MSE Pregnancy Club 23

Dinah93

RebekahR wrote: »

Hello ladies. Midwife came round yesterday. Lots of paper work took bloods to send off and wee. Left me a few leaflets about screening and hospital contacts etc. But no emmas diary, books. or bounty packs or vouchers. So quite disappointed really! I was looking forward to being left things to read but guess I won't now lol. Next step is to get off my form for my mat card. How long does it take to come back? And then its scan time in about 3 1/2 weeks time. Although waiting on a date for that from hospital now.

What's Emma's Diary? I got my first bounty pack at the hospital after my first scan. I've been told I don't get the MatB1 card until 20 weeks, which seems really late but pharmacists and dentists (both of whom I've unfortunatley visited several times so far) have just taken my word for it as there is a disclaimed where you sign to say if this is checked against your NHS record and found to be untrue there is a fine as well as the cost of work/the prescription to pay. My midwife kept telling me leaflets she should be giving me, but they seemed to have run out of almost all of them!

BP check this afternoon, I'm hoping it will be okay as it's been quite low recently. I'm expecting it to rise in the New Year as my office is moving and I'm not looking forward to it. The building we're going to hardly has any windows, is currently 6C as the top floor were complaining it's too hot, so all heating was turned off, the desks are tiny, the walkways between the desks are around half the width they legally should be, and worst of all there is a horrible woman there who apparently acts like she owns the place, making sure everyone is silent while working, doesn't clutter their desks with anything they are not currently working on, and a few years ago she has called sexual harassment or bullying on 4 different managers, found not only to have no evidence but to actually have lied on several occasions, and yet she still has a job making everyone else miserable as they just redeploy her to another team each time and call it a personality clash. The building has a sickness record 3 x higher than any of the 10+ other buildings in the authority. Mostly through stress, depression etc although some increased flu and the like which isn't surprising if you're basically working in a cold, dark cave. Urgh, real rant there but I'm just dreading moving and if it's as bad as I fear I may look for a new job after maternity leave.

Gillyx

Dinah - your matb1 and your exemptions card are 2 different things. Your MatB1 you give to your employer, your exemption card you carry with you and can show to get free prescriptions/dental work etc hth x

Also r.e Emmas Diary, it used to be the book that was given with the Bounty Pack, (I think the little book just has "bounty" on the cover now, something about it mentioning bottle feeding and it was made out to look like the NHS were promoting it, so they scrapped it apparently)

Edit: You can ask for your exemption certificate any time after your pregnancy has been confirmed by a nurse/doctor and anytime in the 12 months after baby has been born.

http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1644.aspx

Kira000

Dinah93 wrote: »

What's Emma's Diary? I got my first bounty pack at the hospital after my first scan.

Emma's diary itself is a little book which is a diary of "Emma's pregnancy", i guess it is supposed to be an accessible way of giving you info about being pregnant. My GP surgery was out of them when i first went, and by the time they were back in stock, it was a bit late for me to bother going to get one! There is a related website, where you can sign up, and you can pick up an Emmas Diary pack of freebies and stuff from Argos with a coupon.
http://www.emmasdiary.co.uk/

Gillyx

Kira000 wrote: »

Dinah93 wrote: »

What's Emma's Diary? I got my first bounty pack at the hospital after my first scan.

Emma's diary itself is a little book which is a diary of "Emma's pregnancy", i guess it is supposed to be an accessible way of giving you info about being pregnant. My GP surgery was out of them when i first went, and by the time they were back in stock, it was a bit late for me to bother going to get one! There is a related website, where you can sign up, and you can pick up an Emmas Diary pack of freebies and stuff from Argos with a coupon.
https://www.emmasdiary.co.uk/register.aspx?KEYWORD_K=emmas%20diary&TRACKING_ID_K=70615314-befe-e6c8-62c5-00004c0e6360&CHANNEL_K=google&CAMPAIGN_K=Brand&AdGROUP_K=[Emmas%20Diary]%20-%20Phrase&gclid=CL-51sTtja0CFSEhtAodAlFenQ

I picked up a First Bounty Pack a few weeks ago and they don't give them out anymore although there was a voucher inside the book they did give for Packs 2 and 3.

