Day 2 of mat leave - already bored!

[Teaspoon8]

Title self explanatory really. I’m currently 39 weeks pregnant and I’m on day 2 of mat leave but I feel like I’m already going crazy. Even though it’s no different to a weekend really, I think there’s something about the vast expanse of time that could be ahead of me waiting for baby that is making me feel like I’m clock watching and super bored. I’ve got a couple of things planned but still can’t relax. Baby’s things are already all organised.

Anyone have any tips or suggestions for things to do? What is/was your daily routine whilst on mat leave before baby arrived?

Can’t help you with a routine, because DD showed up while I was still working. But I wish I had read lots of books and batch cooked!

Not to be that smug person, but enjoy being bored

I slept in (sleep and rest as much as you can), went for walks, coffees, finished getting everything set up for the baby..

Start multiple box sets so that you don't need to learn new characters etc when you need something to watch with a newborn.

Go to the cinema. I haven't been in over four years, not worth the babysitter or annual leave.

Focus on slowing the pace down.

Read.

You will not have this much time to yourself again for the next 18 years....

Make the most of it. Go for a swim, read a book, take yourself off to the cinema. All those things are about to become much harder to do.

Please enjoy it. I had lots of plans for my time before baby came so that I could relax, have lie ins etc. My waters went within the first days of maternity leave and that was the end of that!

Watch a lot of box sets.

I loved my mat leave and had four weeks with both DC. I don't understand people who are bored on mat leave. I love doing nothing all day.

Prepare. Batch cook, clean, sort drawers.

My dd finished work at 38 weeks, baby came next day.
Do whatever you enjoy because it will be 20x harder soon.

I remember spending that time laying on the sofa watching TV, trying to count baby movements, followed by daily trips to the maternity unit for monitoring. I found I could relax by listening to my relaxation playlist, but couldn't concentrate on a book and TV was good if the plot was simple.

I stopped work 2 weeks before the due date, and then DC was 2 weeks late so I spent 4 weeks waiting! I couldn't do much by then, and already had the nursery sorted, and the freezer full as I am a planner so don't leave things to the last minute. I went out for lunch some days, looked after my DN and did manage to fit in a graduation ceremony. Mainly I took calls (no social media/text in those days) from my MIL and DM checking up on me and in my DMs case panicking about movements and wanting to drive me to the hospital when I could still drive myself.

My top tip is to bank as much sleep as you can, I ended up being induced and didn't really sleep from the 7pm when I went in, through being induced at 7am, giving birth at 2am the next day, or at all the following night in the post natal ward. By the time I got home I was 72 hours+ which takes a lot of recovery when you know that you are going to be having broken nights for a long while.

Batch cook! Even get a cheap freezer off Facebook to fill it. Lasted months all the cooking I did!

Watch tv, sit in the garden, i watched loads of box sets on my last maternity.

I was bored the first couple of days but I relaxed into it being the last lot of 'me' time and that helped. I don't have a daily routine but I try to have something planned most days so it isn't just waiting around for baby because that could still be weeks off!

Go for walks, do some batch cooking, sit on the birth ball and watch a box set that your partner isn't bothered about, book a massage or a hair cut. See friends, go out for lunch or coffee on your own and read a book. And nap.

Plan a relaxing pampering activity every day... massage, osteopath treatment, pedicure, hair cut, lunch with friends, swim.

Using this period before the birth to really wind down can help with your recovery.

Plan your post partum period... think about how you will rest, who you would like to visti you, what body work you might find helpful in your recovery and what you will eat. Sophie Messager writes a lot about this period and it is nice to prepare for how you will be supported after the birth and not just focus on the baby.

DS decided to come early so I didn't get the early baby free mat leave. I intended to chill out, sit in the garden, read, sleep. In hindsight I'd add cinema and eating alone.

I was the same, I had 3 weeks off prior to giving birth and was go bored. 7 weeks later I'm not and don't have 5 minutes to myself.

I found batch cooking helped pass the time.

But to be that smug person, enjoy taking long showers and warm food whilst you still can!

Omg i LOVED maternity leave, I ended up with almost two months off beforehand - but I am naturally lazy so I was totally happy laying on the sofa. It was the height of lockdown but if I had a redo, I would have loved to have gone out - swimming, cinema, get my nails done, waddle around the shops, have lovely dinners with DH.

