Give me somethings to DOOOO!!

Ok, so I already have some things I can do, but not many, and I feel the need for some outside influence.

My insomnia is kicking in, and FB and BB just aren't cutting it, given I am 3 hours behind almost everyone...:p

So I need some productive things to do before baby comes. Nesting is ace, so bring on your list of all the things you did, or wish you had done, in those final weeks leading up to bubs.

I have already cleaned out the pantry ;)
And I have to wait til the nursery is painted before I can do anything else there with clothes, nappies, etc as they are already all washed. (DH WILL be painting the nursery this break!! :pray:)

Please give me things to DOOOOO!!!!

Read, sew, take photos, write a blog, write anything, bake....

I scrubbed the grout on my floor tiles in my last weeks before labour.

Start a blog? Come clean my house?

I'm making a quilt, as well as some small renos to our house. I also love scrubbing tiles and am thinking of Regrouting the laundry ;)

I also made a quilt :D I looove it! very time consuming and a great finished product :)

I can't remember what I actually *did* but I do remember thinking "I wish I'd sat on my ass and enjoyed doing nothing" LOL...becuase life was never the same again!

you could always re-arrange furniture? i loved doing that the final months with dd and the boys, cant with this one as its a small house and nothing "goes" any other way without to much room :(
Bake, good way to use time, and yummy aswell.
i got a psp to play when theres nothing online or on tv of intrest, and i just couldnt be bothered!!
im in the processes of sorting threw everything, fromm my wardrobe, the kids toys and clothes to the things in the kitchen, i did try to sort what df wears & dosent wear, but was told off :hide:
clean the furniture, scrub the couch, dining suite.
well thats my brain done! good luck.

Birthing day bag (to be packed, esp camera batteries and charger things)

basket/box to be beside you when you are feeding baby (including things to keep Charlotte entertained)

set up automatic orders for regular groceries, fruit and veg, for first three months

set up cleaner to come each fortnight for first few months, to do the wet areas (kitchen/bathroom/loo) or whatever is most time consuming/erks you if not done

automate as many bills as you can online with scheduled bpay payments
You can put in forward dates "pay this amount on this date".
Or if you aren't already doing it, gas and electricity companies for example, you can pay a small amount each fortnight, so that the quarterly bill is much much smaller.

have all your filing up to date

type out nappy washing instructions, put in plastic and blu tac near washing machine, so that if for any reason, you are not able to wash the MCN, whoever does, knows what to do

stock up on household basics e.g loo paper, tinned food. (get someone else to carry all this stuff though).

any birthdays in the next six months, Easter - work out the presents now, wrap them too. Even if all you do is THINK about these events, if you DO have an idea what you would get, at least write down that idea on the calendar, so if you can't go buy it, you can always send someone else like your dh, on a mission to get it. Sometimes the hardest part of a present is to think WHAT to get the person.

Have a special outing/time in with Charlotte - just doing things she loves to do with you.

You may not need all of these things done (in the long run), but if they are done, you will have more time to bond with baby, have time for Charlotte - instead of saying - can't play with you now, gotta pay bills/drag you round the shops/mop the floor etc.

do you feel tired reading my long list?

I cooked loads of meals to put in the freezor and any sweets/slices/scones etc too that are ok to freeze :p I also went through everything in the house, pantry, draws in kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms etc and I dusted/vacuumed around the wall edges. I planed to go through the filing but never got to it. Instead I opted for total relaxation in between my mad obsession of moping the floor EVERY day lol So pretty much every day from 34 weeks I had a bath morning and night and practiced my hypnobirthing breathing. I watched a few movies every day. Had massages, got my nails and hair done. Had a facial and soaked my feet in the foot spa. I spent loads of time snuggling with dh on the bed, just laying and talking to bub in my belly etc. So whilst nesting is great in the wee hours of the morning my suggestion would be to get your DD looked after for a couple of days a week and go and pamper yourself! I'm very happy I did all that during the pregnancy and relaxed for pretty much the whole 3rd tri.

Reflexology massages were heaven! I had feet like footballs by then mind you. Swimming was good too.
BTW Lex I had a dream last night that you had your freebirth and it all went well.... no idea why I am dreaming of you but I have been dreaming of lots of BB members while pregnant for some reason! LOL I don't even know what you look like IRL but in the dream you looked like your avy

Clean under/behind the fridge. :D

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Clean under/behind the fridge. :D

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There's an under the fridge? :-P

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There's an under the fridge? :-P

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There's a behind the fridge???????

