Slept.

[Hairhorror1]

I went swimming a lot. Cooked from scratch for breakfast and lunch and rewatched sex and the city.

I don't regret a bit of it, life has never been the same.

[Scottishchick39]

Chilled out and stocked up the freezer.

[LloydColeandhisCoconuts]

Where are you? I'm on mat leave too! I'm currently browsing mumsnet and was planning to stay in this position until about 10 mins before DP comes home from work and then pretend to look busy in the kitchen. But if you're in sarf London let's hang out!
not helpful, sorry

[lemureyes]

I am also 38 weeks and have been preparing for baby. Washing all newborn clothes, packed hospital bag, sorted spare room that was full of crap, prepared cot, cooking meals to go in freezer.
I also live on a farm so have to care for the animals too.
I live in the sticks so I'm not in any groups or anything, just have my parents nextdoor for company. Plus I'm not really bothered about socialising 😊

Just relax as best as you can, if you're bored find something that you enjoy doing.

[alltouchedout]

DS1- slept, ate, read, had long baths, cleaned everything a million times, became increasingly impatient for him to be born.

DS2- wandered around with DS1, trying to manage his excitement at the impending birth, washed every item of clothing in the house a ,million times and constantly folded and re folded the contents of every drawer and shelf, became increasingly impatient for him to be born.

DS3- tried to stay awake long enough to clean anything.

[ricardoshillyshally]

Batch cooking and freezing meals. Stuff you can eat one handed like chilli, stew, casserole etc.

If you are thinking of breastfeeding then may I suggest finding your local support group and going along. That way you have a few contacts and hear from actual mums about what the first few days and weeks can be like.

Best wishes!

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

I re-tiled a bathroom.

[WonderLime]

I'm in Midlands, so probably a bit far to commute to London.

I like the freezer suggestion. I suppose now is a good time to start stocking up food. And the cinema actually. I never normally go so perhaps it's a good time.

[BaffledMummy]

Lol.. I started mat leave 10 weeks early this time around and haven't had 2 minutes to sit down! Decorated nursery. met friends for lunch, napped (a LOT), caught up on loads of crappy admin that I never have the time for while at work (insurance, upgraded car, upgraded phone (both been out of contract for ages) registered with nursery etc). There is literally never a day I don't have something to do...most of it not very relaxing unfortunately, but hoping I will be well prepared by the time number 2 arrives anytime soon.
I hate my job though which is massively stressful and more than full time, so am quite enjoying not being stressed. If I loved my job I suspect I'd still be working up to the last minute.

[NeedMoreSleepOrSugar]

Dc1, walked, slept, watched tv and cleaned house from to to bottom. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Dc2 lying on the sofa in fucking agony waiting for labour to start. please let it be soon, can't take much more of this!

[ToffeeSauce]

I never understand this dilemma but maybe that's because I have 2 dc and would bite someone's hand off for a couple of weeks with nothing to do.

But seriously-
Get your nails done
Watch films
Watch tv
Go for a walk
Listen to hypnobirthimg CDs
Go out for a milkshake
Sit in a pub garden and watch people
Read a book
Have your hair done...

How hard can it be?!

[OldHabitsDieHard]

Hello OP waves

I am in the same boat as you. 38 weeks, planned C section in a week.

I have been....mumsnetting, I'm hooked on Design Home on the iPad. I've been sleeping, doing housework, decluttering, batch cooking a little, trying new recipes.

I have a toddler as well though so other than the days she's in nursery it's business as usual.

[Coldilox]

I'm so jealous. I had 3 weeks annual leave before mat leave officially started on due date. Was looking forward to putting my feet up. What actually happened is that on my last day of work I ended up in hospital with eclampsia, was under critical care and baby came a few hours later by C-Section.

I'm still bitter about those three weeks that I didn't have to myself!

[silkybear]

Decluttered the entire house, every cupboard and draw sorted, stuff thrown away or ebayed. Made some extra cash and much much easier to do housework when everything is tidy organised and has a place to live. Will do it again this time as stuff creeps back in. Batched cooked so freezer was completely full of easy meals. Got baby stuff ready. Watched lots of good box sets and ate alot. If its your first enjoy the final moments of solitude. Go for coffee with friends and bask in the wonderful peace of an empty house. It doesnt happen often once baby arrives 😊

[thisismadness77]

I was robbed as baby came the very next day, 2 weeks early. Had great plans to watch box sets and become a domestic goddess... nada sigh.

[MrsSpenserGregson]

Pregnancy 1: I waked the dog a lot. Watched a lot of telly, read a lot of books, indulged in afternoon naps. It was heaven.

Pregnancy 2: chased after toddler DC1 the entire time basically!

[haveacupoftea]

Slept, cleaned, went to appointments, visited family. Quite a lot of time was spent just lying about on MN. I don't really get lonely or bored and am lazy so it was a magical time for me

[Deploycharitygoats]

Cooked for the freezer
Had my hair cut
Went to the cinema
Went for walks to try and encourage DC out

But mostly played Mariokart while bouncing on a birthing ball

[FormerlyFrikadela01]

Slept, watched box sets, cleaned, did loads of baking.
I tried going for walks and stuff but we had hot weather and I just couldn't cope in the heat.

[WhatHaveIFound]

DD was born on a Sunday morning so technically i didn't have any maternity leave before she was born as i was still working on the Friday. Of course after she was born i had plenty to do.

DS arrived a week early but just after Christmas so i was still stuffing my face with mince pies.

How about making some meals for the freezer? Or read a book, go to the cinema? All those things that it's difficult to find time for when you have children.

Or if you want to be very organised, how about writing your Christmas cards?

[LoveCakesandWine]

Read
Watch box sets
Catch-up with friends & family
Clean house
Chill out in nursery reading books & looking at baby stuff

[hana32]

I had 4 weeks of mat leave before my DS arrived and I absolutely loved it! I can't really understand how you can be so bored, unless you hate time on your own or don't have any interests?

I spent my time going swimming, reading, decorating in the house, watching boxsets and going to the cinema, pregnancy yoga, shopping, making a scrap book, cooking, writing, sorting out the nursery. It was lovely and relaxing to get to just chill out and have me time. Big nesting instinct kicked in too in the final couple weeks which kept me very occupied. I was also lucky to have a couple of local friends also on mat leave who I could go for lunch with sometimes, if I did want some company in the day, but really that time on my own was just great.

[crisscrosscranky]

I'm 38+5 and today is my second day of mat leave. DD1 is 10 so at school all day and has clubs in evening. I'm bored stiff and very impatient as DD1 arrived at 38+4 so irrationally I feel like I'm late already