What did you do during Maternity Leave before your baby arrived?

[JanieLovesLuckySocks]

Hi girls,
Tomorrow i have to let work know when I plan to finish for Maternity Leave (i'm due 23rd November).

Ideally I would like to work up as far as possible so that I can use my maternity leave afterwards, but i do have about 15 days annual leave to use up as well which i might use to have some short weeks / half days prior to finishing.

So what did you do before your baby arrived? I get a bit bored if i don;t have things to plan, my parents will be away on holidays and my friends will be in work.

Would 2 weeks before EDD be enough or should I take more?

I finished at 36 weeks with both of mine; using a mixture of annual leave and maternity leave. To be honest I needed it, you underestimate how tired you will be. Plan your time resting, get a pedicure, batch cook some meals, more rest an generally enjoy doing not a lot till baby arrives

oh thanks space batch cooking good plan :)

I went mat leave at about 33 weeks, that included 12 days annual leave. I would've gone sooner if it had been up to me. Most of the time I did nothing but eat food and watched tv rested. I also saw any friends when they were free, enjoyed time with DP and saw family. At about 38weeks I was high risk so every thing changed and was going to the hospital more often and seeing the midwife.

I was exhausted and spent most of the time in bed either sleeping or reading and I consumed a LOT of chocolate

This time however I am hoping that I will be able to spend time with friends and family or batch cooking so I am prepared and relaxed without being really lazy.

I went on mat leave at 38 weeks. I filled the time batch cooking, lunching with friends, spa day, pedicure, cinema, afternoon naps, reading.

It was lovely. I haven't been to the cinema since actually and DD is 20 months and #2 is on way!

Sleeping, getting things ready for baby, cleaning/nesting, seeing people knowing it may be a while before I saw some again...this time I have a toddler and take the opportunity to nap when she does...I am v tired this time around as there isn't the same resting time.

I finished at 37 weeks with dc1 and 38 weeks with dv2.

Really enjoyed my mat leave time before dc1 arrived, I used holiday and started mat leave the day before Edd.

I went swimming, slept, yoga, the gym, baby shopping, watched lots of films, met with some nct friends for coffee, washed and ironed baby clothes, read, and generally did whatever I wanted. Lovely.

This time dc1 is in nursery 3 days a week, so two days a week I'm doing toddler activities, the other 3 I'm sleeping and watching tv and films.

Enjoy the time before baby arrives and don't wish it away, once baby arrives its a long time before you get time to yourself!

Ds1 arrived 7 weeks early so I hadn't even left. I had planned to leave two weeks before my due date with DS2 but had to leave about ten days early as I was so frickin huge and uncomfortable. I would go for two weeks before you are due, its much nicer having more time at the end if maternity leave. Oh and rest as much as you can, keep on top of household jobs too so when dc arrives, you are good to go

Someone told me that giving birth is like a marathon so you need to try to be as well rested as possible before hand even though it is tempting to work as long as possible so you get more time with the baby before going back to work. I finished at 38 weeks with dd1&2 and im glad both were a week or more late because I think I needed that extra week or so to mentally prepare myself and recover from the frenzy of nesting, batch cooking, washing of baby clothes etc that I did when I first went on mat leave! I look back fondly on the day I devoted to lying on the sofa watching the oscars coverage on E! When dd1 was overdue.

I finished at 36 weeks. It was December and cold and i hated commuting into Central London and my coat looked ridiculous and wouldn't button up.

I did last minute nesting, watched a lot of daytime tv (Christmas movies ), slept and enjoyed the time by myself. Also did some local parenting classes, saw friends and spent time with my mum.

My DD came early - 38 +6 so it was nice I had that time to just relax.

thanks girls, that's a great help :) i have 15 days annual leave to use so might use 2 weeks of that and one of mat leave so maybe aim for 37 weeks. loving the idea of a spa day and cinema days, especially as it'll be winter so i won't feel guilty not being out in the sunshine!

spa
cooking
cleaning
cinema
sleep
awesome :)

Read books, slept, had lovely baths and chilled out.

Ooh, and drinks in nice cafes with a favourite book too.

I spent the weeks before dd arrived chasing builders and cleaning my new house! I was knackered.
I finished work at 33 weeks and I think if I hadn't the rennovation work would still be going on. As it was, nothing gets builders working like a heavily pregnant woman stomping around going what's this? What's that? Take your shoes off!! They couldn't wait to leave!
After that I mainly organised the house and the baby's stuff and spent time with ds. Did some good napping too!!

I slept. I went off at 36 weeks thinking I would spend my time pottering about,going to cafes,afternoon cinema and museums. Instead I was exhausted and slept and listened to radio 4.

My aim was to do one baby-related task, one social activity and one piece of gentle exercise every day. I didn't necessarily achieve that, but like you I like to have a plan!

SLEEP!

Have lies-ins, go for nice strolls, eat whatever you like. Take looong baths

House rennovations! 3 months worth. Would not recommend it.

Lunch out with friends, lunch, shopping, lunch, dentist, lunch, hairdressers, lunch, shopping, lunch, you get the picture.

This thread has cheered me up! Went on maternity leave at 37 weeks and had family staying for the first week. Am now 39+2 and since then I have had grand plans to do all sorts of things but have mainly managed to just watch lots of TV, eat some ice cream and go for a couple of cuppas with friends. Keep telling myself to just relax and enjoy it, but have been feeling guilty for not being more useful!

I had to finish three months before my due date (my job relocated, and due to health problems I agreed to wait until after my mat leave to relocate) which sounds great but I am getting well bored now! I have a two year old to look after so it's as much about entertaining him as myself - when I was off on mat leave with him it was a lot easier. Doesn't help that I'm trying to save money as my company only pays SMP which limits what we can do in the day. I've been filling a lot of time by selling anything and everything on ebay to raise money for the new baby - made around £600 so far and it's turned into a bit of a hobby. 8 weeks to go now just hoping I can find some activities to fill it.

I worked right until the births because I am TERRIBLE if I've got nothing to do. Also, mine were both 2 weeks late, and I would have just sat on the sofa OBSESSING, so I'm glad that I chose to work. This is an option too - you don't have to leave early if you don't feel like it.

Went on leave at 36 weeks with DS1. Sleep, hair dresser, lunch with friends, cooking for the freezer, swimming. Was induced at 38+5 due to reduced fluid and movement. With DS2 I had planned to work till 38 weeks. Had him at 35+5 (a thursday) by CS with 3 days notice again with reduced fluid and movements. So no real ML before his birth.

I can't help I'm afraid. Dd1 arrived on my second day of maty leave and dd2 arrived 5 days before maty leave started...