39 weeks on mat leave and everything (batch cooking, washing, nursery) is done - what the hell do i do this week???

[Jellybabie3]

Starting to go symptom spotting mental. Have nothing left to do except normal washing which i am on top of. Hosp bag, nursery, baby clothes, batch cook (34 meals) all done.....what can i do? Not sure i can watch tv all day.

I'm insanely envious! Expecting number 3. You will never, NEVER have time like this again. EVER! (Well maybe when they leave home).

Relax, do nice things, cinema, visit friends, have kids if naps, go for walks if you can. Just enjoy this time.

I absolutely loved this stage of maternity leave! You will never have time to yourself in this way again, at least not for a VERY long time. I'd get a massage, a haircut, go to the cinema (I've only been twice in the last 7 years) go out for lunch with friends, swimming, sleep, read, bake cakes.

Christmas shopping sounds appalling but is actually a genius idea. Do it all online, wrap and label and then feel smug. It's a gift to yourself, really.

Sleep!

You've had great ideas here. Relax and enjoy before life becomes a lot busier. TV box sets, long baths, afternoon tea, massage, manicure and I 100% agree with the Christmas shopping.

Oh yeah a haircut!
Nails done (toes and gel then if you forget to get them off they can grow out 😂).
Change all the bedding in the house (we made use of the spare room bed when having tough nights - to have an hour uninterrupted).
Nap
Choose some good box sets to start (you can still watch these when baby is tiny).
Pinterest all the things.
Buy a photo album and print off any pregnancy photos (free prints is delivery charge only for first 40 a month)

Thanks ladies. I guess lazy day in front of tv today and see if i am up for a nice brunch by myself tomorrow somewhere

Btw recommendations for a bath- how do you get out by yourself? I havent had one for a couple of months as i got stuck

Agree with all suggestions. This is precious time so take it easy and make it all about you. In a few weeks you could be looking back wishing you had done nothing.

To get out of the bath I used to roll onto my hands and knees and then get up and out that way.

Sleep as much as you can, go out and eat in peace, enjoy the silence and solitude. You won't have these things for many, many years.

Just relax and enjoy yourself - is it really so hard to know what to do with some free time - I must live on a different planet to some of you. Some people seem to need to plan every minute of the day with 'meaningful activity'.

Ah sorry i probably sound like a right numpty 'i dont know what to do. ...' I just dont want to lool back with regret and nor did i not want to be prepared.

Another dim question but how far would you be prepared to go at this point - half hour drive? Hour? 15min? I mean i cant plan for the unknown but what do you think is reasonable at this stage?

Relax! Have long baths. Paint your nails. Have lie ins and naps. Drink lots of hot tea.

One suggestion I will back up and will do myself next time is buy/write/wrap cards Nd presents for the next few birthdays or occasions. I didn't and got caught out as my son was in SCBU for a week then had colic so going out to buy cards etc was mega stressful. I'll be more prepared next time.

Oh I'd probably go up to half an hour but that's mainly coz we have 3 different towns within half an hour so plenty to choose from. We have 2 cities around 45 mins away but I didn't venture that far. I'd alternate days out with lazy days to stop the boredom

Get a good haircut and your legs/pits waxed.

Buy a nice packet of thankyou cards (the nicer the card the more perfunctory you can get away with being in the writing) and maybe even print out address labels for people you expect to send you stuff.

Buy upcoming birthday cards for the next 2 months.

Netflix and chill. But I mean actually watch Netflix and chill, not any other meaning :)
Cinema is a great idea, I'm definitely doing that as soon as my leave starts.

If it's your first go as far as you want. (I mean maybe not a two hour drive away, but I used to go out for 1hr walks, have a coffee and cake, then walk back.) It's reeeeeaaaally unlikely that things will kick off so fast and intensely that you won't be able to get back home and if they do you can go straight to hospital from anywhere.

Go for long walks. Meet friends for coffee or lunch. Sit in coffee shops. Read books. Take afternoon naps. Have a leisurely browse of the high street. If you can still walk reasonably comfortably, getting in plenty of walking will help keep you fit for labour and maybe encourage it to kick off/keep going.

jellybaby3 I'm 38 weeks and in the same boat as you. I've done the school run, had one of the mum's round for a chat and a brew. I'm now walking round the park with the dog in an attempt to walk baby out, and enjoying all the horrified stares and comments from the dog walkers who think I should be at home doing nothing. I'm going to nip for a wander round Costco with my mum after this to buy stuff I don't actually need, then an afternoon with my box set before the school pick up.

Jelly you have done really well! I'm 38/39 and nowhere near your situation! Still a lot to do but feeling so tired
I can't believe how much cooking you have done.....would you like to come over and help me?

Do bear in mind that it might be more than just one week you have to wait...

I did 4 years' of expenses claims while waiting. And watched a lot of trashy TV while bouncing on my ball.

SLEEP!! Seriously in 20 weeks in to motherhood and I MISS it!

You SLEEP! 😁

Says the mother whose ds didn't let her sleep more than an hour for 18m

GO BACK TO BED AND BE LAZY!

My favourite answer I read on here was:

Run out of bread
Pop up the road and buy some bread
Come back and make your toast

Simple things like that will never be quite so simple again!

Ms Juniper, that is soooo true. I think I skipped to the corner shop the first time the dc where old enough to be left.

". I think I skipped to the corner shop the first time the dc where old enough to be left."

Bugger that, when they're old enough to be left, they're old enough to go for you! They can run to the shop for bread, and make you a cup of tea when they get back.

Ahahahah and that of course. Oh the joys of staying at home in pj when you run pur of milk and see that wee child skip to the corner shop feeling all grown up.

Milestones. Milestones.