Ideas for Mat Leave activities

[user1484167681]

Baby due 19th Jan, planning to work til the 12th but might stop earlier if I'm not feeling up to it anymore. DH will be off work from Jan 12th until mid-March, so does anyone have any ideas for what we could do in that final week (or two, or three, I hear first babies are usually late??) of freedom, assuming I'm feeling up to it?

We live in NW London, so transport connections are good and I'm sure we could get home quickly if necessary. I've already made DH promise to take me pottery painting, which should while away an afternoon!

Sleep

Read a book

Cinema

Meal out together

Sleep

Batch cook

Sleep

Haha, I'm liking how many "sleeps" are in there!

I guess I should have been more specific; does anyone have any recommendations for activities that heavily pregnant women can indulge in, in a big city? Cinema and meals out sound good, I'm also thinking maybe a midweek West End matinee...

I hate sitting in the cinema when I'm pregnant! Pregnancy massage? Cafes? Just chill. Don't overdo the activity, you'll be knackered.

Spend some quality time alone with your husband. Once baby comes that relationship takes second place for a while.

Go for nice walks. I went to the zoo although it's a bit cold.

Don't know London so can't make any suggestions for there.

Shag while you can. Yes to films. Read books. Relax. Just hang out together chatting about things that aren't children. Keep popping to the shop. That kind of thing.

Don't assume the baby will be late for starters!

I put the cot together, packed my hospital bag and watched a load of shite on tv.

I went for a few lunches with friends.

I was hoping the nesting thing would happen and I would have a beautifully clean house but it never did kick in...

Sleep. A million times sleep! I wish I had really made the most of relaxing and enjoying my own company. Spontaneous trips for lunch/dinner are always good, but nothing too strenuous.

And I second not assuming baby will be late, my DD arrived 8 days early (and I'm usually late for everything )

Baby could easily have arrived by then. My first was 5 weeks early. If not you'll probably be eating pineapple and curry while shouting Get Out Get Out Get Out!!!

Sleep, sleep, sleep! Eat! Lunch with friends? Cinema? Swimming?

The things I miss most are
Cinema
Meals out at nice restaurants
Eating a meal while it's still hot
Lying in
Bingeing on a box set until stupid AM

People kept telling me to sleep but I was in too much pain to sleep.
They were bloody right though, the bastards

I’m due this weekend and have been off for three weeks. My activities have been as suggested above:
Cinema and meals out
Coffee dates
Reading
Lots of tv
Baths
Batch cooking
Walks

Also, pack that bag early! I didn't, then didn't have the energy, then had an emergency section at 35w - my half packed bags were still in the car, didnt think I needed them for a check up. Doh.

I felt great in the last few weeks of pregnancy even 2 weeks overdue. DH and I watched a few films, napped in the afternoons, went swimming and did loads of walking. I also booked a few extra sessions of acupuncture for the last few weeks. I couldn't sit down as I had the worst rib pain after 5 minutes so cinema/driving anywhere far was out but i was in full nesting mode and did a lot of batch cooking too which was a life saver when DS finally did make an appearance.

If you’re anything like me you’ll not want to do anything but clean. I was on my hands and knees scrubbing floors up until splash down. People were getting quite worried about me!

Four months in and I’m happy to report I’m cured. Hormones are strange.

I had my baby a week after finishing work. In that week I got my hair done, my eyebrows done, had reflexology, antenatal class, and had a decorator in on the one day. Look after yourself and do the stuff you'll struggle to do when the baby is here.

Depends what you like of course but I miss:

The cinema - but particularly, going to the cinema in the daytime on a whim without advance planning, military precision, babysitter booking etc

Wandering around art galleries/museums and actually being able to look at stuff/read info in exhibits

Sleeping

Watching what you want on tv during the day, maybe falling asleep with DH in front of an old movie

Sleep
And batch cook.
And don't assume your baby will be late. My first was 2 weeks early!

Don't underestimate how happy you'll be one day that you batch cooked!

I'm currently one week overdue and finished work 4 weeks ago. I felt great the first week and got loads of stuff organised - but don't expect to be full of energy in the final days! As PP said walking and standing can be so tiring - my advice is to take it easy at home with your DH... nap, chat, eat, rest, enjoy the time together

Agree about batch cooking. Hope you hang better luck than me. DS arrived first day of mat leave. I had so many plans (that included sleep).

Hang = have.