Mundane tasks you wish you had done before baby arrived.

[sleepevader]

DD is 2 weeks now. Just thinking of tasks insist I had done before she arrived.

Service wash washing machine with White vinegar/90 Forgot how much its work increases!

Have a hair cut.

Defrost freezer.

Wrap all birthday presents for coming month or two.

Anyone else think of anything?

I did all the eye test, dentists, haircut etc. Snuck in a facial as well....will be ages until I get another one of those!

I'm due December 21st. All xmas presents wrapped (at 6am this morning!) bar the ones which have yet to arrive, they will all be distributed within the next week or 2 as I hate having them in the house once they're wrapped. All birthday presents until end of January sorted. Hair cut taking place next week when I have 4 weeks to go (I'm growing it anyway so I figure if I go over 8 weeks it's no biggy really). House is being spring cleaned gradually. Freezer was defrosted about 3 weeks ago (not because of baby, because it was empty!). Oh and we have 4 family members arriving to stay 3 days before due date until I'm 7 days over so the spare room is practically ready for them now, the beds will be made up nearer the time.
I'll be watching this thread too for other things I can possibly get done.

Wish I'd finished making that pair of curtains. 2 years on and I still haven't done it. DD came 2 weeks early, that's my excuse!

Seriously, I wish I'd made more meals to put in the freezer, and put out the babies clothes somewhere that DH couldn't miss, as he couldn't find them when DD and i were in hosp so we had to buy some more.

More stuff in the freezer - easy things that I could eat with one hand, like good quality burgers and buns. I had lots of bolognese but that's hard to eat with a baby on your lap! Should have bought a stack of nice birthday/baby congrats cards for friends and NCT buddies since I dropped first. Otherwise the Internet solved most things, so no need to panic about anything you need for the baby or gifts for birthdays etc.

Brillant ideas on thread. Pruney- you are so organised.

Wish I had sorted out post birth clothes too.

what is the vinegar service thing ??

It descales the machine and gunk. I clean out detergent drawer. Then pop some vinegar around door seals using a cloth.

Then put rest of White vinegar in detergent drawer.

Then 90 wash to clean it out

sorry am new to this... dd?? dh i'm assuming is dear husband?

I will be taking care of me in the run up because god knows when it'll happen again! Full everywhere wax, haircut, massage, facial - yay!

I am due at the end of april and really want to get a head start after christmas.

Battle Plan:

January:

Buy all christmas wrapping paper, cards and crackers
Buy the usual sets as fillers in the boots sale (why spend £50 0n it next year when I can get it for £20 this year.
Arrange maternity leave and book two weeks holiday pre mat leave.

Febuary:

Buy nursery furniture and have DP put it together
Book a day at the spa
Buy a present from baby to Daddy to find after the birth
Stock up on birthday presents and wrap for year
Finalise baby namelist

March:

Batch cook for the following month(s)
Pack hospital bag
Make sure all waxing is done
Ensure DP gets pleanty of pre baby loving
Do trial runs to the hospital at various times of the day so we can factor in traffic etc

April:

Try to relax
Book another day at the spa
Double check hospital bag
Wait for it all to happen.
Have car seat fitted

Used contraception.

[Tired, jaded mother of 2 emotion]

babyheave that is funny. Although will be on the list for post baby .

I'm due on Saturday and am planning on spending tomorrow wrapping Christmas presents and sorting into bags for distributing. I've not written the inside of the Christmas cards as don't know whether the baby is a girl or a boy, but I've written the addresses on the envelopes.

hi PotteringAlong sounds as though you have it all under control there.

De cluttering and decorating. DP and I both have a massive work load and our house has been waiting to be sorted for years. I in my infinate wisdom declared that when I was a SAHM, I would have all the time in the world to get to grips with the place - after all babies just sleep all the time and generally take care of themselves don't they? So fast forward to today, DD is 15 mo, and if I thought the house was bad before... well! I still have the paint in the kitchen waiting to go in the garage from decorating when I was pregnant! Turns out babies are quite hard work! Who knew

Babyheave- booked that in yesterday. Before you know it the moment arrives when you feel like it and want to be protected!

Also wish I had sorted garage. On list for next week.

Not at all! But I thought it should look like I've done something with the last 3 weeks of maternity leave other than mooch on mumsnet, watch tv and eat! :o

Fewer mundane tasks, more books and cinema trips and wine.

Definitely buy post baby clothes, especially if you become aware that you have put weight on your arms and legs whilst pg (not just growing a bump). I went from a size 10 to a good 14 while pg but the bump disguises the weight gain so I wasn't really aware of this.

After the birth none of my old clothes fitted because I was still a size 14 - I think I thought giving birth would magically make me shrink back to a 10 the bump went but not the size 14 arms, legs and bum! I just wasn't prepared for it and I didn't know how to dress my new shape, and it made me really miserable. I didn't want to be a fashion plate but I literally had NOTHING to wear that made me feel remotely or vaguely good about myself.

Second time round I was well prepared. I ordered a load of pretty and forgiving tunic dresses from the internet in what I now knew would be the post-birth size, and some high-waisted non maternity leggings and jeans to wear underneath. I just felt so much brighter because I wasn't battling the "nothing to wear" feeling every single day. I'm sure it helped psychologically.

I can't recommend doing this enough as you are so busy after a baby you really don't want to be stood around thinking "that doesn't fit... that looks terrible... that doesn't fit...". and you WILL care to have something presentable to leave the house in - not high fashion but just, presentable.

HTH!

Ah yes the contraception. I know someone who was BF and still got pg a little over 2 weeks after the birth It's not common but perfectly possible. They didn't use contraception but she thought she was BF so was covered and also thought (mistakenly as it turns out) she couldn't have the morning after pill because she was BF so took a risk, and fell pg. Apparently she could have had the MAP whilst BF (a qualified pharmacist would confirm this, obviously).

Deep cleaned everything.

Bought thankyou cards so all I had to do was write them.

Brilliant idea Sleepyspaniel, sleep deprived shopping with a newborn and baby flab isn't one of the joys of motherhood.

Can somone please explain how I can do all this stuff with an 11yo, 7yo and 1yo

Ds is now crawling and trying to stand up, and I really wish I had babyproofed the house while pregnant, it's a mountain of a job trying to empty two massive bookcases so they can be screwed into the wall, even more difficult while ds is under my feet, knocking over piles of books, and just generally wanting attention!

Due date has been and gone! I've just got baby stuff ready really, the freezer is full of whatever is in there, we won't starve.

I've ordered Xmas dinner but not bothered writing cards and getting presents - it's one year I don't feel I have to put loads of effort in and if it can't be bought online it's not going to be from me this year! :)

Having facials can be a bit of a challenge once you're near full term as it's hard to get on/ off the bench & to lie still so I've had to knock those on the head but hair cuts and pedicures/ manicures are nice and easy.

I'd just do the things you want to do really that's going to make you feel happy and prepared for your baby. Everything else can wait :)

i'm having a bit of a giggle nervous laugh about buying post-baby clothes

i wore the same clothes for weeks, don't even remeber changing them tbh

if i got out of the house without a lump of toast in my hair i was lucky

at babyheave