What would you/did you do on first day of maternity?

[Strawberry06]

This will be next Thursday for me and I just wondered if there's anything special/different I could do to mark it?

This will be my first and only child!

I think for #1 child I slept for most of day one and watched box sets 🤣

Then I did some batch cooking and went for a bump massage with my sister. I mostly slept though. I only had a week off before I was induced (planned) so I knew I wanted to make sure I had enough food in the freezer and sleeeepppp

Good luck!

Had a baby, twice.

I had such lovely lazy plans that, with the oldest now four, I’m still yet to implement.

Me too! Unless you count the week in hospital pre babies as maternity leave.

Funnily enough the first thing I was going to do on the first day of maternity leave with my first was pack my hospital bag. Alas, I needed it two days beforehand so my husband packed it, then repacked it until he eventually got it almost right. I had the bag packed at the start of my third trimester second time around.

So yeah, pack my hospital bag, then lay around. I had all the cleaning, cooking, meal out, cinema trip, and other fun stuff planned for the supposedly free time I would have before baby arrived. My first is also 4 now, and still a bit gutted about it.

Went into labour! Finished work 2 weeks before due date, had lovely plans like batch cooking and relaxing but didn't get the chance as baby came as soon as I'd finished

Watched Netflix, ate a share bag of crisps by myself and checked my hospital bag.

This time round I’m probably going to have the baby on day one! Trying to plan my section so I have more time off after the baby is here rather than time off before.

If this is your first, my advice would be to have a chill few days!

Had a haircut. Had a pregnancy massage which was blissfully relaxing and released huge amounts of oxytocin and went into labour 😂

I took a half day on my last day and met a friend for lunch. I think I went for a haircut the next day and generally got organised.

Number one, lounged around trying to stay cool, slept, watched tv.

Number two, had baby unexpectedly early so that was the first day of my mat leave!

With my first I was gifted some baby clothes. So I spent the first day washing them and folding them away. I packed my hospital Bag, took a nap, watched a film on Netflix, set up the cot in the spare room.
My second will be different as I have a 6 year old now. But during the school hours I'll probably take time to rest as this time round I've had a lot of complications and sickness.
Congratulations on your pregnancy and hope all goes well

#1 I went into town! Was my due date and I was due a sweep the next day so i remember having a coffee and thinking "this is the last time I'll be without a baby in tow for a while!".

#2 also started maternity leave on my due date and I gave birth

1. Had baby! Induced at 35 weeks for pre-eclampsia and then spent the next 3 weeks after I had been allowed home travelling back and forward to hospital and spending 7am - 7pm with DC in nicu

1. Took baby home! Dc2 born on a Sunday the day before planned induction and planned start of mat leave (36 weeks)

Had a baby

Sat with my swollen legs in buckets of cold water feeling very sore and very sorry for myself. It was summer and I was massively pregnant with twins. I couldn’t do much at all so I mostly slept.

DC1 watched greys anatomy box sets, lazed around, went for coffee. Wrestled with trying out the new pushchair, admired the baby things, dreaded the birth.

DC2 finished work early on my last day, went to coffee shop next to DC1’s nursery for a large hot drink and muffin, as felt like marking it somehow and was tired (had never done that before, always picked DC1 up rightaway). Took DC1 home, went into labour!

I started my mat leave this week and have spent the last three days cleaning the house, reading, cooking, and attending appointments (midwife, health visitor). Not very exciting but I think the nesting instinct has kicked in!

DC1 sat around for 3 weeks watching Netflix and cleaning the house. I got really frustrated and anxious waiting. DC1 was a week late in the end.

DC2 spent the 2 weeks having my hair cut and coloured, waxing appointment, pregnancy massage and going out for lunch with DH. It was so lovely and relaxing.

Probably went shopping or to a cafe, I did that mist days, just window shopping mostly but was out everyday

Had a baby twice here too. First DC was prem and I still had several weeks of work left, in theory. Second DC arrived literally the day I stopped work. It’s like she KNEW. Gah.

I gave birth with dc1. Was put on mat leave due to PPROM.

Dc2, can't remember, chased around after dc1 I think!

My youngest is now almost 10 so i honestly cannot remember lol. I'm pregnant with my 3rd though and will be going on mat leave around the end of April! My others were late so I'm hoping I'll have a couple of weeks to chill, sleep, pack my bag, wash and fold baby clothes and stock my freezer! Will still have school run to do for my son obviously 🙂

Had a lie in, responded to various messages I hadn’t responded to in weeks, watched a couple of films and packed my hospital bag.

And then I gave birth the next day!

With my second, I finished work earlier thinking he will also be early and he wasn’t, so I had a few weeks off! I did things like meet up with friends for lunch or dinner, hair, nails, laze in front of the TV, shopping and precious time with my first before his whole world changed with the arrival of a sibling!

Rest! Scroll phone. Box set.

Then laundry the baby clothes

Had my baby. I wanted to start it at 39 weeks and have 1+ week rest but baby had to come early at 35+0 so it triggered maternity leave to start.

I would say I wish I had down time, but I’m glad I have the extra time with ds now.

Lay on the sofa watching a boxset and napping whilst my lovely mum washed and ironed all the baby clothes and brought me cool drinks (it was the super hot summer of 2018). It was lovely!