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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

77 replies

WonderLime · 04/07/2017 10:51

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?

OP posts:
ImogenTubbs · 04/07/2017 11:32

Cooked and cleaned, watched whatever I wanted on TV, went for walks, messed about on the internet, spent ages in the bath, painted my toenails (although actually did this while in early stages of labour), went to the shops or to a nice coffee shop, tried to organise old photos, ooooh it was bliss, apart from y'know, being really uncomfortable and going two weeks overdue! Good luck OP!

Original poster
WonderLime · 04/07/2017 11:33

I feel a bit guilty being bored now. I'm just not used to this much unplanned time to myself.

I probably need to start thinking about some other hobbies, otherwise this is going to be a very stressful year! Blush

OP posts:
ExPresidents · 04/07/2017 11:36

Don't feel guilty! It is hard adjusting from working full time and being busy to not having anything to do. I promise it will be very different once the baby arrives so don't think about those hobbies just yet Grin

I really would try to make some local 'baby' friends though because they'll be lifesavers on slow/boring days.

Figgygal · 04/07/2017 11:37

Cleaned a lot
Walked around a lot
Watched tv a lot

It was very productive

Original poster
WonderLime · 04/07/2017 11:37

I will look into the baby groups. I'm not great stuck in my own company and it will give me an excuse to get out and about. Smile

OP posts:
WinterRose92 · 04/07/2017 11:45

We moved house, so slowly unpacking.
Watched 'Orange Is The New Black' - spent a lot of time on Netflix!
Went for walks.
Generally preparing last minute things for baby.
Reading.
Spent time with friends and family
Cooking/baking.
I know what you mean though - at times I was very bored! So used to being busy at work it was just so weird to have days to fill! That being said I did enjoy having a bit of downtime on my own at times.

anchor9 · 04/07/2017 11:47

i was bored but totally unmotivated to do anything sensible like batch cook. i took myself out for lunch a few times which is something not so easily done now. when he arrived 6 days early i hadn't even packed my bag sorry DP who had to pack it whilst i screamed the place down at 1am Blush

Sparklyuggs · 04/07/2017 11:53

I have a big to do list of boring admin tasks, fun stuff and baby stuff. I try to do a mix of stuff so today I washed some baby clothes, renewed the insurance and I'm now on the sofa in front of Wimbledon Smile

I'm lucky that I like crafting so if I feel energetic later I might make some bunting for the nursery...or not!

10storeylovesong · 04/07/2017 11:56

DS1 arrived early at 27 weeks so I had no maternity leave beforehand and felt very hard done, and extremely unorganised!

I'm due 1st Oct and planning on starting my maternity leave at 38 weeks, which with leave will mean I actually finish at 34 weeks. I'll have a couple of weeks of summer holidays with DS, then will be there for his first week of school which means a lot. Then I'm planning on swimming, walks with the dog, meeting friends for coffee (or just sitting on my own with a book), sorting out all admin and paperwork, tidying and cleaning, batch cooking, reading a lot! I'm looking forward to it so much I'm debating moving it forward a week!

SelfObsessionHoney · 04/07/2017 11:58

I stopped work at 37 weeks and was induced at 37 weeks 😂 A bit jealous of these stories of time off!

beekeeper17 · 04/07/2017 12:00

Tidied out some of those messy cupboards and drawers that I always put off tidying out! Stocked up on groceries and household items. Cooked some things for the freezer. Did some last minute buying for baby and hospital bag. Enjoyed lazy mornings, nice breakfast watching daytime tv, having a bath during the day. Also tried to keep relatively active, walking to shop etc thinking it might bring labour on early (and she did end up arriving early!) Enjoy!!

naturalbaby · 04/07/2017 12:02

Swim/walk(gym) in the morning, box sets and sleep in the afternoon. Cooked double dinners to stock up freezer. Folded and organised baby clothes, spent lots of time in the nursery day dreaming....

10storeylovesong · 04/07/2017 12:08

natural I have lots of plans but the standing in the nursery daydreaming will probably be more realistic! It's been a long hard slog to get here!

I'm also hoping to have hair, nails and eyebrows done... these are not things I would usually do and I'd quite like to have some nice post birth photos this time around. I looked like a poorly, shell shocked horror with DS1!

Holz657 · 04/07/2017 12:10

I'm almost 37 weeks and on maternity leave with my first. I'm planning on re watching sex and the city (always cheers me up) and cooking lots of meals for freezer. I have a few last things to do with baby's room. I am worrying if I go 2 weeks over, 6 weeks of this will get boring!!

duxb · 04/07/2017 12:12

Batch cooked
Walked the dog
Netflixed
Cleaned. Lots.

Polly2345 · 04/07/2017 12:22

Slept, went swimming (although that costs money - but it eased the pain of carrying a full term baby!), read books, did some sewing, watched a lot of Netflix.

Tootsiepops · 04/07/2017 12:26

Lay on the couch I'm a lazy bitch

hibbledobble · 04/07/2017 12:31

Nesting!

Getting baby stuff ready, decluttering, deep cleaning etc.

Also daytime naps.

RuggerHug · 04/07/2017 12:36

My contract was not renewed once I said I was pregnant and couldn't get anything after that so was finished up a lot earlier than planned.
Stuffed freezer with food for the first few weeks.
X-files box set. Food channel when needed a break.
Hour long phone call with DM each day.
avoided MIL
Cleaned and sorted house as much as possible.developed slight zoflora addiction
The Christmas spreadsheet and some online shopping to get organised.
Sitting/reading.
Am currently overdue and trying to find the most I can manage with as little moving as possible.
Watching as many films as I've been meaning to get around to for ages as I can. Das Boot and Outbreak being the latest ones.
Twitter and mumsnet.

Original poster
WonderLime · 04/07/2017 12:36

I decided today was a good time try some of the attachments on my hairdryer.

This may be the highlight of my maternity leave so far!

OP posts:
mirime · 04/07/2017 12:47

I went on leave at 37 weeks with maternity leave starting at 38 weeks. Spent a week lying around resting in the hope it would keep my blood pressure down but that didn't work as I ended up being induced at 38 weeks.

museumum · 04/07/2017 12:54

Pregnancy yoga, bumps and babies groups, new antenatal group friends.
Basically I started the relationships that saved my sanity in the following weeks and months.

fruityb · 04/07/2017 12:55

Sat with my feet up and played Lego Jurassic park lol

Rossigigi · 04/07/2017 12:57

With ds1 I was still in sixth form so was finishing my course until the day before I had him.
Ds2 I finished for mat leave on the Friday like you used 2 weeks annual leave, decorated the kitchen and bedroom that weekend and he came on the Tuesday 2 weeks early.

I just nest, mums net, batch cooking and watching maternity programmes to scare yourself lol.

Good luck and congrats

Whatsername17 · 04/07/2017 13:04

I binge watched all 12 seasons of criminal minds. I finished at 38 weeks and she was born on her due date so try to enjoy the calm before the lovely, amazing storm x