Doing these things on a whim doesnt exist when you have a baby.

I know they say you cant bank sleep, but I did also enjoy just lazing in bed!

Even when baby comes it's pretty boring. I think you are not experiencing boredom but more frustration waiting for your baby to come.
I was trying to finish making the curtains when my son arrived nine days earlier than planned section (never did get round to hemming them), but it was more a case of not being prepared (no bag packed etc) in my case.
Get your hair cut, nails done, do some decluttering, just keep your mind occupied.

God I hated this stretch with my DD, and we were in lockdown which made it worse as I couldn't even go anywhere!! It was the waiting I hated. I finished work at 38 weeks and DD was 12 days overdue. Every day I used to make myself go for a walk every day, clean one room and then make lunch and prep dinner for myself and DH. Then I would nap in the afternoon while watching a film. I am due again and on my list of stuff to do in the waiting period this time is: manicure, pedicure, massage, hair cut, eyebrow wax, cinema on my own, lunch on my own and also to take DD out of nursery one day each week I'm waiting so we have some quality time.

With hindsight I would say try to appreciate the 'nothingness'! Relax, enjoy hot drinks, go for walks, go out for lunch or coffees with friends/family if anyone is available.

With my first I had nearly 4 weeks off before baby arrived, and I did relax but I also did a lot of house projects and felt pressure to do some hobby things like painting that I hadn't the spare time to do beforehand.
With my second I had just over 4 weeks off and this time really really appreciated the chance to just do nothing much! Kept the toddler in nursery and didn't do any house projects or life admin!! I just spent my time watching TV, napped, had a long bath every day, had slow breakfasts, walked the dog in peace and quiet 😆 this time I knew how precious that 'me' time would be.

Now I'm back to having 1 minute showers, eating soggy cereal because the baby seems to sense when I pour the milk in, getting no chance for a hot drink in peace, and I haven't had a chance for a bath since!

Ah I'm currently a week and a bit in to two weeks of annual leave before baby 2 arrives.

Last week I rushed around doing lots of things from 'the list'. Was exhausted.

This week I am:

• sleeping in
• doing little bits of pampering
• doing one thing from 'the list' each day eg working out how to put breast pump together
• lying on the sofa reading novels (approx one a day 😍)
• taking an afternoon nap

But I'm having a c-section so I know when the baby is coming. Last time with baby 1 I had about 4 weeks off and I was going doolally. I did have about 2 pregnancy massages a week and walked round the park and bounced on my gym ball a lot hoping it would trigger labour. It didn't.

I was furloughed with both of mine because of covid and lockdowns, it was torture! Ended up with 3 months before each one was due!
Box sets literally saved my sanity! 😂 one born every minute was especially good as it felt like research 🤣🤣

I ended up finish work at 5 months due to lockdown with my first. I used to read a book in the garden for a couple of hours then go for a walk before lunch. Then watch a couple of episodes of one born every minute on catch up.

I wish I was more productive and sorted all those drawers and my wardrobe out as little did I know my little one would never be put down for a nap and I would never get any free time again!

Thanks everyone. I’m hoping I can relax into and do lots of the things you’ve all suggested. Currently I have a really short attention span as I’m used to going 100 miles per hour so chilling on the sofa with Netflix never works for long. Plus I’ve had lots of coccyx pain and restless legs so I struggle to sit still and get into anything! But perhaps as I get used to a slower pace it’ll get easier! 🤞🏻😬

I had 2 weeks before DS arrived on Thursday. With my first I had loads of energy and painted the downstairs hall and bathroom but this time I had so much back ache and sore legs I couldn’t face anything like that. This time I organised some cupboards as I could do that sitting down, watched TV while bouncing on the birthing ball as that helped my restless legs. I also booked a hair cut, pedicure, brows and lashes. I also stocked the freezer, not through batch cooking as I couldn’t stand for too long but with lots of things that were easy to cook but still healthy(ish).

Get help for the coccyx pain.. osteopath or better yet.. a doula who knows about the biomechanics of birth... failing that.. take a look at spinning babies (not just for breach babies but optimal positoning and release of tightness all around the pelvis).

Restless legs... magnesium

I bounced my ball and watched a lot of one born every minute. Washed and ironed all baby clothes even bibs. Scrubbed skirting boards. Baby was that overdue I’d run out of things to clean