I've been trying to do all the extra house cleaninig things that won't get done properly for ages like cleaning out he pantry, doing a major fridge clean and organise, scrubbing the bathroom and vacuuming in all the hard to reach spots. I have also packed my hospital bag, made myself breastpads and am now making baby wraps and have my sling cut out for when DD goes back to daycare next week. I have also been getting Olive to help me with things like scrubbing the nappy change mat and baby bath with gumption. I ahve also today organised my nappies to arrive in bulk as i use biodegradable disposables and they are very exe otherwise. My other tasks are to clean out the laundry and throw away all those things that have been sitting in the bottom of the laundry basket for the last 12mths lol. I also have to give my car a really good clean and get dh to install the car seat. He is starting to call me "nesty" now. I am also doing lots of stuff with Olive like going to the pool, the park, going through all her baby photo's and home movies of her learning to walk etc which she loves.
I'm finding it hard to simply relax though but as you probably know with a young child it's much harder to nest the second time round so you gotta take the opportunities when you get them!

Naw thanks Pix!! :)
I will add it to my positive affirmation cabinet in my brain - Pix said it was so it was!! ;)

Thanks girls, all these are ace!
Don't like my chances of being able to pamper myself, and already doing so much sewing for work!
I did however scrub my ensuite last night, cleaned out all the cupboards and through out a whole heap of crappola, scrubbed the shower on my hands and knees... felt so good!

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There's an under the fridge? :-P

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There's a behind the fridge???????

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:rofl:

Lol you're allowed to laugh - you know I am domestically challenged!

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There's an under the fridge? :-P

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There's a behind the fridge???????

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Yeah, I'm saving them both for when I'm 39 weeks! :D

You could always come and clean my house :)

oh i forgot to add:

get your car serviced
make sure all your tyres are good
anything car wise get checked and fixed, even if service isn'[t due for two months or something

when people ask "what can i do to help" in the early first weeks,
think of that Now and make a list, put it on the fridge
"fill my car up with petrol"
"walk the dog"
"make up a loaf of sandwiches and leave in freezer"
"entertain Charlotte (and list some of her fave things to do, her fave snacks)"
"vacuum car (put everything they find in one shopping bag so you can find your stuff afterwards)
"cut up a box of finger food that you can eat onehanded e.g whilst feeding" fruit is great for this
"when i'm having a bad day, my fave nibbly treat is (insert name and brand of your guilty pleasure)"
"entertain bub so i can have a shower"
"do not wash the nappies unless you have checked with me HOW to do it, it is not like washing clothes"
----anything that may help you when you're in your babymoon, timepoor and having different priorities

Having that list, in a visible place means
other people will see the list (whoever walks thru your kitchen i mean)
when you get put on the spot, visitors asking you, if you feel blank, you can just refer to your list to rejog your memory

if intending to bf
- join ABA
- have the helpline magnet on your fridge
- have the details of a good lactation consultant in your address book
- work out a bf-ing corner (close to horizontal surface for phone, box of stuff you need whilst bf-ing)

my own nesting consisted on weekly hydrotherapy and dyeing baby clothes purple! it's what i felt compelled to do LOL.

my long list of "what you COULD do", is purely based on my thoughts AFTER my baby arrived, and i was cursing myself for not being better prepared. i had a labour from hell, a VERY long recovery period physically, and zero support (no family), so i had PLENTY of time to consider what i SHOULD/COULD have done, to make it better. Things i was too exhausted to put into practice, at the time i actually needed to do them. So my list is basically a catalogue of all my own stuff ups. And really regretting how i spent my nesting stage. I placed too much hope and trust, that
- my labour would go swimmingly
- i would have excellent health after the birth
- my partner would take up the slack e.g buy food and cook /organise paid help e/g cleaning
That was wishful thinking as things turned out.

i learnt so much from what i did wrong (in my nesting, in my first experience of dealing with a small baby) - i often wish i could have another child, to put into practice, what i learnt from my first.

