Here’s something a lot of people don’t talk about- that funny time before baby when you neither work nor have an actual baby to take care of. Sometimes health, difficult pregnancies, job changes, etc., lead to taking a few weeks off prior to the due date. But then what happens? People will say, ‘oh, you can finish off the baby room and prepare’, but in my experience it doesn’t take that much time to throw it all together. So what can one do with the rest of your non-baby time?

Here are my top 10 ideas on killing time before baby:

1. Use up your benefits: If you have some benefits that include massage or dental, use them up! You can literally schedule these at any part of the day so take advantage of your flexible schedule and use what you already pay for.
2. Volunteer: If you’re feeling well, check out volunteering opportunities that happen during the week or weekends where you can socialize, be outdoors and move a bit. Plus, you can continue some roles during your mat leave to keep you engaged with others. Need ideas? Check out Charity Village (you can find one day events!), local public libraries and Indeed postings.
3. Meet up with friends/family: It’s the perfect time to meet up during the day with friends who have shift-work or off-hour jobs, family who may be retired or off work….you name it! You can enjoy quality time while still not as sleep deprived as you will be. So enjoy a tea or coffee and meet up with loved ones.
4. Go out for an adult dinner: Date nights will be rare, I’m told. So grab whoever you can and enjoy a nice meal out or maybe a pub trivia night that is later than you will be able to later on. Treat yourself to a nice mocktail while you’re at it.
5. Enjoy off-peak hours: Shops, our waterfalls, the movies, the gym, Royal Botanical Gardens, public parks….all of these are super quiet during the daytime so take advantage! Bonus: lots of parking spots are available, it’s quiet and without the crowds to overwhelm.
6. Try something new in the kitchen: Maybe you’re not into baking like me. That’s totally okay! So how about trying something new and experimenting. I finally just bought some popsicle moulds after having put this off for a long time. Or, how about making some meals to freeze the closer you get to your due date. You also have the time to make a dish you’ve been meaning to try, so why not go for it!
7. Catch up on your favourite shows: This is a no-brainer. I’ve been catching some terribly awful, cornball movies on Netflix and Crave. These are movies and shows that Scott would likely not watch with me because of the cheese factor. So now is the time to watch it while he’s out!
8. Treat Yourself: I don’t consider using work benefits as a ‘treat yourself’ although it is close. How about going out of your way to find something that helps you feel like your old self: maybe a mani/pedi, eating a tasty ice-cream from your favourite place, a nice bath, maybe getting your hair cut or ‘did’ before the baby arrives or really anything that helps you feel good. It’s easy to feel a bit blah because of pregnancy pains, low energy levels or crappy sleep getting the best of you. So be kind to yourself 🙂
9. Clear out the Junk: Not a fun activity per se, but definitely one that feels better once it’s done. As we live in a condo, clearing the clutter is a must-do as we get closer to June. For instance, my wedding dress needs to find a new home, we have some storage bins that need clearing and just items like old clothing, shoes etc. that need to get donated. A perfect time to do it with some free time to spare.
10. Nothing. at. all: Maybe I’m out of ideas but hey- why does one have to be busy at all hours of the day? I’m terrible with taking on more than I should so for people like me, this is a good reminder to just take your time enjoying some peace and quiet. Maybe read a book, do some crosswords and give your baby-growing body a break! You are totally entitled to take it easy.

Any other ideas on what to do ’til baby arrives? Let me know! I’ve got a few more weeks to go! haha.