Hi Everyone,
I hope you’re all wrapped up warm on this absolutely freezing cold Monday! It’s been a chilly weekend which made it even harder to get out and about for a walk, which I was keen to do in the hope it might get this baby moving. Very cold weather but it does make a beautiful picture.
So, I am just shy of a week off my due date and now is apparently when time begins to drag and you get very fed up and impatient. I’ve already started to have all the well meaning comments about baby wanting to come when it’s good and ready, and as much as I respect all that I can imagine it’s going to test me a bit over the next couple of weeks (oh please baby, don’t be that late). So I have been thinking about ways I will spend the next couple of weeks to enjoy this time rather than wish it away. Besides, I can’t really blame baby for wanting to stay put; it is very cold out here. I know we get told all the things we should be doing in terms of being organised before baby arrives, such as getting the crib and nursery organised, packing your hospital bags, and cooking and freezing meals, but I thought I’d put together some ideas of how to relax and enjoy this time, so you can spoil yourself a bit and enjoy the countdown rather than being on edge and getting impatient.
Perfect those cooking skills!
I am the first to admit, I cannot cook. I have always been famed amongst friends and family for my inability to cook. Fortunately my husband is a great cook and he loves whipping up a recipe, which has been amazing to have when I’ve had certain cravings through this pregnancy! But since being off work for a few months, I’ve taken it upon myself to become a domestic goddess. And I must say, I’ve got quite good, and even more surprisingly I’ve enjoyed it! I’ve embraced the slow cooker, which is a god send and I know it will continue to be when baby arrives. My husband is loving coming home to nice home cooked meals, although I have warned him that when baby arrives it probably won’t happen as often, but for now I am enjoying spoiling him! I don’t bake very well at all (shame, given all the cake cravings), but I do have a breadmaker which is fantastic, and I can make cakes in there easily so that’s been put to great use too, plus you get the added bonus of a delicious smelling house.
Get Cosy – Embrace the Sofa!
If ever there was a time you should embrace cosy clothes, the sofa, delicious treats and warm drinks, it’s now! Put your feet up and relish in this time cause it’s not going to last long. I have been told countless times that once baby gets here it’s virtually impossible to finish a hot drink let alone watch an entire film. I tend to feel a bit guilty when I have days of being lazy so I make sure I do jobs and errands in the mornings, and then in the afternoons I treat myself to a couple of hours on the sofa with a DVD or catch up TV, usually during which I fall asleep after half an hour!
Having said all that, now and then just allow yourself a totally lazy day – yes an entire day! Pick a weekend day so your other half can be part of it, and start with a yummy breakfast in bed, then enjoy a DVD marathon all cosy with your other half. Then, lunch, more TV, a nap, and order a takeaway dinner! Relish the fact that nobody needs you to do anything for them right now, because very soon that will all change.
Get lost in a good book:
There is nothing like switching off and losing yourself in a good book. I admit it; I am the biggest fan of Harry Potter! I absolutely love the films and when my husband took me to Harry Potter world I was like a child on Christmas morning. Yet I’ve never got around to reading the books. So I decided to use this time off to read the whole series. I have managed to do this quite well seeing as some of those books are like bloody dictionary’s cause they’re so long. But I am now on the Deathly Hallows, the last book, and aiming to finish that before baby arrives. I have always loved reading but I’ve spent most of the last nine months reading about babies, pregnancy and all things related. So it’s been nice each night to have a read of something completely different. It’s like an amusing race against time now for me as to what will happen first; I’ll finish the book or the baby will arrive! 🙂
Treat Yourself
You have grown a human! You’ve carried and grown this little baby for 9 months and done so with several hideous side effects such as sickness, exhaustion, aches and pains, and many more. If ever there was a time to spoil yourself a bit it’s now. If you can’t face going to the shops, especially with all those crazy Christmas shoppers, then go online and order yourself some treats to wear once baby has arrived, or to make your house look gorgeous at this festive time of year. Here are some of the things I’ve got my eye on, all courtesy of Next:
(If it’s a girl)!
Or, as I’ve recommended many times before, get yourself to your local beauty salon and have a pedicure or massage. Or just go to Tesco, buy every rubbish celeb magazine (let’s face it, they’re full of shit but we all love a read of them), and lots of delicious treats and enjoy an indulgent afternoon. However you feel like spoiling yourself go for it! You deserve it. You’ve done so much already growing this baby, and you’ve not even gone through the delivery yet; Ben and Jerry are there to comfort and reward you!!
Do Lunch!
If you’ve got the energy, make plans to see your girlfriends or Mum and go for lunch. It breaks the day up nicely and with the coffee shops full of the best hot chocolates and festive decaf coffees at this time of year it’s a good excuse to go out. Not only that, but this is a time when I think female company is invaluable, especially if you spend time with people who already have children and can answer any last minute questions you may have. I think it is a time you want a bit of reassurance; you’ve gone through nine months and the wait to meet your baby is nearly over. It is actually quite a lot to take in. I’ve found myself, for the last week, spending every day very excited about the impending labour and meeting my baby but every single evening without fail, I have about an hour when I feel anxious, nervous and just a little bit “oh my god”. As each week and day goes by, you feel more and more excited and nervous about becoming a parent. It’s not a little thing, and you’ve every right, in my opinion, to be somewhat overwhelmed momentarily by it all. I can only speak for myself though and even when I have these moments when I feel a bit nervous, the amount of love and excitement inside me takes over all those feelings. I love it that every morning now I wake up thinking “Oh, I wonder if I’ll meet my baby today”. Well, obviously my day hasn’t come just yet, but I am remaining patient. I, like all mothers, have a date in my head I think he or she may come, but I am looking at it as a fun guess not a psychic prediction!
So as well as relaxing and enjoying the countdown, allow yourself time to consider and take on board this huge life changing event. Think about the things that are important to you, particularly in the immediate few weeks after giving birth, so you can forewarn your partner and family about how you’d like things to be,so they have an understanding of what is important to you, what you’re nervous about and what you may need extra support and encouragement with. Once baby arrives, it’s all going to be about him or her, but that doesn’t mean you should become forgotten and that includes by yourself. Don’t let your thoughts, opinions or ways of doing things be mocked or over looked and remember you and your partner are a team – work through any worries together.
But most of all enjoy the excitement; it’s been a long countdown, and one that is likely to go beyond the countdown (as many people will tell you). Before you know it your beautiful little bundle will be in your arms!
Have a good week, and please do leave any comments you have on coping with that wait!
Xxx
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