Any ideas of what to do on maternity leave?

[yummymango]

Hi mumsnetters, it's my last week at work and then I will be on maternity leave for 4 weeks before my due date.
I had all these plans of what to do whilst on leave, like meet friends for lunch, go for walks, go shopping, deep clean the house - but I have developed SPD and currently on crutches and in a lot of pain so it seems that most of my plans have now gone out of the window.
Apart from washing all baby's clothes, has anyone got any ideas of stuff to do to pass the time? I am not very good at just sitting around and doing nothing unfortunately.

Sleep, read a good book, watch some dvds. Relax and then sleep some more.

read Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace - that's what I intend to do. Never had the time to dedicate that much brain power on one long book before and probably won't again for several years!!

I'd enjoy being able to sleep while you can.

If you hve SPD maybe go swimming too.

chase a three year old around the playground

move house

Nothing!

Sleep and read some books. It will possibly be years before you get to spend as much time as you would like to doing either of those things!

Oh and go to the cinema if you can sit still for that long with the SPD. If not then watch DVDs. I had my first DS 3 years ago and in that time I think I've watched about 5 films from start to finish without a break/falling asleep through extreme knackeredness

Fill your deep freeze with as much homemade 'ready meals' as you can. Breast feeding can make you starving, baby can make you exhausted not a good recipe for cooking home cooked meals and so to avoid eating crap I'd really prepare stuff now. I'd recommend:
Pasta sauces (veg, bolognaise etc. macoroni cheese)
Soups (so easy to reheat)
Shepherds pie
Lasagne
Stews
Sauces that would go well with rice (you might want to avoid things that are too spicy as can go through to breast milk and affect baby but mild is generally OK)

You get the idea. It's often good to have a good deal of carbohydrate to keep you milk flowing so bear that in mind. I know cooking might not be the best thing, but you can do a lot sitting down.

I'd also go swimming and do what you can.

Plenty of long hot baths with a cup of tea, good book, bar of choc. It will be a long time before you can enjoy any of those thing again without being interrupted or pooed on.

Ditto naps.

Get as much rest as you can.
Invite friends round to see you if you're struggling to get out much.
Watch DVDs.
Do online shopping instead of going out- make sure you've got some ready meals in the freezer and easy snacks.
MN!

Thanks for the replies. Swimming is a great idea thanks, just need to work out how to get to the swimming pool now (don't drive).

I don't have a freezer unfortunately so won't be able to pre-prepare any meals!! (I know, who doesn't have a freezer??)

I do have some books I have been meaning to read so that's a good idea too.

I guess I am just worried about being bored stuck at home for 4 weeks or more. Anything else I should be doing to prepare for our arrival?

you could start a first years baby book?

1. buy a freezer. you will need it. then cook and fill it.
2. do loads of sleeping
3. go to the cinema a lot
4. invite the friends you were going to meet for lunch round to yours
5. maybe do some meditation or self hypnosis stuff

Get your haircut, hard to fit in if breastfeeding in first few weeks/months : )

Go for a meal out with your DH, without having to think about baby/babysitters.

Enjoy just being able to head out the front door with only a handbag....

Remember that although it might be 4 weeks +, it could only be 2 weeks- or less! So check over all the baby stuff first and your hospital bag, make sure you have plenty of nappies in etc.

Then try to see the time as a good opportunity to relax and enjoy yourself. Have you got a garden so that you can get outside if the weather is good and not feel so cooped up?

I'm on my 2nd week of mat leave and it's amazing how quick the time goes. I've also got SPD so sleeping is a nightmare and the only way I survive is by napping and getting most of my sleep in the morning (easier for some reason?). Other than that, and I know it's hard to 'make the most of it' when 'it' isn't any different from the norm :) I'm planning to make a baby blanket - two bits of material stitched together and turned inside out - simple and might look rubbish but it'll be made with love :)
Get lots of rest - boring, but really does help SPD - have you got a birth ball to bounce on?
start a blog/diary about your last few weeks of pregnancy?
learn to crochet/knit and make something?

buy jigsaw puzzles from charity shops?!
order nutritious ingredients online and make lovely yummy food :)

enjoy!

definitely rest as much as possible, about the only thing keeps my SPD manageable! Pelvic floor exercise marathons?

When I was off sick for a month earlier, I found DVD box sets brill as I didn't have the concentration to read and if no DC yet, then you will be able to concentrate on something like the Killing or Spiral, where it's subtitled and has a tight plot or the Wire (which I watched with subtitles on, ) . Am saving other box sets for mat leave and breast feeding marathons - true blood and other less demanding / trashy / entertaining series.

I've been doing some knitting and cross stitching too and intend to finish a sampler for baby and one for nephew (shame shame, he's nearly 6 months old!) and a baby blanket which isn't complicated but has taken me ages so far! Have been reading loads too, v aware that it may be magazines after baby comes...

Definitely don't do things like deep cleaning that will put you in more pain - I know it's hard to resist when the nesting urge kicks in! If funds allow, research on t'internet for a cleaning company to come and do a one off deep clean for you? Then you have the virtue without the physical pain!

Browse Mumsnet - you can lose entire days that way !

How about taking up something crafty like knitting or sewing? Easy to do with lots of time, you could even make a simple blanket for baby. Also, you can get all the bits you need online

Read the car seat instructions and practice fitting it.

OP, I could have written your post, but it was taken out of my hands as 3 days after leaving work I had a baby....

ANd the intervening time was spent in hospital.

My story is pretty much the same as dandy's. I was dreading boring leave so went to the outdoor pool on Monday, admitted to hospital Tuesday, baby Thursday.

I did greatly enjoy my 1 day though. ;)

Oh my goodness Dandy & Alpine, that must have been a shock!

write your christmas cards

stock up on birthday cards for all the birthdays for the rest of the year (or longer)

I only gave myself 2 weeks, and DS was a week early! I was so busy reading up on pregnancy and child birth I forgot to find out about the end result. I don't mean reading childcare books, I mean finding out where to get,
1, Support for breast feeding, i.e. local B/F cafe, helplines (N.C.T. & L.L.L.).
2, How to make up formula properly, from reading this it seems most people do it wrong, by following the packet!
3, Find out how to co-sleep safely, chances are you will accidently fall asleep with your baby. If/when you do this better to know if you're safe and if not how to make it safe.
4, Find out where your 24 hour Pharmacy is.
5, Find the NHS directphone no.
6, Find out and possibly visit your Health centre, lots of local information.
You may just be to tired to do much!