worried about getting the blues on maternity leave

[weeza13]

This may sound moany but I work in a school so am currently on easter break. I am 25 weeks and dh is away with work. I have done all the sorting I can at home for the moment but find myself feeling very isolated and bored by myself, its making me worry about how I will feel when I am actually on maternity leave. I do not have friends near me with bumps or babies and as lovely as my friends are they have all done their baby bits years ago. Any ideas ?

Maybe use some time now to call round local community centres etc and find when their mum and baby coffee mornings/clubs run? That way you've got some places ready to go to when you feel ready. I joined NCT for pretty much that reason. Also local churches ( many have non religious mum and baby things).

That way you know its there if you need it but if you're too knackered, there's no pressure to attend.

I'm teacher also pregnant (first DD 28wks) and also married to a teacher which means we are off at the same time. 1. Things I would do if I was in my own:

1. Get baby room done and ready
2. Go round town
3. Book a spa for a day- they're a lot cheaper in the week-- I'm actually doing this on Tuesday but with hubby
4. Go swimming or to the gym
5. Go visit a friend and stay 1 night in a hotel
6. See family
7. Join NCT ASAP- once baby is here you'll then have other mummy friends in your local area
8. Go to pregnancy (daytime) yoga, you might meet people there you can have a coffee with?

10. I'm in surrey and will be happy to meet if you want a coffee and a chat :-) Once baby is here, you'll be so busy you won't have time to be down x

Hi Weeza,

I found the best thing to do while on mat leave was to set myself one task everyday so that I had a reason to get up, dressed and out the house at a reasonable time. Even if it was just a trip to the shops or post office etc.

I also joined a few baby & toddler groups, not necessarily with the intention of making lasting friends (although that would have been a bonus & as it happens I did) but again just to give me something to go to and get out the house for.

Good luck, I'm sure you will be ok.

Also a teacher, also terrified of maternity leave. I crawl the walls by the 3rd week of the summer break, and that's when I've got enough money to do the things I fancy doing. Being skint and alone with something entirely dependent on me is something I'm dreading.

I'm 27 weeks also on easter- I get bored if nothing planned/ no one to see. Think friends who've had kids find some kind of group- library or church based playgroups or see nct friends. If not I will be bored too!

Thanks for the advice, I would love to decorate babys room but we don't have a room for the baby. Will look onto some groups though to meet others in the same boat. Glad to hear I'm not the only school employee who gets bored and is skint.

Should have said, I'm also a teacher on easter break but my holidays fly past now with an active 2 year old to run after!

I shared your concerns about maternity leave, but was actually most concerned with the part before the baby arrived. I worked until 38 weeks to try to minimise that period of time, had I know DS would be 2 weeks late I would have worked until my due date. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Without sounding too blond, what is nct ?

National Childbirth Trust :-)

I had 2 weeks of maternity leave before DS was born and enjoyed every minute of it. I had a lie in and then walked a mile to do yoga every day. I also did a lot of lunching and coffee dates with friends. Probably too many, as I only got around to packing my hospital bag once I was in labour!

weeza nct do great antenatal classes based on when you are due so you get to know other parents to be who are in same situation as you. All my friends with babies still meet up with friends they made even years later. Have a loon here to see if some local to you www.nct.org.uk they are expensive in some parts of the country but for the very reason you wrote this post I think, worth it!

A lot of women i know have gone back to work after 3 months for this reason... depending on whether you breastfeed or formula maybe you could have this as a back up plan?