Things to do on maternity leave

[thebloodycat]

Hi,

Just looking for tips on what to do during maternity leave. I finish on the 23rd of Dec and baby isn't due until the 18th of March so I have a good amount of time to prepare and relax.

Any ideas? so far I'm thinking get bag ready, get nursery ready, batch cook, have a good house clear out.

x

Honestly I think you are crazy to finish that early! Unless you are unwell, having the time afterwards us so much more important IMO. Other than that, cinema!

I'm not crazy. I'm not returning to work afterwards so it makes no difference.

That sounds fab. I would indulge all my hobbies to the max while I still could, go to the cinema loads, batch cook and fill my freezer with lush things for after baby arrives, make some kind of project for baby, fix all the glitches round the house, go on holiday....

Watch box sets, read books, go to the cinema, go and see your friends.

If you haven't got one already, buy a Kindle and get familiar with buying books etc - something to keep you occupied during those long feeding sessions once baby arrives. Buy a box set on DVD or start record things on Sky+ ready to watch whilst you're sitting with the baby.
Make any home improvements that you can. Clear out space in your house. You might not know what you need the "space" for yet, but babies seem to come with a lot of stuff!
Look up any baby massage/baby gym/baby social etc classes so you have somewhere to go for support in the first few weeks. My local children's centre is perfect for this.

I finished work at 29 weeks at end of august to fit in with DDs starting school. So have had 2 months of peace & quiet (not including half term!). It's been bliss. I'm so chilled out and so is OH. Have been in a bit of a routine of doing something productive in the morning - preparing for new baby, decluttering, cleaning, washing, gardening, cooking, general pottering (I love a good potter). Then chilling out after lunch doing my pregnancy yoga DVD or hypnobirthing cd, reading or watching an episode or two of a box set before the school run. 10 days overdue now and I can honestly say this is the first week I've felt bored and fed up, but only because I'm impatient to meet the baby! Actually have loads of stuff have haven't got round to doing (like Christmas shopping) but just feel like slobbing out with daytime tv eating cake now.

Make a to do list, stay as physically active as possible but listen to your body and rest when you need to. Enjoy!

Am planning sort out all my photos, go to cinema in the day, watch box sets, go to yoga, meet friends for lunch, get house sorted - recently moved so will be the fun stuff like looking for cushions and candles! Sort nursery, pack bag... get hair cut and coloured..

And I thought I would be bored!

I finish on 22nd December, Xmas feels like a good natural break

Sounds great to me!
Cinema, long relaxing lunches with friends/partner, yoga, box sets. Anything you think you might miss when a newborn arrives.. (I remember crying over not being able to eat my dinner in peace for ten mins when my first arrived. )
Generally look after yourself and relax.
Enjoy

Thank you all

Enjoy lying in

Sleep as much as possible!

i finished at 31 weeks and it was bloody brilliant. if you're not the sort of person who gets bored in your own company (and i'm not) you will have a great time. i made a lot of craft projects and flat pack baby furniture, watched entire series on telly, cooked for the freezer, went for relaxing strolls, slept whenever i felt like it, read a lot...it was bliss.

I wasn't returning to work either, so that influenced my decision to finish really early. It was a massive luxury and i thoroughly enjoyed myself

I'm definitely going to make the most of it and get organised!