*Ideas For Maternity Leave*

[dannii87]

I thought I'd start a thread (which could possibly grow to become a sticky one day! ) because this is the time where we go on maternity leave and although we all love the lay ins, no boss, no make up and no uncomfortable clothing, get ready bloody bored! There is only so much of Jeremy Kyle and Loose Women we can take.

So, I thought we could all post ideas for stuff to do on maternity leave so we don't get too bored/restless waiting for our LOs to arrive!!

Here are my suggestions;

* Baking a cake

* Decorating boxes for our LOs rooms

* Making "keepsake" boxes

* Painting pictures for our LOs rooms

* Making a blanket

 

[Minxy]

If I can butt in................

Visit place in your area that you've been to busy to before, nice peaceful places (museums, libraries)
Colouring books (Woolies do wicked pattern ones) and felts while away the hours
Knitting (join ravelry.com for inspiration)
Write a journal about your feelings during your final days before baby arrives. Maybe a letter to LO
Scour charity shops for bargains to sell.

 

[NickyB]

My 'tips', things I've done to keep my sanity over the past four weeks.

Clearing out cupboards, be ruthless and junk or sell old stuff on ebay
Tip runs - nothing too heavy of course
Mowing the lawn
Baking too
Decorating nursery
Writing and re-writing lists like what to pack, what still to buy!

Um, I'm sure there's more...

 

[lillou]

*cross stitch

*walking

hmm i also tend to write and re write lists

 

[Tadpole]

* Read the books you have always meant to but never got around to.
* Have a pampering treatment.
* Try & catch up with all friends for a coffee. (Next time you do you it will be a military operation getting out the house & you will have enough gear for an army!)

And if it ever stops raining - enjoy the sunshine! How many times have I sat in the office wishing I was outside, having a picnic or something in the park?!

 

[mandspice]

I'm with the cake baking - although everyone seems to be on a diet so I do struggle to find people to eat them......hmmm, or maybe that's because of my cooking

 

[Mildly]

I'm going to sound rubbish but I spend most of my day playing computer games and watching Crime TV

I wish I was as productive as you ladies, with your domestic goddessness

 

[Mrs_Jay]

wish id been more productive with my maternity leave with Jack, But i dont think im gonna have the time this time round. think Jack will fill up my maternity leave

 

[jills10uk]

reading
watching dvd's
organising house
cooking meals for freezer
prob packing my hosp bag
hopefully some of this nesting cleaning lark will kick in too!!

 

[Jollypops]

Do all the things you dont normally get chance to do:
See friends
Go out for meals
Visit places
Clean out the cuboards
Sort out bedroom/house of junk! Sell it or Charity Shop it
These are all the things i had planned!!!!

 

[Jollypops]

Find out what local groups are available and if any are of interest pop along now or when baby is born.
See what courses your local adult centre has for once the babys born as you might get them cheaper lol!

 

[Sydneysmum]

I'm still working although I'm doing reduced hours. I'm a childminder and I only have children before and after school until the end of the week. Then I have a week off and then I have my baby!

This is what I intend to do:

Himself is working from home for the next couple of months instead of commuting into London so I'm sure I'll find something to do with him

Watching Diagnosis Murder on the days I don't have to do the school run

Making muffins, cakes, biscuits, tarts and homemade soup

I will not be doing any more cleaning than is absolutely necessary. Nobody ever laid on their death bed and wished they'd done more housework

Unpacking and repacking my hospital bag and therefore feeding my OCD

Cross stitch

Resting! I had my last baby 9 years ago but I do remember how physically and mentally demanding the first few weeks are so I'm enjoying as much me time as possible

Spending time with my 9 year old baby

Did I mention Diagnosis Murder?

 

[JamieIsabella]

When I was first pregnant, I wrote my children letters.
I also took pictures of my bump everyday, up until the day they were born.

I've done both of these things this pregnancy too.

