12 to 24 week pregnancy thread

Clarieloo

Hi Bella :wave:

Sorry was MIA yesterday - another looong day on the road. Have put on a skirt this morning which I thought I would get another week or two out of but its digging in so badly. Gawd knows how I'm gonna manage the drive home tonight :rotfl:Yet another outfit to be consigned to the other wardrobe (probably never to be seen again!!)

Sorry if I've missed anything exciting. All I can remember is the discussion about how much time people are having off. I'm like most others - intending to have 9 months. I think I'm going to finish on 22nd July (4 weeks before EDD) which is 2 weeks mat leave and 2 weeks annual leave. But I can see me being so bored at home during that time, especially if I go over. (Mind you my job is currently in doubt so that's all assuming I have a job to come back to but that's a very long and boring story I won't bore you all with)

Clarieloo

Sparkle - great photo :j

Apricot

Hi Bella come over to the main pregnancy thread too - I've had lots of very good advice from there and you don't need to read back just jump in with questions if you have any!

sparkle76 wrote: »

Scan piccie from last Friday - 20 weeks and 5 days at that time... little nose can be seen I think?

Sonographer said at 20 weeks+5 he is 20 week growth and this is normal, anyone else had this? Slightly worried as it's almost a week behind, but she wasn't concerned...

fab pic Sparkle! When sonographer was measuring my bubs the head was measuring one date with the rest of the body measuring another - she said it's normal at this stage and they will all end up being in line over the next few weeks (I hope so as I don't fancy massive head baby:rotfl:)

RE: Maternity leave I read on the Directgov website that employers have to assume you are taking the full quota of maternity leave and it is down to you to inform them when you want to return (I think you have to give 8 weeks notice or something) - you can also do 10 "keeping in touch days" with work - if you did these in the unpaid part of your maternity leave you can be paid for them - im not entirely sure how it all works but im sure HR departments will know.

:jIn other news I had real, proper kicks last night. Up until now I've been having a feeling like a goldfish flopping around in my belly but last night I was laying in bed on my stomach (oops naughty) and I felt a big boot in my belly! Stayed in the same position and it happened 7 more times so I was very pleased feels like someone is poking you from inside - the first one took my breath away I was so shocked!

Guess baby doesn't like me laying on my stomach!:cool:

twi1ight

Thanks Anderson, sparkle and ddebski. See? Told you I was confused.

Welcome Bella. The main pregnancy thread isn't too scary, everyone is very friendly and have all been in our shoes. Some days it moves fast but mostly is ok. I'm feeling pretty good this week too. 15 weeks and got some of my energy back so going to try aqua aerobics this week. I feel so lazy and unfit. Were you very ill in first 12 weeks?

bella2121

Thanks everyone yeah twi1ight I have been really ill horrendous morning stickness and severe constipation (4 weeks without going - TMI sorry)!

Morning sickness is now virtually none exsistant and am on the way to getting constipation sorted got some enemas from doc yesterday, feeling 100% better than I did.

Anyways glad everyone is doing OK, looking forward to a happy pregnancy xx

ps i'll go have a gander on main pregancy thread

anderson8

my contract ends at the end of June so i need to start my maternity leave before then, so planning on starting on the 24th of June, will need to double check holidays etc. even though my conrtact ends i will still recieve maternity pay due to still having been employed by them on my 25th week. im confident it will be extended anyway but not that bothered as we can afford for me not to work.

Anyway heres my pic from monday, not the greatest pic as BB was lying with legs near my belly button and head in my pelvis. but the sonographer was very pleased with the lovely spinal image!

forumgrazer

Hi everyone and welcome Bella

Hope everyone is now blooming... and loving the scan pics

Well finally got both directors in the same room on Tuesday so was able to break the news. Was so nervous that just before I went up my heart was racing like the clappers - so silly really as I do a decent job and haven't been off sick since I started 18months ago... just things are always tricky in a small business and technically I'm still on temporary contract though the latest 6 month one ran out in Dec so legally speaking I'm on a rolling one on same terms I think. They were visibly shocked but gave begrudging congratulations and asked for me to set out what I want to do in writing. Going to have a go at that this weekend before they're sneaky and give me my notice

So... I'm thinking of using my 3 weeks accrued/expected holiday at start, beginning SMP from 1 week before EDD and using 27-30 weeks and transferring the rest of the SMP 9-12 weeks to my OH as additional paternity leave. Is anyone else doing APL?

Our situation is quite good in that we earn fairly similar wages so wouldn't impact on overall money too much. Principle reason is that I think its such a great opportunity for him to properly experience full time parenting, 'bond' with baby and have a proper break from his own job (plus he can't ever complain how I was so lucky to have maternity leave without knowing what it actually entails... )

He's not a natural with children so should be a challenge but I really hope we can make the most of the opportunity - pity we can't take the time off at the same time like they do in Scandinavia but I think the gov is working on that. We'll try and use our respective holiday times in each others leave to share some time together with baby too.

Am I right in thinking you can change your dates right through your leave as long as you give 8 weeks notice?

Anyway better get on... x

sparkle76

Hi ddebski - yes it's a little boy!

Bella welcome over, chatter away and ask anything you want, we'll do our best to answer both on here and the main thread the key is to ask away and everyone's brilliant.

Anderson very arty scan pic! I think I was most amazed this time around about the spinal cord, it's incredible to see it so detailed and how much it's changed...

Claireloo I can empathise, today is my last day wearing my fave grey work trousers - I am actually wearing them unbuttoned under my bloude, no-one knows but it's barely ok even as it is, still tight... I think I will be living in my latest New Look stretchy dress, just waiting for temperatures to improve a bit.

Apricot congrats on feeling the proper move!!! Surely I can't be far behind now, bubs is shy and knows how to keep me happy haha with no massive kicks, but soon he won't have a choice as space is getting tight in there...

Thanks all for info re: mat leave, I guess we might be able to stretch to me having a year off. Can I ask what everyone thinks is a reasonable amount of money, ie: once bills are paid (MrSparkle's wages will cover all bills, my mat pay and savings cover the rest). Like, on a daily basis I guess I'd like to have money for bus/petrol for us to go into town / or / swimming / or / little extra things like clothing or lunch out sort of thing. My estimate is £15 per day max as somedays we won't spend?

Forumgazer glad you got to tell them, it's a relief and yes def work on the letter asap just in case they're planning anything, I'm sure they're not though. I don't know how the transfer of time off from my allowance to OH allowance would work, but that might be good. Will have to research it as it might be something we would do. However in saying that OH has just been given his own depot to manage (currently in training) so by then his wages may be more, so may not be worth transferring the allowance sort of thing unless he really wanted to be home with bubs.

anderson8

tescos are selling baby clothes off for 50p/£1.
Just letting you ladies know

Clarieloo

Woohoo - 18 weeks today :j

I'm already getting the feeling work is going to go verrrry sloooooowly today. There's nobody in the office and I'm bored already