Maternity leave tips for a first time Mum, please!

[Dontbsicily]

Hello!

I am almost 38 weeks and due to finish work this Friday. I'll have just over a week before my due date and at the moment (touches wood) I am feeling fine. No twinges etc. Not even had any BH so, I think baby is quite comfortable at the moment.

Therefore, I'm hoping that I will have at least a week to get some jobs done and get prepared before baby comes.

Nursery is done, hospital bags are packed, bottles are sterilised, baby's clothes are washed... I haven't left any pregnancy related tasks outstanding but, I think I am going to use the time to do a bit of a deep clean. Things like the oven and all of the other crappy tasks that, I imagine won't get done for a long time after baby has arrived!

Just wondering if there is anything else that experienced Mums recommend that I use this time for. I am going to make sure I get lots of sleep too as, I appreciate that will be something that I am going to miss out on a lot after baby is born!

Is there anything that you now, look back and think 'I wish I had used that time to...'?

Thank you in advance!!

I would say enjoy cooking nice meals and eat really well. You could be in hospital for a few days and at the mercy of the hospital's catering service.

I can't actually remember much about that last week but I do have a lovely memory of a fabulous evening with friends at a low-key dinner party. Social life without having to consider childcare - a luxury!

Relax. Get a massage. Go to the cinema. Fill your freezer with easy to cook food or you'll be living on pizza for the first 6 weeks. And more than anything else, just enjoy the time to yourself.

Genuinely, the thing I miss most is time to do nothing. I'm counting down to my second mat leave but this time round I have a toddler so even when I stop work I won't have those few blissful days to potter about.

Oh and I'd pay a professional to clean the oven using non-toxic cleaning methods, if it really must be cleaned.

Go back to bed! Get up, potter and if you fancy it, go back to bed. So glad I done this, as I’ve never been able to do it since.

I'm pregnant with my 3rd and what I will do this time that I didnt with the last two is batch cooking some meals and freezing them for when baby comes. I will do lasagna, shephards pie, casseroles, homemade pies etc so I am still eating healthy when baby comes but without any prep work just shove them in the oven.

I will also just make sure I'm 100% up to date with all house chores which did help both times previously!

Nap, rest, go for lunch on your own, go to the cinema on your own, relax! Soon all those things may be a distant memory so enjoy every minute of peace and quiet!

This is the last time you'll have all your time to yourself so if you only have a week until your due date I would suggest relaxing as much as possible! Enjoy going to the shops or somewhere to eat alone as this will turn into a luxury when you have a child. I agree with a pp saying if you feel like a deep clean is necessary then maybe look at getting somebody to do this for you. Just use the week to fully relax and have some time just for yourself, it's the last time you'll get time to yourself for a long time!

Spoil yourself, lie on the sofa watching Netflix, get your hair done, go out for brunch, lunch and dinner. Enjoy every minute of time to yourself and time alone with your partner.

Thank you so much for the tips on cooking in batches and freezing, I didn't even think of that... Genius idea!

INeedNewShoes, Oh crap, good point about the oven. DP was telling me he would get someone in to do it and I argued that I would be able to but, I didn't consider the chemicals!

Also, thank you for the tips on spending some time alone. I think I will maybe spend a couple of afternoons doing some jobs and then try to relax and make the most of the time alone or meet some friends.

Really appreciate all of the replies!

Don't become the resident housekeeper because you're 'not working' and do not give up FT work after your leave is over if you are not married and not a person of independent means.

Relax and conserve your energy!! Make the most of it.

Rest, watch TV, go swimming, go to the cinema, take nice walks and go for cakes with friends.

I only got 1 day of mat leave last time before labour started (and I was only 37 weeks so you never know how much time you'll have) and this time I have the school run etc so can't just do nothing all day.
I've paid cleaners to come in and do the whole house as a one off. I've pottered doing bits of cleaning and tidying the clutter, but I wanted a rest so thought I'd treat myself to someone else giving it all a proper good clean.

I'm tired, and know what is about to come. It's relentless with a newborn and you never get a first maternity leave again.
Last week i chose meals for tea that I could double/triple up when cooking so I wasn't going out of my way to make freezer meals which made it quicker.

Chill.

Catch up with friends

Put something different in the slow cooker each day and freeze meals in the right size portions

Get your hair done.

Pay somebody else to clean your oven etc.

I went to the gym a lot. I was a bit bored and lonely at home!

Ahhh I loved this time! I spent a lot of time laying in the garden drinking nice lemonade. And had my hair done, had a massage etc etc. It really was brilliant!

Enjoy!

Yes again to the pp suggestions of batch cooking. I would recommend doing it on the first day and then get the cleaner in to do a deep clean. Maybe go for a night or two to hotel with your partner and definitely meals out. My 1st came 8 days early so you never know, head wasn't engaged or anything.

Hair - it’ll be hard to get it cut etc for a while after (esp if you bf)

Take it as easy as you want. Relax, sleep enjoy it. Nice time of year for it too

Thank you everyone I've worked FT from 16yo and I get a bit restless when I've nothing on so, I think I was in the mindset that I should be pottering about doing jobs until I can't actually stand anymore

However, everything that you are describing sounds fab so, I think I will just have to tell myself to chill out a bit and have a bit of me time! Will definitely be getting my hair done, too. Thanks for the tip!

Well I’m sat here breastfeeding a 4 month old watching Netflix and during both this and my previous mat leave I don’t think I ever watched so many box sets. Also baby cinema - I’d never watched so many films. These things aren’t stuff to cherish before the baby as there is a LOT of sitting round with them lying on you so don’t worry about that stuff.
Hairdressers is a good shout.

Have an early night the first night of maternity leave! I thought I had a whole week of lie ins ahead of me so stayed up super late and went into labour a few hours after going to bed. Baby saw his chance and took it lol! Always regretted not going to bed early that first night! Joking aside, I think you're well prepared. Enjoy what time you do have and have lots of lie ins!

Thanks Cookit! I will make sure I get out of the house when I can!

We live in a town with lots of cafes and shops so, I can go for a bit of a wander instead of staring at the TV for a week

Get your hair cut, read books and go for evenings out with friends and your partner while you don't have to consider childcare

You can watch box sets once the baby is born - they can't see properly for a few months so you can watch 18s - and you can even take your baby to the cinema - I've never seen so many children's films.

Enjoy time with your DH/DP. It's rare we get to cuddle on the sofa just the 2 of us and that's something I deffo miss. Also, yes to all the above suggestions!

If I had that time again, I'd do a big online food shop and stock the freezer full of ready meals for when baby comes. I'd go to the cinema. I'd get up late, I'd get someone in to clean the oven and do a big clean. I'd have a bath with candles and a bath bomb. I'd go out for a lovely expensive meal when it's dark!