 

[dannii87]

I made a Victoria Sponge yesterday... (which was ok but a bit soggy Put me right off!)

And today ladies, I'm making...

Apple Crumble!!

I might even take pics

What else can I make?! I'd LOVE to try a dinner or something (I'm not very good at cooking ) instead of fattening the rest of my family (who are all on diets lol!) with loads of pudding!?

I'd like to try something with pasta maybe? Shepherds Pie? Anyone made anything that is easy(ish)? xx

 

[Scarletts.Mummy]

Ive taken to booking people on on their days off to meet up / come up for a coffee lol my list is as follows

> Tuesday and Thursday mornings meet friends for coffee
> Buy a baby cookbook and learn how to cook something new at least two or three times a week
> Tidy / decorate what I can in the house
> do a washing and an ironing every day (that should take up at least an hour!!)
> Spend Fri / Sat / Sun chilling out and making the most of my time with OH whilst we can
> Get in touch with all my friends via email and keep in touch before LO comes
> every second day paint my nails and spend time doing my hair etc to make me feel pretty!
> Try to go for a walk every day for at least half an hour to keep some sort of fitness level up
> Watch loads of TV and films.......Iv just upgraded my virgin tv package haha

 

[MaryLouise]

I really want to be bored! I've been writing my dissertation for the last few weeks and although the end is in sight I will have to do a couple of re-drafts to perfect it before I can hand it in a week before my due date.
It would be nice to do some baking and get the house sorted out but I havent had time yet, although I cant wait for bubs to arrive I kinda hope things kick off a little bit late so that I can have some me time
My OH is being very good and trying to organise some us time at weekends, we havent been together that long (well its about a year and a half now) and have only lived together since March so having some alone time before we officially become a threesome is gonna be nice.
Dannii, why not try meatballs with spagetti or a lasagne, I wanna learn how to make sauces, that way I can perk up a meal without too much effort, prob wont get round to it though!

 

[dannii87]

Dannii, why not try meatballs with spagetti or a lasagne, I wanna learn how to make sauces, that way I can perk up a meal without too much effort, prob wont get round to it though!

Your plan sounds good to me!! Bl;ess him for trying to organise stuff for you both to do, that's really sweet!

Yes!! I might try that!! Great idea... My family are going to get sick of all this soon I made them all eat my apple crumble tonight, but Mum thought it would be a great idea to cook it for another 15/20 mins to "warm it up"... So I had a BURNT apple crumble I worked so hard on that...!

x

 

[Hazel]

I prefer puddings that don't need cooking. Been making a lot of banoffee pie recently.

 

[Miss.Monroe]

get that book you've been wanting to read and actually read it! ive got through about 3 books since may, and ive just started 2 more!

Ive been cross stitching (swollen,numb hands have now made that impossible)

Clearing out old junk and selling it on ebay (ive made a good £150)

Written lots of list for things (as others have suggested)

Planning and thinking about things i want to do when LO is here

Washing all LO clothes and blankets and making up the moses basket for her.

 

[aramintalovegrove]

One of the best things I did before DS and intend to do this time (although technically I will have to do it on days off rather than mat leave as I dont intend to start until due date) is cook lots of meals and freeze them. Trust me you will be really grateful for them when LO is here. Lasagne, cottage pie, curries, soup, pasta sauce, pies etc etc are great ideas.

Also if your OH isnt especially good in the kitchen meal planners/ ideas, recepies for bechemel sauces simple food like cottage pie etc are good to have to hand.

Do a stock cupboard shop (you could do this online) so you lessen nips out to get things once lo is here and maybe create a general shopping list of things you buy every week with type of butter/washpowder/milk/toothpaste you have and a guide to using the washing machine/dishwasher/oven, either for OH or visitors who dont mind lending a hand.

Write/make thank you cards/announcement cards in advance and put the names/addresses/stamps on the envolopes for those people guarenteed to send gifts