Things to do before giving birth...

moneypuddle

You're a nice friend

All the ideas sound good. Maybe just chatting with her. I'm 39 weeks pregnant and terrified of giving birth. Giving her the opportunity to talk through any fears with a third party might be really well received if she feels she needs it.

miffyhugmuffin

A friend of mine was gifted a session with a cleaner who came round and tidied and cleaned her flat for her after the baby arrived. I thought that was very thoughtful and would have sooo welcomed it myself when I had a baby. It wouldn't need to be an actual cleaner you could offer to do it yourself. The other thing I would have appreaciated help with apart from keeping the house clean was doing the shopping. You can stock up to a certain extent on washing powder, loo roll, meals in the freezer (an excellent idea btw) but there will still be some shopping that needs to be done.

Also someone coming round for a visit with a big casserole would have been really nice too.

And someone to take the baby our for a walk for an hour once a week would have been lovely!

cottonhead

Prior to the birth do something that you cant do with a baby in tow - like have a facial or go to the cinema. The for after the birth - the thing I would have liked the most was help with the cleaning. Feeling tired and not wanting to disturb the baby etc it just didnt get done as much and then living in a mess can get you down and make you embarassed about having visitors round. So if she doenst mind then offer to do a bit of cleaning whilst she takes the baby for a walk.

barbiedoll

You sound like a very thoughtful friend!

As others have said though, your friend will appreciate your support and company before the birth but she will bite your hand off for it afterwards! Taking time off work to spend time with her now is lovely but she will want and need practical help afterwards, especially in the later weeks when the family have all gone home and her partner is back to work. The thing that often scares new mums is the first few days "on their own with the baby", that may be a good time for you to be around, even if only to make sure that she is eating enough, drinking enough and getting a bit of sleep. You may have to just sit there holding the baby whilst she has a nap but that is the sort of support that is so valuable when you're at home with a newborn.

Paint her nails and do her hair by all means, the couple of weeks before your baby is born is supposed to be a time to relax and look forward to the birth. In reality, most of us spend it obsessively reading baby books, checking our hospital bag and scaring ourself by watching screaming women give birth on the telly! :rotfl:
Let her voice her fears (if any!) and promise her that you won't drift away when the baby is born. Many of us lose our childless friends when our babies are here, the best that you can do for her is to be there for her when she needs you. With luck, you'll still be supporting her when her baby is a teenager!
Oh, and the cooking session will be greatly appreciated!

betti911

janninew wrote: »

Its not just the Welsh NHS, i had my nail varnish removed before my section and i'm from Lancashire, i knew they would have to take if off and would have been worried if they didn't remove it! Didn't have it taken off my toes though as i had those attractive thick socks on!

They didn't take my nail polish off for my c section and I'm in Scotland. I think a pamper day pre birth sounds lovely!

JSP

Thank you for all your amazing ideas.

I think we will have some proper girlie time together. I will probably take her to the cinema with lots of Chocolates and cheese (she's craving cheese!!) and a nice lunch. Like you all said, things that won't be as easy once baby is here.

Then we can have a practical day of cooking and I'll give the place a once over whilst she puts her feet up.
I've got a few ideas of pampering things to do. Like you've suggested a pedicure, maybe do her legs and I was thinking a mini facial and hair treatment (still debating about painting her nails after all your comments!)

I loved the idea of a cheque book of favours ie cleaning etc for after the baby is born.

I will definitely be around once baby arrives. I've already said that I would have a few more days off once her husband goes back to work (that's if she wants me there).

Thank you again for all you lovely comments.

madtrekker

moneypuddle wrote: »

I'm 39 weeks pregnant and terrified of giving birth.

Aww don't be scared. It's really not all that bad. I got through my first birth by reminding myself how many people come back for a 2nd / 3rd / 4th baby and if it was that bad, surely they wouldn't!
Good luck. x

Mrs_Imp

JSP - please will you be my friend

As someone else said, clean sheets would've been lovely to come home to, rather than the ones I was in when my waters broke

If she'll let you have a key to her house, when she goes in to give birth, and if you have time/energy, just pop in and give the place a quick once over and change the sheets. I would've loved that. I came home to an untidy house, a sink full of washing up, and a pile of washing from when my waters broke. I just wanted to go to bed, but I had to wait till DH had changed everything.

Once DH had gone back to work, the one thing I found most helpful was company. Just someone to come round and have a cuppa and a chat (and to bring me biscuits).

sunshine_1988

moneypuddle wrote: »

You're a nice friend

All the ideas sound good. Maybe just chatting with her. I'm 39 weeks pregnant and terrified of giving birth. Giving her the opportunity to talk through any fears with a third party might be really well received if she feels she needs it.

I was petrified too. Even made a thread on here about it when I was about 38 weeks. I used to worry myself silly. But the truth is, I got through it, it was nothing like I imagined and not the way I planned it but I did it and had a healthy baby at the end of it.

I know its hard to believe but you will get through it x

I love the idea of a pamper day OP - I would have loved that!! When I left work for Mat Leave, my office got me a load of vouchers for New Look, Next etc. I loved that because it meant when I was ready I could go and update my wardrobe from baggy maternity stuff. x