Hi everyone, I hope the sun is shining where you are. I’ve been reminiscing about my pregnancy days recently. Maybe because I have a few friends who are bumped up and their babies are due very very soon. The last few days before labour day can go slow. With our second baby, I was overdue and after the two week wait, I went through induction. I was convinced Baby Munch was going to arrive on time, but hey she was in charge at the end of the day. So how did I keep myself occupied whilst waiting for Baby Munch to arrive? Whether you’re past your due date counting down the days in that 2 week window or waiting for the C-section date, here’s 7 things to do …
- What’s your one thing you don’t want to forget during labour…You probably have been getting hundreds of things ready for “time to have baby day”, the nursery and the home. Think about the one thing you really want to remember during labour. Is it a few exercises you can do? Is it a tune you really want to hear when things are kicking off? Is it the one thing you want your birthing partner to do during labour? Is it a relaxation technique that will help with any anxieties? I was extremely anxious before having our first baby as I’m sure most mummies (and daddies) are. For me, I’m sure the IVF context added another layer of worries. So I ended up having a hypnotherapy session where the lady gave me some great simple visualisation tips for labour. My favourite one was thinking about us going for a walk with our new baby in the buggy around one of our favourite London spaces Hampstead Heath.
- Make time for any me-treats…This can be all sorts of things, from going for a little waddle walk on your own, watching one of your all-time favourite movies (and happily falling asleep during it), reading a book or your favourite blog. Expectant mums are often advised to read a book whilst they can. We can get preoccupied with doing chores as soon as we start maternity leave and next thing we know we’re in labour. It could also be about spending time with other children before they have to share your time together with other littles ones. Plan one little nice thing for each day. Be realistic, don’t plan too much. For each day I waited for Baby Munch to arrive I indulged myself in some kind of pampering or organised a little me-treat. I know I loved making a nice playlist for labour time whilst waiting for Baby Munch to arrive. It then grew into our maternity leave playlist. If you fancy listening to one of my feel-good tune playlists, click on the Spotify link in one of my other posts. A longer list of me-treat ideas (and free ones!) can be found here
- Check that hospital bag (again)…There’s no harm in checking what’s in the changing bag and if you’re missing anything. Make sure it has some of your little comforts like hand cream or headphones. If you take things out to use them before baby arrival date, pop a big post-it on the top of your bag reminding you what to pop back in there. I know I’d be gutted if I realised I left one of my “time to have baby hospital bag” essentials at home! If you need to, pack a few bits for your partner for when they’re hanging out at hospital with you.
- Last minute cooking…If you’re able to stand up long enough in the kitchen, then prepare some easy meals for the freezer. Well known advice, but remember even small portions of one meal will feel like a life saver once baby is here and you or your partner just don’t feel like cooking. I know how freezer space can be priceless! Not everyone has large freezers or maybe it’s already full of cheeky desserts or your other children’s meals. Can you borrow some freezer space from a relative, neighbour or a friend close by? Remember you can freeze cake! Line up your favourite takeaways and keep the menus on the fridge. Yes this can be a pricey option but you may be able to budget for a takeaway treat every now and then. If you have family and friends who are amazing cooks, consider setting up a Meal Train via the app. You can invite people to cook a meal for you (including dessert) and the app flags any dietary requirements or meal preferences plus it’s organised via a handy calendar so your close ones can schedule meal drop-offs. Remember people LOVE to help out especially when a new baby has arrived.
- Phone a friend…Your friends and family may be contacting you lots asking you “has baby not arrived yet?”, “any contractions yet?” or “are you in labour?” Let them know the state of play and say you’re just calling for a chat. If it’s your first baby, then make the most of the interruption-free call with your buddy! Your close ones will respect that you may actually want to talk about something else apart from baby, labour and motherhood!
- Do something creative…This could be writing a keepsake letter or poem to your new baby with lots of good wishes. Maybe you need to sort out your favourite photos and make a nice photo album (before baby photos take over). Maybe it’s time for some mindfulness or kiddy colouring in to keep you distracted. Amongst the ups and downs of any pregnancy, you can also jot down your favourite moments of being bumped up. You can also take last minute pics or selfies of your bump as a souvenir.
- Rest, rest and more rest…If you’re close to your due date, your body may be telling you to rest. Make the most of this time to look after yourself. You won’t regret it especially as your body is warming up for “time to have baby” day. Although the nesting urges like cleaning, dusting and reorganising kitchen cupboards may kick in, try not to overdue it. Naps are golden, before and after baby arrives. I know when I finished work both times, my body was ready to rest (a lot). I was operating on adrenaline during my last few months at work. When I stopped work, naps took over my to-do list. Looking back, I’m so glad I made the most of rest time instead of rushing around just before my due date.
Ok lovelies, hope you found this list handy. Remember to also share with any pals who are bumped up or daddies-to-be. Catch up again soon Lucky Things crew.
x Sunita
Thanks for the tips! My husband and I are trying for our first one at the moment! And you know what? I am absolutely terrified of the thought of giving birth (only that part though!) I have a proper phobia and everything but I really want a baby lol! I’ve tried to find reassurance from everywhere and everyone (my doctor said not to worry so much as it can affect me becoming preggers)
This however was an interesting read with loads of useful tips to take me through the last few days (or the beginning of days!!) Thank you X
Hey Alicia. All the best with your journey. Yes best not to worry about things but I know that’s easier said than done. I don’t know anybody who wasn’t naturally anxious about trying to get pregnant or then giving birth. We aren’t super beings. But it’s handy to learn about how we can deal with those everyday anxieties. Really great to hear what you thought of the post, thank you. Xx
Really great advice for preggie ladies and an enjoyable read even though I will never be in this situation again – 3 is enough! I vividly remember the day before the twins were born by planned c section – nothing special really – just pizza express lunch with the oldest and hubby and park trip and so on but it was deffo a real treat before the crazy days of newborn twins. Hope all is going well. #fortheloveofBLOG x
Ah great to hear what you think Mindful Mummy. I won’t be bumped up again either but love capturing my favourite tips and things about pregnancy and newborn days. Pizza Express lunch and a trip to the park sounds perfect for those pre-C section days. It’s just nice to have a couple of things planned (although things may have to be cancelled at last minute if you’re too tired or its time to go into labour!) Thanks for taking a look and keep in touch #fortheloveofBLOG x
A great list here and a number of points that I can agree with too! I was on maternity leave for nearly 6 weeks before baby arrived, as she was late, then induction, the c-section. The things that I would definitely recommend before baby, are to rest, sit in the sunshine (if it’s summer), read a book, cook so many meals until your freezer is full, watch TV/box sets, and take time for yourself. This is the one opportunity we have to do this before baby arrives, and we don’t know how much time we have either. Thanks so much for linking up at #fortheloveofBLOG this week. Claire x
Lovely post! I was super good with packing my maternity bag in advance. Second time round I packed last-minute but ended up going into triage for a quick check-up and ended up having baby then Daddy P had to come and bring my hospital bag after baby was born. Sometimes there’s no such thing as great timing with bubbas! Lol