Due on Jan 1st? Totally disorganised and panicking.

[DamageLimitation]

Hello all,

I'm due on new year's day. #3- will be induced at 40+3 ish at my request as I'm old(in my eyes!). DS1+2 were born late and quite prem so I've no "pattern" for delivering IYSWIM.

I'm trying to get organised for Christmas but literally have bought 1 present for my Niece and that's it.
Basically just feeling very much in limbo! I know it's part and parcel of pregnancy, but it just seems like so many dates around my due date would lead to rubbish birthdays for the new baby. There is so much to organise to keep the festive show on the road for DS1+2 and I'm busting myself to get cleared up in work. Just realised we can't actually get 3 seats in the back of our car, and so it goes on.

I know I've had 36/7 weeks to get organised and with a 3rd baby I should be more on the ball but just totally overwhelmed at the moment.

Anyone else due on a major festive holiday day?
Anyone heavily pregnant and mailing Christmas??🎅🎅

Help/inspiration/kick up bum needed.....

Nailing Christmas I meant....

Fully intending there to be much mailing of online purchases over next few weeks however!!

I was due on 26th Dec with my second.
By 1st Dec I was done shopping and only had wrapping to do.
Online shopping is your friend here. Write yourself a list of what you need and order it then sit back and wAit for it all to arrive!
Plus send your partner out to buy food and presents too.
My ds arrived on the 13th so it was a good job I was organised.
Lists are your friend here! And delegating tasks too!

Y you're right, I could probably be pretty productive with an hour or 2 at the computer...
I'm a big list writer- don't know why I've been so dense lately.

I’m due with no.2 on Christmas Day

Online shopping is definitely the way forward. Set yourself some time aside one night to just sit and get it done, and it will be a weight off your mind!

I’m due #3 on 4th jan so I know how you feel.

Get online and do your shopping this weekend, I’ve done almost all the Christmas present shopping (and naice readymade Christmas food ordered) which has helped take a load off my mind.

We can’t fit 3 in our car either and haven’t sorted out the cot etc yet so lots still to do.

I’d worry about Christmas stuff first, baby stuff second.

I’m due number 3 on the 28th and couldn’t be less organised . Have set myself the task of packing my hospital bag today.
We also need to sort a new car! We have a company car and can’t upgrade until the end of jan so it will be a lot of walking (or taking 2 cars) until then.
DH is ordering the Christmas meat today. I’ll get online and order some presents tonight I think. I’m just so tired and have so much going on with the other DC (Christmas plays, carol concerts, ballet Christmas party, gymnastics Christmas party, school Christmas disco etc etc etc) that I just don’t really know where to start.

I’m due on the 4th Jan so I get how overwhelming it can feel, this is my first so in some ways I have it much easier than you if you already have kids (though the element of the unknown is driving me a bit mad!).

Something I try and do when I feel overwhelmed with stuff to do is just write it all down in a big list. Then when you’ve exhausted every possible thing you have to do, start another list in order of priority. At best, you’ll realise you don’t have as much on your plate as you thought. At worst, it’s all in an organised list ready to be tackled and ticked off. And like PP have said, so much can be done online now that in most cases you don’t even need to leave the house! It’s not too late to have gifts delivered in time.

I'm due 4th January and everyone is getting the same small present from me this year because I can't be bothered leaning over my giant bump to wrap anything big . I've made a list for the food shop too but having DH brave the shops the weekend before Christmas for that.

Ok here is what you need:

1. Make a list - also think about subscription gifts like magazines, cheese orders, periodicals
2. Execute your list in one sitting. It doesn’t have to be Amazon. My posh husband is getting all of his pressies from the Outdoor & Country Store.
3. You MUST delegate as much as you can, food shopping can also be done online but most Christmas “last orders” are taking place this week (M&S is the 15th).
4. Delegate attendance at nativity/drinks and nibbles/other festive toot.

Finally, if your “children fitting into the car” issue means you may need to buy a new car please investigate the Multimac car seat first; it comes in a 3 in a row or 4 in a row.

Sometimes you can find second hand ones on here as well.

Good luck and remember: it really is ONLY Christmas. If it’s a bit scatty and underdone this year, tough. Having a baby is a HUGE deal.

I’m technically due end of Jan with baby number 3 but DC were 37 & 38 weeks gestation.

I’ve done most of the Christmas presents as I made lists. (Brain has completely gone.)
There’s still a few to get but I’m waiting on pay day.

We can’t get 3 seats nor a third person in the back I don’t think. & have got no chance of sorting the car out before Christmas so leaving it until January as need to sort finance & things out.

