maternity leave starts in few days... now what?

[mumingball]

I'm starting my maternity leave in few days and I haven't been able to put up a plan of what I can do in these almost 2 months home alone (well except for cat + visits from relatives). dh will be working and we have already bought/planned to buy the most important things for the baby. I'd like to take the chance to learn something new for my own career but I'm afraid it will be soon forgotten, well before I'm back to work. Even if I start a new hobby I know it will last very little. Besides, everyone's on vacation here in august. I'm sure I'll enjoy relaxing but it's possibly the last chance to have such a long vacation all for me.

Any suggestion? Did you make any plan for your leave or did you just decide to relax? thank you mumsnetters!

I am planning to go to the cinema as much as possible, go for leisurely walks, have lunch and coffee with friends, do some batch cooking for the freezer, read some novels, practice hypnobirthing stuff, go to daytime antenatal yoga classes/any local bump and babies classes, read more on breastfeeding/look online, sleep...
Do you live somewhere where they have antenatal drop ins/classes? Do try and relax and enjoy this time for yourself--for all you know your baby could arrive early!

Oh and a friend has given me a cool embroidery kit, so going to do that too.

I have two days left after today woo! I have just moved so will be unpacking, getting final babies bits ready.

Will also continue abandoned baby sewing projects; read lots of novels. Batch cooking is a great idea too.

But mainly sleeping probably the way I feel at the moment!

I have to rein in the urge to learn a new language, master an instrument and write a novel - I always over plan my time off and this isn't the right time for that I think.

For me anyway!

I just started mat leave a week ago, so far my time is nicely taken up by: sewing, watching daytime TV, visit from my mum, visit from an old school friend, coffee with ladies from my NCT class, making the nursery look pretty, getting an early start planning some Christmas presents. This week I'm meeting a colleague who has an 18 month old, meeting the NCT ladies again, seeing my mum again, going to a la leche league meeting. I was worried about being bored, but actually have found lots to do - there are a lot of baby groups around you can start going to before yours arrives, all those little things you've been meaning to get done around the house but never had time, batch cooking, and a cup of tea, a sofa and daytime TV is a legitimate activity :)

thank you ladies! I like the idea of planning Christmas presents in advance! I'll definitely profit of the chance to read more, sleep more, meet old friends - besides getting things done for the baby and in the house :) And yes, batch cooking sounds very smart!

Enjoy being able to just get up.and go out of the house without thinking of anyone.

Drink a whole cup of tea.

Paint your toenails.

Have loooooong baths.

Have an afternoon nap.

Maybe if you are crafty, knit or crochet a blanket.

I had two weeks off and spent a lot of it lolling around,.packing my labour bag, unpacking baby clothes and putting away, napping, watching movies.

Next time around I will be like you and have two months but will have a two year old to contend with so am thinking it is going to be a lot less relaxing

Oh, another thing I read o here was to do a list of everybodys birthdays for the rest of the year and next. Buy all the cards and a book of stamps. You could even be more organised and wrote tgem.and the envelopes out and just fill.in the from part once the baby arrives. Even.if you are totally wrapped up.in new babyness, there will be a card to hand.for friends and family.

I'm only a couple of weeks away from this too, and my last reads:

Cleaning, cinema, leisurely coffee shop trips, swimming, looking after myself properly (day longer home pamper sessions), yoga, online nutritional course I just found through Amazon local, paperwork I've been meaning too don't for ages, lunches with friends, maybe a massage or two, baking, organising photos properly, and like you - justice chilling with the cats
We've got a fair amount on over the weekends too, so I figure it'll justice be like swapping weekdays for their weekends and vice versa

Oh and baby craft projects... There's some really cute stuff out there

Had my PFB a month ago - there is only one thing you should do during the beginning of mat leave...

SLEEP!

thank you ladies, I have a clearer view of what these weeks will be like now, and surely there will be much sleeping and relaxing