It's pretty much the same book, without Emmas Story in it anyway. From what I could see.

ginvzt

I got my exemption certificate already. When I went to GP to tell him about the pregnancy, he told me to fill out a form at the reception for the exemption card and then I received the card a couple of weeks later, maybe even sooner - can't remember!

I am very disappointed with M&P mtternity leggings. Pre-pregnancy I was size 14, occasionally (depending on the cut) I would fit size 12. I bought the leggings in 12, and they fitted perfectly for the first 2 days... Then they stretched, and the bit that goes over the bump is gaping all around - I have to keep tucking them under my bra, so I don't lose them! I washed them - and they didn't shrink at all. I have generous tights, and these leggings seem too big! Really, not something I was expecting for £22!!! (I am so stupid to pay this amount, but I was in the hopping centre and couldn't find anything else decent, so decided to go for them...)

Now, where is the best place to get things like that?

Also, my MIL told OH yesterday that she transferred some money into his account and 250 euros is for me to get a nice/comfortable dress/outfit that I would like and would last me for the pregnancy. Now - where should I look? I saw some bits in Dorothy Perkins and didn't like any, no Next around me has any maternity stuff in, and I am not too keen on buying from the catalogues as I am never sure of the size!

Gillyx

If you have that as a budget Gin I'd go with http://www.seraphine.com/ they have some beautiful things and apparently they fit really well. Next have some lovely things too, at reasonable prices, although I'd recommend either ordering online or in store, as they don't have a big selection in store.

For leggings I'd recommend H&M, they're cheap as chips and easy to replace

ginvzt

Gillyx wrote: »

If you have that as a budget Gin I'd go with http://www.seraphine.com/ they have some beautiful things and apparently they fit really well. Next have some lovely things too, at reasonable prices, although I'd recommend either ordering online or in store, as they don't have a big selection in store.

For leggings I'd recommend H&M, they're cheap as chips and easy to replace

I went into H&< yesterday in town and they had no maternity stuff. I also went into H&M in Trafford centre and didn't see any maternity stuff - I must be blind... Or are these normal leggings?

Just looked at that website - it looks lovely!!!! Will check it out more tonight!

Dinah93

Thanks ladies, I'll ask at the midwife this afternoon, as no one has given me a form, even when I've specifically asked due to the number of prescriptions I get, I was told I wouldn't get it until the second scan.

I've found maternity clothes to be on the larger side too (I guess if you're ordering your pre-pregnancy size with the hips spreading a bit and boobs growing to lads mag sizes in a matter of weeks it's nessisary). I ordered a bump band in a 12 as I was 10-12 pre-pg, it kept ending up down low on my hips! I ended up with a size 8 one but it still looks more like a kangaroo pouch atm and by the time it fits properly I reckon I'll be in real maternity clothes rather than trying to extend the life of my regular clothes anyway. My bump is similar size to yours Ginvzt at 14 weeks today, only one in there though. Quite a few people have asked me when I'm due.

Must have had nightmares last night, woke up with jaw ache which means I was clenching my teeth while I slept.

keelykat

I got my maternity leggings from Matalan-worn them loads and they haven't shrunk or stretched

keely.x

Gillyx

ginvzt wrote: »

I went into H&< yesterday in town and they had no maternity stuff. I also went into H&M in Trafford centre and didn't see any maternity stuff - I must be blind... Or are these normal leggings?

Just looked at that website - it looks lovely!!!! Will check it out more tonight!

:eek: I would have thought the Trafford Centre would have had something maternity. My 2 crappy H&M's have quite a few things.

They're normally next to the kiddies clothes though, so maybe why you haven't saw them?

Also v. jealous at you being able to get to the Trafford Centre, I want to go *whinge*