Maternity leave - what things do you wish you had done while you were off?

[Msbluesky32]

I've done most of the practical prep, so I was planning on doing a few bits around the house, catching up with friends and swimming to get my fitness up but are there other things I should be doing? It would be good to know what you wish you had done / done more of during maternity leave.

Relaxed!!
My baby was early by 3 weeks so I only had 2 weeks off work before he came! And we moved house 2 weeks before that! Never again.
So yes, sleep, nap, read, have baths anything you enjoy that relaxes you, you can't have enough sleep before baby arrives! :-)

Go to the movies!

Agree with PP. Anything relaxing that you wont have time for again for a long long while! Also, a hair cut.

Enjoy things like having a shower when ever you like, eating your dinner before it is cold, a full nights sleep.

I second Beamae - go to the movies (as much as you can!)

I did the practical stuff, including doing lots of meals for the freezer (that came in handy) and I did meet up with a lot of friends for lunch/cake (another of my aims :-) but I had intended having my hair done and a mother to be spa day (never got round to it) also wanted to do some cinema trips (never did that either).

Sleep, sleep and sleep some more. Go and do anything for yourself that would be difficult with a baby in tow. Drink many hot drinks because you won't do it again for some considerable time.

Thanks, good tips. I'll book my hair tomorrow!

I booked a haircut on the Monday for Wednesday and ended up giving birth on the Tuesday. I remember telling dh whilst in the throws of labour that he must phone up and cancel it or they will get mad!

Go out for a lovely meal, 2.5 years later and still have never had a nice and relaxed meal like I did the week before I was due (we either have a child with us now or are worrying about the babysitters!)

Sort out any boring practical stuff like home insurance renewal, new lightbulbs, little DIY tasks, forthcoming birthday cards, resoling shoes, working out where that leak is coming from, parking permits, backing up your PC, upgrading your mobile phone... Basically any boring administrative or practical tasks which are going to be needed in the next 6 months or so. As you're going to be phenomenally busy and tired.
Then have a nap. Enjoy.

Sleep, read magazines, do nothing.

I would say do as much fun and practical stuff as you can. Im at a point where nausea, period like cramps and tummy bugs are stopping me from enjoying my maternity leave. I guess you can never say how you will feel when your at the last stages of pregnancy.

Agree with all the above, including doing the practical stuff. I'd add look up all the birthdays for the next 6 months and buy and wrap gifts for all of them. You really won't want the faff with a new baby.
Can also be worth going to a few mum and baby, or breastfeeding groups. Most are very happy to meet mums to be and you'll get good tips and figure out which ones will actually be useful once baby arrives.

Milkyjo me too! Had hair appointment for the Saturday and had EMCS on the Saturday. Needless to say, 21 weeks later, I still haven't had my hair cut!

Have a pedicure - because you probably can't reach your toes by now :)

Hair cut, pedicure, movies, meal. Catch up with friends.

I got so fed up with people telling me to sit down and enjoy it whilst I could, felt I had done enough of that. Three children later all I can think is how much I would love to sit down!

I had 6 weeks before my due date and went to term. I spent two weeks running around shopping, filing, sorting out etc (the whole buy/write 6months worth of cards & wrap presents idea is a great one), 2 weeks of nice lunches with friends & batch cooking which I find fun, and 2 weeks of not being able to do much at all desperate for pg to end. We had our wedding anniversary so had that nice couply meal and I cancelled my pre-baby hair appointment due to a labour false alarm.

I love the buying presents early idea. And also batch cooking. I found it so hard to eat well/cook for myself the last time and this time I'll have dd to prepare lunch for as well as myself so will definitely make some soups and sauces etc.
Most of all enjoy walks outside (good to get baby into position) and baths and a pedicure. Maybe read a book about parenting that you won't have time to read when you have the baby!

I finish work on Thursday and (if I go to term) will have 5 weeks off, so this has been really useful!

Caution about the pedicure advice -- if you have to have a CS, you can't have any nail varnish on. You don't want to splash out £15 on having someone paint your nails on Tuesday, only to find a theatre nurse removing it all on Wednesday.....

But yy to haircuts, cinema trips and so on. I spent too much time doing housework and laundry on my last mat leave - you'll never get to the end of these tasks, so don't waste your precious free time doing them. Do the things that you won't be able to do at any other time, and that you can enjoy the long term benefits of having done. I'm finding it most comfortable to be on my hands and knees at the moment, so am painting all my skirting boards!

Do lots of lovely fun, relaxing and pampering things, and sleep! I spent my first week of ML doing all the practical things, going to aquaerobics and running around like a mad woman. Then booked a manicure and pedicure, planned some lovely things, went into labour and didn't manage any of them!

my pedicure varnish wasn't removed for my emcs.

Fair enough GreenFirefly. I've been told not to have nail varnish for my ELCS, so if that's a prospect, you might not want to get your nails painted.

I splashed out on a haircut, looks great! Hairdressers were saying your hair falls out sometimes post birth so I'm glad I'm making the most of it now...is it possible to feel in any way remotely good post birth?! ...heavy bleeding, hair loss, being hormonal... goodness knows what else!