Things to do on maternity leave

[beansprout]

Will be starting my mat. leave next week (will be 36 + 3 when I finish) and while this might seem a bit mad to some people, I am a bit concerned about feeling stuck while playing the waiting game of my life.

I don't have too much money, so lovely massages and pampering etc aren't really an option, but what will keep me out of mischief/sane? Is there anything you would recommend or that you regretted not doing?

I know that once the Bean is here, this will all be very, very redundant but suggestions welcome in the mean time!! Thanks!

PS Hope I don't sound too mad - I do appreciate that this is what is known as a "high class problem"!!

buy birthday/anniversary cards for the first few months after baby's due date and write the envelopes, stamp them and put them somewhere safe in date order so that once the baby arrives, all you have to do is write the actual card and away they go. Only a small thing but every little time saving thing for once the baby has arrived I found helpful.
You could also start now finding out about what services/groups your local clinic offers, local mother and baby groups that people recommend.
Practice getting the car seat in and out of the car.
Arrange and then rearrange the nursery. And then probably rearrange it again if you're like me.
You could be very efficient and see who sells your perferred brand of nappies cheapest!

I must be the most boring person in the whole world. All I did was sit on my big fat bum and watch TV / play games on the computer / surf the web / read books. Dull but free.

I sat around on the sofa a lot and read books, as I'd been told I wouldn't get a chance after the baby came. Then I spent the next 4 months sat on the sofa reading books and watching telly, with dd attached to my boobs. I got so fed up of my sofa, I regretted spending my maternity leave on it! With hindsight, I wish I'd spent my mat leave shopping and swimming, neither of which were possible with a constantly-feeding newborn.

This time, I shan't get maternity leave. . Or perhaps I could explain to dd that Mummy is taking 6 weeks off?

It was the middle of winter, so too cold to go out any way. Sat at home, slept and read lots of books, I think I read about a dozen books in 6 weeks. ( I have read very few since, I am ashamed to say)

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Things i did when on Mat leave with DS1:

Sleep

Lay on Sofa watching daytime television

Eat (lots)

Lay on Sofa watching Evening television

Sleep

Lay on Sofa reading

Did i say Sleep...

Enjoy those last couple of weeks! I tried to do one virtuous thing every day (eg clean the bathroom) and then I could spend the rest of the day lolling . The best advice I got was to watch all the films you'd always wanted to see, and read some good novels (nothing too taxing!). I also watched some daytime rubbish about weddings in Manhatten when pregnant with DS, and knitted a baby hat! No such luck this time, when DS will be giving me the runaround!

Have a good time.

I had my hair cut and sorted out my bikini line (home treatment for the latter, couldn't afford a salon). I was glad I did both as ds was 3 weeks early and I'm very, very vain. Apart from that I watched loads of telly and did lots of gardening. (Pruning the clematis was what eventually broke my waters)