Maternity leave boredom

[rainbow95]

Hey everyone, I've started my maternity leave and I know I should be making the most of having lots of me-time, but I'm finding it a little boring. Lockdown isn't helping either! Other than batch-cooking and Netflix, does anyone have some nice suggestions of things I could do to pass the time? Thank you

Sleep.
Sleep some more.

Watching as I'm in the same position

I know that’s not useful

Figure out some nice walking paths for when baby is here?

Spend lots of time on your own like looooong hot baths.

Preen, I found no time for eyebrow plucking and nail painting when DC arrived.

Organise the house, dw clutter, it’s going to get full pretty quickly.

I just feel like I'm counting down the weeks until baby is here.

The last few months:

• walk with baby. In sling or with pram. I often now visit various neighbours in afternoon if sunny and we have a chat and coffee outside ( this is now allowed where we live)

• decorate. building work almost finished so I have been cleaning, ordering new bits, sanding and painting of baby naps. He doesn’t nap much, so that’s taken forever!

• signed up to sweat for yoga/ Pilates/ exercise. Forces me more to do something as I’m paying for it! Doesn’t always happen though

Baby now moving everywhere, so once they do that your on your toes all day anyway. I’ve been trying to pop in garden and tidy up, but crawling, toddling baby just try’s to eat everything, so it’s more one weed out ground, two weeds out of his mouth.

Organise the house. Everything absolutely spotless. The last thing you want to be doing in the first few weeks of having a baby is cleaning or searching for things. I would love a child free week to organise my house right now.

@FTEngineerM

I know that’s not useful

Figure out some nice walking paths for when baby is here?

Spend lots of time on your own like looooong hot baths.

Preen, I found no time for eyebrow plucking and nail painting when DC arrived.

Organise the house, dw clutter, it’s going to get full pretty quickly.

Thank you - long baths is a nice idea, maybe a pamper day

Ah sorry I thought you meant maternity with baby.
Before baby arrived I think I just spent last few weeks having long baths, walking to try and make sure he arrived on time and napping on sofa

Do all the things you won't be able to do with a small baby. Spend lots of quality time with your other half (like proper date nights, albeit at home due to this blooming pandemic), do a face mask/other beauty things you can think of, read the books you want to read, meditate/find your inner calm, have a hot cup of tea, cook complex dishes (if you like cooking) and devour them whilst they are still hot, sleep if you can.
I am envious (in the best way possible) as since having my son 4 months ago, long shower alone is an unheard luxury, and I am not even talking about a relaxing bath 🥴

Sleeeeeeeep

Eat with both hands!

@Caspianberg

The last few months:

• walk with baby. In sling or with pram. I often now visit various neighbours in afternoon if sunny and we have a chat and coffee outside ( this is now allowed where we live)

• decorate. building work almost finished so I have been cleaning, ordering new bits, sanding and painting of baby naps. He doesn’t nap much, so that’s taken forever!

• signed up to sweat for yoga/ Pilates/ exercise. Forces me more to do something as I’m paying for it! Doesn’t always happen though

Baby now moving everywhere, so once they do that your on your toes all day anyway. I’ve been trying to pop in garden and tidy up, but crawling, toddling baby just try’s to eat everything, so it’s more one weed out ground, two weeds out of his mouth.

Some great idea here thank you- the kitchen and garden fence need painting so I may do that (if I can manage!)

Online antenatal classes?
Do you have all your support networks ready?

I’d research toys for future ages and stages. I had loads of newborn stuff but she’s suddenly hit 6 months and the sort of stuff she can play with now has changed, I seem to spend my life trying to remember stuff I saw months ago and tracking them down online. Wish I’d done a spreadsheet with links!

Also, buy and write all your birthday cards for the year, write the date you need to send them where the stamp goes, then you only have to remember to stick them in the post box on your daily walk.

@spookycookies

Organise the house. Everything absolutely spotless. The last thing you want to be doing in the first few weeks of having a baby is cleaning or searching for things. I would love a child free week to organise my house right now.

Good idea I do like organising things!

@Dollywilde

I’d research toys for future ages and stages. I had loads of newborn stuff but she’s suddenly hit 6 months and the sort of stuff she can play with now has changed, I seem to spend my life trying to remember stuff I saw months ago and tracking them down online. Wish I’d done a spreadsheet with links!

Also, buy and write all your birthday cards for the year, write the date you need to send them where the stamp goes, then you only have to remember to stick them in the post box on your daily walk.

