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Dana Gutkowski

I am the mother of none, but the very proud Aunt to four beautiful children. I did absolutely no work to create them, but I will do everything in my power to help raise them.

Latest posts by Dana Gutkowski (see all)

Are you waiting for your niece or nephew to arrive into the world?  Are you ready to start your new journey as their Aunt? 

I’ve found my role as an Aunt to be one of the most rewarding and satisfying experiences of my life.  However, one of the most mentally taxing parts of becoming Aunt was the time spent between learning I was going to be one and actually being able to hold the baby in my arms. 

And what was even worse than the 9 months was the last few hours, when the baby was coming!  So what things Aunts can do while waiting for the baby to arrive?

When I first heard that my niece Lola was on the way, I was at work at the time.  I had a ton of things to get done, but every so often I’d check in with someone to see if there was any new news.  My mind was distracted because I had responsibilities to take care of.  However, when my sister was about to have my niece, Layla, I was home and so I felt like I was waiting longer and my anxiety grew to new heights.

I found that when talking to other women about the arrival of their niblings, they too found themselves in similar circumstances.  The key to easing their anxiety was to keep busy. 

Every pregnancy and birth story is different.  Some are smooth, some complicated.  Some babies arrive quickly, and others can take an entire day, if not longer.

To prepare yourself or at least your mind for the big day, here are some actions you can take to distract yourself during the waiting process.  Time will pass at the same rate, but it will seemingly go faster if you’re occupied.

What works for one, won’t necessarily work for the other.  And sometimes it takes more than one to occupy your time.  So let’s explore the different possibilities.

1.) Bake/Cook something

When Mama is finally done with delivering her baby, she’ll be exhausted, possibly weak, and surely hungry.  Why not cook or bake her some of her favorite things to bring to the hospital?   Even if you don’t know her favorite foods, the gesture will surely go a long way.

And if you’re a long distance Aunt and you won’t be able to get to the hospital, place an order for favorite baked goods, send a fruit basket, or a delicious meal.  I would still recommend cooking or baking something because it’ll satisfy your nurturing qualities.  What are your comfort foods?  Make one of them and even if you can’t eat it right away, the act of cooking will distract you enough.

2.) Write a letter

You’re filling with emotion, right?  You have so many thoughts and feelings running through your body.  Capture these moments on paper and write a letter to your future niece/nephew.  Eventually, you might want to share this letter with your nibling.  And if not, it’ll be a memory you can fondly look back to for years to come.

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One of the best gifts that you can give to your niece or nephew is your words. They’ll last a lifetime. Write letters to your new niece or nephew and keep them forever! A great idea is to write letters as they grow. Write one letter per year and give this book to her on her 18th Birthday!

Or use it as a scrapbook, put pictures, tickets, and other memorabilia inside to document your relationship throughout the years! It’s a sentimental gift that they’ll cherish for the rest of their life! Personalize this template with his or her name!

Click on the image for your niece or nephew to be taken to the entire collection of notebooks!

Letters To My Niece Notebooks

Letters To My Niece Notebooks
by Dana Gutkowski

3.) Clean

The nesting theory is real.  When the baby is coming, an internal switch might be set to on and then you’ll feel the need to prepare your home for its arrival.  There’s a sense of accomplishment achieved when you put your energy into scrubbing a toilet bowl and you look down at the sparkling porcelain thrown.  Or when the kitchen sink goes from overflowing to empty.

4.) Update the family

I’m sure you’ll be getting updates from time to time from your sister, brother, or friend.  You can be the go-to person to update the rest of the extended family who is in the same position as you, waiting.  No matter your preferred method of communication, get on the phone, shoot a text, or write an email.  Let others in on the progress and status once you find out any new news.

5.) Go for a walk or exercise

Sometimes when I can’t quiet my thoughts, the only thing that I can turn to for peace is exercise.  It really depends on my mood, sometimes it’s a walk around the block.  Other times, it’s yoga.  And when I feel the need to expel energy and let out my inner angst, I get in a good cardio HIIT workout.  Focusing on the physical body is a distraction from the metal one.

6.) Call a friend

Do you have the one friend that’s your go-to person?  The one that you call when you’re feeling happy, sad, or bored?  Get on the phone with them immediately, and get lost in conversation.  Talk to them about how you’re feeling, but also ask them questions about what’s going on with them.  The key is the distraction, so take the focus off your current situation of waiting, and find out what’s going on in their life.

7.) Turn to your hobby

Do you like to paint?  Draw?  Needlepoint?  Sew?  No matter what your hobby is, break it out and get to work. Turn to it to occupy your mind and flip the focus from baby to hobby.  Hobbies fill up our downtime.  That’s why we took them up in the first place.

8.) Watch a movie / Catch up on your DVR

Sometimes the best medicine is to lounge and shut off your brain with a good movie or show.  What’s on your DVR that you haven’t gotten around to watch?  What’s your favorite movie that you can watch over and over again?  Put it on, and let the story take over.

9.) Read

Do you prefer written words that paint a picture inside your head?  Try to relax with a cup of tea and a good book.

10.) Go for a drive

One of my favorite things to do to clear my head is to get in the car, turn on music and go for a drive.  Between the two, I can focus on the present moment and not the future.  It’s meditative in a way to get lost, either figuratively or literally. Just place all of your mental emphasis on exactly what’s in front of you.

The waiting process can be quite grueling, especially the day off.  Fortunately, there are actions you can take to ease your anxiety based upon your personality type.  Whether you’re near or far, I’m sure you’ll be filled with anxiety and excitement.  So when you finally hear the word that the baby is on the way, I hope that my tips help to ease your mind a bit.

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