KEEPING BUSY

from The Ultimate Baby Book 2021

EXPERT ADVICE

MATERNITY LEAVE CHECKLIST

In most cases, you can start your maternity leave any time from 11 weeks before your due date. Some women choose to work right up until the bitter end, while others like to have more time to themselves before baby arrives. If along the way you decide you want to change your start date, then you can, as long as you give your employer enough notice. To start your leave sooner, tell your employer at least four weeks before your new start date. To start your leave later, tell your employer at least four weeks before your old start date.

HOW TO FILL YOUR TIME

Cook up a storm in the kitchen Prepare a batch of meals for the freezer: that way, you’ll have plenty of hearty food ready for when you get home from hospital, when cooking will be the last thing on your mind! Pack your hospital bag Aim to pack your bag around the 37-week mark, which may be before or after you start your leave. Once you’ve stopped work, make sure you’re all packed and good to go. Make friends with your new car seat It’s important to know how to correctly fi t the car seat in your car – you don’t want to be stuck in the hospital car park working it out. Host a baby shower What better way to kill time than with friends and family, plates of cake and a heap of gifts? Just don’t leave it too close to your due date, as you’re less likely to feel like party planning. Make the most of being two It’s your last chance to be together as a couple, so enjoy this quiet time while you can. Perhaps consider a last-minute babymoon, although keep in mind that you shouldn’t fl y after 36 weeks. Depending on how close you are to your due date, don’t travel too far.

TIME TO SHOP: CAR SEATS

Joie i-Spin 360 i-Size car seat £300, oliversbabycare.co.uk

Pregnancy massage

Skincare expert Katherine Pye explains the benefi ts o a soothing treat ent

Uppababy Mesa i-Size car seat £199.95, naturalbabyshower.co.uk

Motion 360 i-Size car seat £350, silvercrossbaby.com

Apart from vision, all of your baby’s senses are stimulated in the womb. Touch is the first sensory system to develop, and is likely to be the most mature at birth. Studies show that by rubbing your belly, your baby will respond, so when you massage your tummy, you are sending powerful signals from your baby’s nerve endings to the brain, helping with her neural development as she grows in the womb.

Alongside aiding baby’s development, pregnancy massage can be beneficial for your own wellness. From improving circulation and the function of muscles and joints – essential in preparation for birth – to helping to calm and de-stress the mind, and relieving aches and pains, it is a valuable treatment to have when expecting.

Pregnancy massage is recommended any time during the second and third trimester. Avoid going in the early days of pregnancy, as this is such a delicate time in your baby’s development and also a period where you may be feeling nauseous.

During the massage, it’s important you’re in a safe position. I favour the natural fetal position or lying on your side. I like to concentrate on the hips, back, feet and abdomen – all areas that are holding more weight, and therefore need special attention. Alongside reflexology, I also focus on yogic breathing, which helps mothers-tobe to keep calm throughout their pregnancy.

Remember: always tell your therapist about any health concerns you may have before the treatment.

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You’ll want your new arrival’s nursery to look just as beautiful as the rest of your home – here are some brands to visit for the ultimate inspiration

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