Things to do on maternity leave (London)

[Stardust127]

Hi all,

I’m currently 32 weeks pregnant and already on maternity leave (2 weeks earlier than expected) - I work in a nursery and due to an infection going around I started my leave early.

As I’ve got longer than expected off until baby arrives, I’m feeling a bit stuck of what to do with my time. My current plans are to do some batch cooked meals for freezer and sort the house out for baby but other than that I’m quite bored!

I live in London, looking for some ideas of what to do/where to go and would definitely love some recommendations for good tv shows and films please :) I’ve lived here all my life so have absolutely exhausted all the popular museums 🤣 & only really go if there are good exhibitions on or DC1 wants to go!

thank you :)

Did both mat leaves in London. Lot of baby cinema as most of the Picturehouse/Everyman types do it and I went at least once a week. Free baby sessions at a local church. If you're near one of the north London lidos check out MammaSwim - they organise meet ups where you take turns to watch each other's babies so you can swim. Allllll the museums and galleries, and every temporary exhibition. Nice walks on Hampstead Heath/along the rivers.

I would go to the cinema as much as possible. I would sign up to central tickets and show film first and go to whatever they have that's on cheap - theatre matinees etc. I would sit in Barbican all day. Catch all the exhibitions. Go to all the cheap eats. All bearing in mind your budget of course!

Pretty much what I'd do with any time off in London! Enjoy your leave before baby arrives.

I used to go baby groups and met some lovely mums + my DD had a chance to participate in sensory sessions which are great from 3-12 months. Isle of Dogs & few other locations

Are there any museums you might have not been to- London Docklands, RAF London Museum, National Army museum, London Canal Museum, William Morris Museum?

Otherwise I would second the theatre/ cinema as much as you can before the baby gets here- I really missed both for a long time.