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oh i forgot to add:

get your car serviced
make sure all your tyres are good
anything car wise get checked and fixed, even if service isn'[t due for two months or something

when people ask "what can i do to help" in the early first weeks,
think of that Now and make a list, put it on the fridge
"fill my car up with petrol"
"walk the dog"
"make up a loaf of sandwiches and leave in freezer"
"entertain Charlotte (and list some of her fave things to do, her fave snacks)"
"vacuum car (put everything they find in one shopping bag so you can find your stuff afterwards)
"cut up a box of finger food that you can eat onehanded e.g whilst feeding" fruit is great for this
"when i'm having a bad day, my fave nibbly treat is (insert name and brand of your guilty pleasure)"
"entertain bub so i can have a shower"
"do not wash the nappies unless you have checked with me HOW to do it, it is not like washing clothes"
----anything that may help you when you're in your babymoon, timepoor and having different priorities

Having that list, in a visible place means
other people will see the list (whoever walks thru your kitchen i mean)
when you get put on the spot, visitors asking you, if you feel blank, you can just refer to your list to rejog your memory

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I LOVE this idea!!

Spend your better-late-than-never stimulus money!!

Organise, back up and print your digital photos!!! Something I never do....

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Spend your better-late-than-never stimulus money!!

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Oh so many things I could do with it!! pmsl
I fear it will largely go on getting the car serviced (which it desperately needs a new cam belt, so there is $700 - Thanks you Gigi ;)) but I think a few hundred could be used for a night alone in the city for DH and I before bubs is born when MIL arrives end of Jan! (That could be stimulating... for me anyhow ;p :rofl:)

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Organise, back up and print your digital photos!!! Something I never do....

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This is a very good point! I actually have some photos here I have to get framed and sent to family in Melbs too. Thank you for reminding me!!

Wow there are some great ideas here! I'm 38 weeks, I'm on maternity leave, there's no sign of baby, and I'm going slowly crazy... I'm definitely going to use some of these ideas tomorrow! The only thing I thought of was to do some bulk cooking and freeze individual serves which is kind of boring and not at all original... These ideas are much better :)

Hmmmm...... Im 38 weeks today and feeling much the same!!! Although I have a 14 month old so I have plenty to do but just not enough!! (if that makes sense?!) I had a rough week last week, heaps of pain, went to hospital Sat night, but nothing, so I have cleaned the bathroom cabinet and cupboards, going to do all the wardrobes this afternoon, how exciting!

How I love my BB girls. You girls clearly rock. I hope you do not mind but I have copied and pasted all these fabulous ideas to email to my belly buddy group. Hope you guys do not mind?

Hope the time goes quickly and you all get a great deal accomplished. I am so excited that I can print this out and put it on my fridge as my brain is gone these days. xx Btw if someone wants me to email to them a copy pm me.

Thanks again!! xx

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Wow there are some great ideas here! I'm 38 weeks, I'm on maternity leave, there's no sign of baby, and I'm going slowly crazy... I'm definitely going to use some of these ideas tomorrow! The only thing I thought of was to do some bulk cooking and freeze individual serves which is kind of boring and not at all original... These ideas are much better :)

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i don't think your ideas are boring, i didn't do any "bulk cook and freeze" type cooking whilst nesting, and lived to regret it. i had to live on what my dh could cook, or starve (wasn't well enough to stand up to cook for months after labour), so i lived on sausages and 3 veg, for months.

some people are compelled to cook, or to mop floors, i was compelled to dye baby clothing (white, pink, blue) PURPLE! no rhyme or reason, but i just HAD to do it, at the time.

Bumping this up because I'm so freakin bored right now, and I was wondering if anyone else had any more suggestions :)

So far I have:
Caught up on all my fave TV shows (and gained a few new favourites lol)
Cleaned and re-organised the pantry
Made a list of simple dinners ideas to make it easier for us to decide on meals at the beginning of the week
Started bulk cooking and freezing
Cleared out the filing cabinet
Baby/Hospital bags are packed
Baby clothes are all washed

I'm about to get DH to help me with room by room cleaning - ie pulling out beds and cupboards to vacuum behind everything

Thanks now I have some ideas for the last trimester.

I have a few assignments that need completing if your all really bored :-D And they are nursing related so you might find them interesting :-D Plus it will keep your mind active, then you won't be bored, lol :-D

I was just thinking of this thread today!!

I lost all my photos amcouple months back (darn hard drives), but found them again somewhere else... Only this time when I transferred them, they in no order whatsoever. I'll be rearranging them sometime in the very near future!

pantry ... alphebatised all the books, CDs, DVDs, made a new budget for the house, got all the filing caught up to date ... made a routine ... got a whole bunch of reading downloaded and printed out ... started writing a novel (I kid you not) ...