I’m having a home birth so I’ve packed the baby’s hospital bag just incase but OH will sort me out if we get rushed in.

You just need to prioritise what is the most important & make a list & work down from there, a step at a time.

Online shopping is definitely your friend.

Don't panic!
Mine is due the day after yours.
Below is just what I have done, I was very stressed, but now I'm not, so it's worked for me...
I have 'dealt with' Christmas by letting all relatives know that we aren't going to theirs, or them coming to us - tbh everyone understands. I'm also really looking forward to a very quiet time at home with just oh and dd. Never managed to get out of the whole shabang before!
Decorations- this is special family time so enjoy this, you need help for the high up stuff anyway, go minimal, no creative floristery- you'll prob new to get it all taken down eith a newborn don't forget..
Gifts - I went to a local deli/farm shop place, hubbie looked after our daughter and i bought a hamper each for each family/couple we usually do gifts for. The shop arranges the posting too- worth the extra money! You could also do this online but that seemed to be a bigger job to me.
Xmas food- get an online shop. I don't plan to 'cook' anything only open packets.. this is the opposite of my usual approach, but don't care. Also feeding much less mouths than most years so cost not such a big deal. Hubbie keeps saying he'll do the cooking but the thought makes me fret more.. he was talking about buying a turkey for the three of us- doesn't hae a clue about the work involved afterwards dismantling / freezing etc
I have got some nice presents for oh and dd over last few months, if you haven't done this- delegate to your husband! Ask him exactly what he wants and just get that.
Hospital /kids overnight bags - can be done in a day, plus a mothercare big order for anything missing. Just follow an online list.
Something which really really helped me was taking the laptop to a nice cafe while daughter at preschool- didn't feel like nearly such a chore to organise everything. Abd u could have a second breakfast! What I did there was really think in detail about birthplan, a list for hubbie of what he needs to do when it all starts, childcare etc, and another detailed list of all the house crap I do every day which I don't think he really knows happens at all. Right down to details like 'start cooking dinner at 4.30 or it won't be ready on time and dd will raid cupboard to eat cheerios and then not eat what you've blooming cooked anyway'.
This last list was a big eye opener for him and made very clear what I expect him to do to look after me, the kid and the house in first couple of weeks! Have you read 'the mental load' amazing guardian article anout how invisible the work of many women is.. this list also helped me relax about all of this!
Sounds like the car is definitely a husband job.
Anything else you can delegate/ pay for? Get a cleaner? Drop a load down to launderet for a service wash? Get a takeaway/ ready meal? Someone to do ironing? To give you a bit more time to get organised over next couple of weeks.
Good luck!

Just reread your message and you're still working. Tell them you've had enough and have to go!

Due Jan 2nd. Amazon is your friend. Get prime if you don't already have it, free next day delivery, and wrap as soon as it arrives. I was in your position a week ago and am now pretty much done. If you don't have prime already get the free trial x

I’m due #3 on 7 Jan. Agree with those that have said to embrace online shopping - an evening spent on amazon and you can kill off a lot of your Christmas shopping. I’ve delegated cooking the Christmas dinner to dh so I don’t have to think about that, and got him to take the kids for a few hours so I could do Christmas cards. I just finished for mat leave at the end of last week and up until then I hadn’t really engaged with the idea of another baby and what needed to be done to get ready for the baby, but now my head is clear from work stuff I’m suddenly feeling much more clear headed about the baby and getting ready for it.

Mine due few days after you. Advice is to finish work now.

Do all the shopping online

How are you getting on @Damagelimitation ?

Thanks everyone - that's all been v encouraging.

I had a look at the multimac, and reckon it could be a good option. I did delegate car sear issue to DH, who seemed to believe that since I had thought about it, but hadn't immediately come up with an option that he wouldn't have a huge amount more to offer.

I did about as much physical Christmas shopping as I plan to when I was off a day this week. The pressies for the ILs are dealt with, and probably about half of my family. DC still have fairly slim pickings, but the lists are written!

Arrangements in place for childcare in labour, inc fresh bed made up in my place etc should DSis need to come round here overnight. Need to just pack a bag for the DC/ write up the list about their timings, school etc.

I finish up tomorrow and now that the end of work is in sight - and I'm actually pretty much cleared up in work, then I think I can stop worrying about that and focus on the baby.

I've got a cleaner, am going to family for Christmas dinner and hospital bag is pretty much sorted too.

I'm going to take your advice rachael12345 and take myself out the house next week with the laptop - if for no other reason than the 2nd breakfast!!

Thanks again all,
DL