Ooh I wouldn't have thought of looking at toys! Love the idea of buying and writing cards- thanks

@orchidsonabudget

Online antenatal classes? Do you have all your support networks ready?

I have (via zoom) attended some antenatal classes through my hospital which have been great. I plan to form a support bubble with my parents . I've found a local walking group too for when baby is here.

@Mc3209

Do all the things you won't be able to do with a small baby. Spend lots of quality time with your other half (like proper date nights, albeit at home due to this blooming pandemic), do a face mask/other beauty things you can think of, read the books you want to read, meditate/find your inner calm, have a hot cup of tea, cook complex dishes (if you like cooking) and devour them whilst they are still hot, sleep if you can. I am envious (in the best way possible) as since having my son 4 months ago, long shower alone is an unheard luxury, and I am not even talking about a relaxing bath 🥴

Thank you for your suggestions

Any other ideas ladies?

Clean your mailbox. If you're going to send birth announcements cards or thank you cards for gifts you receive, you could already prepare the envelopes with the addresses. Do a deep clean, if you haven't yet. Research baby groups and classes. Research games to play and at what stage to stimulate development. Treat yourself to manicures, pedicures, baths, sleep as much as you can, have date nights with your beau. Any diy jobs you won't be able to do after. I didn't batch cook, instead I did a massive shop in Iceland. Maybe sort out your wardrobe? Wash the 3 to 6 months so it's ready when baby grows.

I wish I was bored these days 🤣

@Lilice

Clean your mailbox. If you're going to send birth announcements cards or thank you cards for gifts you receive, you could already prepare the envelopes with the addresses. Do a deep clean, if you haven't yet. Research baby groups and classes. Research games to play and at what stage to stimulate development. Treat yourself to manicures, pedicures, baths, sleep as much as you can, have date nights with your beau. Any diy jobs you won't be able to do after. I didn't batch cook, instead I did a massive shop in Iceland. Maybe sort out your wardrobe? Wash the 3 to 6 months so it's ready when baby grows.

Thank you so much!

How many weeks are you? Honestly at 35 weeks I felt fine. But the last 5 weeks I was just knackered. So any of the above would take ages as I would sort out or do something, then need to sit down twice as long afterwards.
I remember painting a fence. The iron metal type, and the paint stunk even outdoors. Took me about a week to do about 1.5m of railing as after 15 mins I would get all lightheaded and need a sit down, food, nap and 2hrs Netflix.

Lockdown started mid March last year on the exact day I start maternity... Ds was born 5 weeks later. So was also forced into just stuff at home. Tbh looking back it was nice, dh wouldn’t even let me go buy milk incase I caught Covid.

Tip - don’t batch make lasagne, it’s too hard eating one handed!

As others have suggested, if there’s anything you need to do to house and garden then do it now. If you’re someone who likes being organised then get on top of everything you can think of in terms of personal admin - banking, finance, insurance, will, car etc.

Walk, walk and walk some more - I’m sure that helped me have a good birth experience. Read up on hypnobirthing and childbirth if you haven’t already. Antenatal classes are woefully light on empowering you to feel like birth will be a positive experience.

Talk to your husband about decisions you might need to make about baby now and make sure you’re on the same page. Also talk about what will happen in the first couple of weeks, months, how you might divide your time, the chores, tackle night wakes, give each other time to yourselves. Great to get ahead of these conversations before you realise that you have different ideas about the roles you take. I was VERY clear that being on maternity leave did not make me a housewife! Have you discussed finances and what happens when your earnings drop?

I would also be prepared for boredom after baby arrives to be perfectly honest, don’t watch all the best Netflix series now!

@Caspianberg

How many weeks are you? Honestly at 35 weeks I felt fine. But the last 5 weeks I was just knackered. So any of the above would take ages as I would sort out or do something, then need to sit down twice as long afterwards. I remember painting a fence. The iron metal type, and the paint stunk even outdoors. Took me about a week to do about 1.5m of railing as after 15 mins I would get all lightheaded and need a sit down, food, nap and 2hrs Netflix.

Lockdown started mid March last year on the exact day I start maternity... Ds was born 5 weeks later. So was also forced into just stuff at home. Tbh looking back it was nice, dh wouldn’t even let me go buy milk incase I caught Covid.

Tip - don’t batch make lasagne, it’s too hard eating one handed!

I'm 35 weeks . I plan to paint our fence too so I'll see how that goes! Glad you enjoyed the lockdown as much as possible. Batch cooked lasagna last week- DP will have to feed me!