Random things to do before you give birth...

[nymphadora]

I'm going for my hair cut this morning and we've discussed making wills and life insurance on my ante-natal thread. So what else do you need to do ?

Erm, sometimes the need to do stuff defies all logic.

For example, for some reason, I had to buy my older two dcs new bedlinen and pyjamas and get it all on their beds three hours before I went into labour with ds2. Completely unnecessary and saw me huffing and puffing up and down the bunkbeds for 30 mins.

But I also got leg, bikini and half leg wax before labour so I didn't bother with all that stuff afterwards and could feel quite tidy. Even with lochia.

Make a few meals to freeze.

Can't think of anything else. Let everyone else do stuff for you for once, whilst you're on your babymoon.

lol at Starlight - love it!
I felt the need to sort out 5+ years worth of 1000s of digital photos and get them printed and into albums/photobooks before both DC
In fact each time I pressed "send" for the online photo/book order and labour started a couple of hours later

I've done the photo books!

And the filing of paper work.

I have about 12 veggie lasagne frozen and 2 veggie cottage pies. Apart from this dd1 has cookbooks & can go to the chip shop on her own, my food is sorted!

Starlight, does that actually work? Anything you'd recommend, or would my old Louise Bagshawes do?

I have printed of pages and pages of colouring in pictures from the internet for DD, and have plans to make her a 'treasure bag' for when I am feeding which can have different stuff each day, a different book, snacks. I bought an old sheet from a charity shop and definitely intend to make a bag...just as soon as I finished the blanket I felt necessary to begin crocheting 2 weeks before my due date.

When are you two due? I've still got five weeks to go but an getting unbelievably nesty. Don't remember feeling like this with DS

If first baby:

Do your online shop for the day you get home from hosp and save the order

Check you know how all the baby equipment works, how pram goes up and down etc

Have notebook at ready to jot down who has bought which presents, for your thank yous

Then just put feet up at watch DVDs.

Cleaning all the lightswitches in the house brought on my first labour, I kid you not!

I've got 2 weeks to go, due 21st. But have so much to 'do' before then (all completely necessary you understand ).

I felt compelled to wash the boiler today . Very unlike me

Stay in bed - big box of choc and lots to read

That's what I want to be doing bluecardi, but I have have 3 yr old DD today and tomorrow while DH is at work.

if its your first get a stash of dvds to watch while bf-ing.
ds was a hungry boy and sitting on the sofa watching jeremy kyle wasn't good for me or ds! having some nice films - nothing gory/ loud/ violent was lovely.

buy a thermal mug for a cup of tea you can actually drink before it goes cold.

get a spare sheet for baby's bed - unbelievable how much mess a tiny baby sitting up colostrum can make. dh had to do a quick shopping trip as i didn't buy enough sheets/ blankets.

organise all you house insurance etc that might need renewing in the first 2 months. you will not want to think about it or have time to get a good price.

do what you enjoy - finding time for it will be hard to start with!

I sorted out life insurance for me and dh and also investigated wills etc. I've also been keeping the place clean and tidy, even if its exhausting me.

We have a supermarket within 3 mins walk so hubby can pop down there when we get home from the hosp.

Lastly, I'm making sure I have lots of slobby clothes clean and ready to throw on for slooching about when I'm getting used to taking care of baby!

Oh and check car MOT/tax etc, mine is due soon as am I!

'buy a thermal mug for a cup of tea you can actually drink before it goes cold.'

I had this advice from MN first time round and it was the best advice ever!

Sky Plus can be quite handy.

Go to the cinema...it'll be ages before you can go again. And pay extra for the big comfy seats, then eat your body weight in chocolate/ice cream/popcorn

Have the numbers of local breastfeeding counsellors/clinics ready in case you want a bit of help/support.

Cook and freeze some meals (or buy stuff you can bung in the oven like quiches and freeze them). Look at food you can eat with one hand, that takes no bother to cook and that isn't too bad if you leave it for half an hour then go back to it.

Get ready a basket of nappies, babygrows, cotton wool, container for water and a changing mat in the room you use the most (eg your living room), especially if you live in a house, so that you don't have to traipse upstairs for each and every nappy change.

I've been having the urge to go through my clothes and find suitable items for when I'm breatfeeding and have lost some tummy. I'll be annoyed with everyone/everything if I can't find anything suitable to put in the morning with a new baby crying.

Get your toe nails done for the labour ward