In the last few weeks before birth...

[JosephineClaire]

So, in the first weeks of maternity leave/the last few weeks before birth...

...what did you do that you were really glad you did before the baby arrived - or what did you wish you had done before the baby arrived?

I'm thinking massage/facial/pedicure, spring clean the house, washing new baby clothes, a last romantic date with DH (for a while!), a trip to the cinema, sleeping in etc.

What else should go onto the list?

mines consisting of decorating the bathroom, toilet and maybe the kitchen, cleaning the carpets, lots of school runs!! But hopefully me and DH will go out one evening before.

SLEEEEEP!

Just do exactly what you want to do, eat what you want when you want, get aquainted with internet food shopping (if you haven't already)

Definitely a trip to a cinema, we didn't do this and DS is 2.5 and we still haven't been!

basically anything you enjoy doing, that you wouldn't be able to do if you had a baby with you. (going for a swim for example).

i am expecting my second in a few weeks. i'm making as much of a fuss of my daughter as i can, she's not going to be an only for much longer!

also, it's handy to have some meals cooked and frozen to rely on for the early days. you can get tired of take aways and they're expensive too.

few pasta bakes/spag bol/cottage pie that kind of thing.

good luck!

www.cookfood.net/order

See if there's one of these near you? Good for meals if you don't have the energy for batch cooking if you can afford it

Last day at work tomorrow then 4 1/2 weeks to fill before baby arrives (if he arrives on time).

Got to finish decorating his bedroom, tidy & clean the house, get homebirth signed off and pool ordered, potter about in the garden, catch up on some reading, go swimming, catch up with friends, and get plenty of sleep!

I'm 36+3 and have today been for a haircut including massage - bliss!

*head massage

First time I decorated, cleaned and didn't sit down! This time, I will rest and enjoy the good weather!!
maybe get a massage, haircut, pedicure? You don't realise how much you will need your energy and sleep!!
Great idea about keeping frozen meals. Everytime I make a stew / spag bol etc, I make a bit extra, and freeze it.
believe me, the last thing you will feel like doing is cooking. Takeaways are expensive, and yeah, you do get fed up of them!!

Sleep whenever you want, however late you want, go to bed early whenever you want, watch all your soaps/tv/films that you love and basically spoil yourself as much as possible.

My DP was a bit miffed when I went on ML cos it meant he was getting up for work n I was lazing around the house (ok DP, try being in the last few wks of pregnancy and unable to sleep all night n all the rest). He thought I should "get used to getting up at 7am" when I was off on ML since I would have to get used to having no sleep when the baby arrived. Then he would sometimes phone me at 8am with some excuse for phoning like "did you remember to take out X to defrost?" "did I remember to lock the front door this morning..." etc to make sure I was awake!!! Thoughtless...

Anyways, I recommend lots and LOTS of napping and relaxation as you can get cos it is impossible to get your full nights sleep at this stage anyway.

Enjoy =)

Make sure you have quiet thinking time - headspace there's not much room for it afterwards!

I went away to a chill out retreaty type place with my best friend, we ate a lot of cake chatted til the late hours, pretended to do a bit of yoga, had massages, facials etc, it was great as we live a long way apart and knew it would be tricky to have that kind of time together for a while after the baby was born.

Spend lots of time with your man, cinema, nap, shop, stock up on food, bascially anything that makes you feel pampered and chilled!

if you can't make it to the cinema (thinking about it again I don't think I would have fit in the seats) make sure you get some good DVD's in.

Love Film or similar - I have a good code for a free first month if you want one? (I don't get anything from it, I just like it )

paint the house, dig over the garden, plant up the vegetable patch and greenhouse, stitch a quilt.

Paint the house, are you mad?

Get on your hands and knees dust all the skirting boards - it's good for getting baby in the right position

Lots of long warm baths with music on with the water as deep as you can get it - you wont have time for these afterwards!

*MrsCravendale", I think I would have walloped your DH!

Sleep