maternity leave - what to do?!

[nataliekristin]

I'm 35 + 4 and finished up work. apart from getting the nursery ready, what else can I do to occupy my time?!

I'd be sleeping

I taught myself how to cook using lots of different cook books. The frozen meals came in handy in the 1st few week too

Oh yes and sleep. Lots and lots of sleep. I didn't listen when people said that and regret it.

if you've got a big freezer do some batch cooking now. You can even mix up cookie dough and freeze it.

sleep.

read magazines.

Reading interspersed with the odd bit of cooking for the freezer.

Could you make something nice for the baby? Pop along to Hobbycraft.

I went for lots of walks it's meant to be good for getting the baby into the right position (not that it worked for me but the walks were nice anyway!!)

Sleep and read books in bed

Made lots of cakes

Watched a lot of TV!

Do jobs like clean your fridge and kitchen cupboards because you won't be doing it for a long while after!

Yes to batch cooking but don't go nuts - you can always order in

Mainly SLEEP.

snooze, read, watch films, go swimming, amble around shops, enjoy hot drinks uninterrupted, hobbies.

I bought hundreds of nappies, wipes & nappy sacks.

Drink raspberry leaf tea from next week.

Get some almond oil and get your perineum well massaged.

Buy cards and presents for any family birthdays in the next 3/4 months.

Do pelvic floor exercises 3 times a day, every day.

Have sex whilst you still do t have to worry about contraception.

Get the car serviced/Mot'd.

Go to the cinema.

Go to an unchild friendly restaurant.

Spring clean and sort out paperwork.

See your friends.

Sleep.

Do things with 2 hands. drink tea while it is hot. eat a meal hot rather than lukewarm. Have long showers without keeping an ear open for a crying baby. sleep. Go for a wee without an audience.

Just enjoy it. Walk, swim if you enjoy it (breast stroke is great for positioning) and do a few practical things such as batch cooking for the freezer.

do your eyebrows (not TOWIE style slugs though).

I did my brows just before the dc's were born and look quite presentable in the pics considering I'd had an overnight labour and EMCS .

I'm the same, 35 weeks on Monday and apart from some emails and paperwork, I'm done! I will have dd at school, so two 1 hour walks/car drop offs to do every day, but will be mostly....

Buying presents for birthdays coming up, and for dd.

Sleeping

Watching box sets

Swimming

Sorting paperwork and getting better deals on Phone, tv etc

Getting baby stuff ready

Sewing

A bit of tidying

Cooking

sleeping!

I am hoping if I have a massive list of things to do, baby might actually arrive earlier...totally expecting to wait around for 7 weeks though! Actually looking forward to it!

Ooh yes, haircut, colour, massage, pediatrics, mani, eyebrows done...all of those on the list!

Oh, forgot we are decorating the bedroom and moving the furniture to fit a bedside cot in...

type up a spreadsheet so you can note down what baby gifts you get and pop it on the fridge.

columns for who / gift / thank you sent. no need to respond quickly once you've got a new born but it's easier to work through them that way.

.......just wandering through.... Am only 14 weeks.....

Oh, maybe the library? Borrow some books to read in the bath.

Make a list/sky plus/download easy to watch TV for once the baby arrives.

Batch cook food (I regretted not doing this and ate toast for 4 weeks!).

Research childcare if you expect to use a nursery after your maternity leave? I looked round these at 39 wks pregnant and then didn't register for 6 months and am now way down the waiting list!

Ring friends who you haven't caught up with for a while.

If your dp will be sending the email/text about the new arrival make sure he knows all the numbers so he doesn't forget a key person?

Sort your hospital bag if not already done.

Any house admin due in next 2 months like car insurance/ house insurance.

Get your nails done.

Try some yoga or hypnobirth things - rainbow relaxation is good for visualisation or just drifting off. Look up YouTube for info or can download from iTunes /buy from Amazon. The music is just like being at a spa. Yoga movements & breathing can help get baby in position plus can help in early labour.

Also I'd be bouncing on my birth ball too

& probably eating cake

Rest,get hair done,rest,do a bit of cooking,rest,do gym ball exercises to help baby into position,rest some more,good luck!
I'm aiming to work up to 38 weeks as I did last two times but so wrecked now at 32 weeks don't know if will be able to manage that or not,wish I was going off now!!

I'm going at 35w too. I'm planning on gardening, cooking meals for the freezer, cleaning things which aren't going to ever get cleaned again, walks...well we shall see anyway!