12-24 weeks pregnant (part 3)

danielley

Wow lots of activity, lovely to read all your plans.

My Maternity pay is 90% for 6 weeks, 50% for 20 weeks, SMP for 13 weeks and then 0 for the last 13 weeks. I want to have 12 months off, but I think I will utilise some annual leave in there to bump up the final 3 months. I am planning on going off between 2-4 weeks early depending on how I feel physically. I'd love to go earlier but I want as much time afterwards so I am going to try and hold out, but I will see how I feel nearer the time.

With regards to names, I had a cast iron girls name (Penelope) but now we are Team Blue we have only agreed on one name and that is Joel. Weirdly though we have called the baby Tommy since pre-conception although it wont be Thomas, so I think Joel it is.

We haven't bought a single thing yet! I think pram browsing is on the agenda for Sunday We have discussed some items though and we are going to get a breathing sensor pad after being recommended one by a colleague, just for peace of mind.

Good luck for your scan today Tilly! (the list has it down for today although you are already team pink so that may be wrong)

I had a scare last night, I fell over on the pavement leaving my sisters house and although my face, arms & knees took the brunt, I did bang my bump a bit. I was really shook up and upset.

We didn't know what to do, whether to go to the hospital or just go home and call up. In the end we decided to call my midwife (I have a mobile number which goes to the on-call if she is not working)

Luckily it was my midwife who was on call and she offered to come around within half an hour to check me over. She listened to the babies heart beat and she was satisfied by the amount of wriggling that he was doing that he was perfectly fine. She said that usually if something is wrong the baby is clever enough to stay still and try and conserve energy, so the movements indicated that he was fine. She said that babies are well protected in there with the fluid etc. She said to keep an eye out for any bleeding or fluid, or pain but otherwise I should be ok. I told her I hadn't a clue why I fell and she said it simply could be that my balance is changing due to the bump and that I need to take everything a bit slower and steadier.

She asked if everything else was ok and I mentioned that I had been very 'hormonal' the past week up and down with my moods. She said that is can be normal but if I feel it is more prolonged 'down' periods to get back in touch or speak to my GP incase it is prenatal depression starting Hopefully not.

So I had a nice bath last night and put my feet up and I have vowed to take it easy from now on.

Tilly_dreams

Thanks Danielley yes it today, 2pm this afternoon. It's my NHS 20 week scan (at 21+2). I found out I'm team pink via a private scan - I'm too impatient. I had a rubbish nights sleep last night worrying about today shattered now and considering a quick nap. Glad to hear you're ok after your fall.

Sorry for the lack of personals, I'm just on my phone, but I'll try and catch up properly later this afternoon x

Pington

Wow, some of you have some really generous maternity pay packages!

Mine is 6 weeks at 90%
Then either
20 weeks at 30% plus SMP, then 13 weeks SMP
OR
12 weeks at 50% plus SMP, then 21 weeks SMP.

Then there is the option to have a further 12 weeks unpaid.

I don't think we can afford the unpaid bit so at the moment I'm thinking I'll head back to work before that.

As for childcare, my MIL and her husband are keen to do two days per week, although it seems like an awful lot for them to manage two babies two days per week! Also not sure how it will work logistically as they live 45 mins away and not near my work. My OH is a self employed plasterer with work all over, but his van only has two seats so he can't transport two babies!

Child care costs for two babies are going to be crippling. We're leaning towards a childminder over a nursery for flexibility and lower cost. We did briefly consider a nanny, which may actually be cheaper when there are two babies to pay for, but I'm not keen on that idea because we also have dogs (wouldn't want a nanny to have to juggle two babies and two dogs) and I'd rather they got more interaction with other children/environments. Perhaps when they are three and the extra childcare contribution is available we will look more into nursery.

It's such a minefield and SO expensive with two babies at once!

Trixsie1989

Just back from midwife, we have a nice wriggly baby with a very strong heartbeat and she's happy with us so will see her again 22nd dec scan next week to look forward to Danielley glad your ok after your fall, being pregnant does make,you more clumsy I've got a case of,the dropsys today! Pington could you not add on annual leave to your smp at the end to make it up to almost a year off? Obv depending on how your leave year runs. Ours is April to March so il be going off before the new allowance and then when I come back I have effectively 6 weeks to use so won't have a lot of unpaid if we choose to take it xxx

x_missymoo_x

I had a real wobble last night after working out maternity pay and then hearing some of your more generous packages, then when OH came to bed and asked why I was quiet I just burst into tears! I don't think it helped that I was working most of yesterday on school work and I still didn't get it all done, and then working out my maternity package and seeing its not great just made me think why on earth am I teaching!? At the moment I love teaching but I hate being a teacher if that makes sense, and knowing that I'm finding it hard to get everything done now without a baby makes me worry how I will cope once he/she is actually here. Every now and again I have a phase where I start searching on Google for alternative jobs, but then before long I've got over it and am back to normal, until the next time anyways! As my OH said, I don't know how I'm going to cope or feel until the baby actually gets here, so there's no point me getting upset now. I don't think I'm ever going to be fully satisfied in my job, but now isn't the time to be worrying about it, I just need to concentrate on cooking this baby... making sure I don't drop any stitches as my dad says

Anyways, OH reassured me and went through finances with me and we worked out that we can manage, we just need to make sure we are careful with how we do it and not overdo it on the luxuries. Bless him, I think he thought something was wrong with the baby at first because I couldn't actually speak I was so upset! I knew I married him for a reason

In other news, spoke to my midwife today and she is going to post my MATB1 to me so I can arrange my meeting with the Head. The sooner I get that done the better! Anyways, enough of the pity party for me, happy thoughts from now on

Glad everything is ok Trixsie
Tilly, how did your scan go today?
Good to hear you are ok after your fall danielley, make sure you take it easy in future, although I know that's easier said than done!

Tilly_dreams

Hi everyone

I’m home and all is well such a relief, I’d really got it in my head that there was a problem, partially because I’m not feeling as much movement as I think I should, but I’ve found out my placenta is at the front and the consultant showed me baby kicking away at it and I couldn’t feel anything. She said I probably won’t spot a pattern or routine in her movements til 28 weeks so that was reassuring.

It’s nice to catch up with you all and glad to hear generally all is well with everyone too

Missymoo – Don’t worry, I assumed we’d ‘cross posted’! Aww your class sound lovely and how thoughtful are the girls that carried the equipment for you! Make sure you do take them up on that offer!

My work is the same as Kate’s in that I have to tell them by the 25th week when I want to start maternity leave, however my work say that they don’t expect you say how long that you expect to be off for and instead they assume that you will take the full year.

You have my sympathy’s re maternity pay woes. I only get SMP too but the only way that we can afford me to take a year is because DH gets a bonus from work at the end of March. I feel like we should spend it on ‘something’ rather than on day to day expenses, but I guess it’s just one year and an important one.

I only work three days a week at the mo so that would be ideal with a little one, but I’m thinking about looking for a new job after maternity leave so I’ll have see what’s available. My work is about an hour away so something closer would be better.

Re childcare - my mum can’t help out due to her variable work shifts and my in-laws have already said that they won’t help (!) so we need to bear in mind the costs of nursery fees.

Pington – I’m glad you still went for your 4D scan, I wondered whether you might put it off til your parents could make it but hey you can always go again! At my scan today the consultant put the picture on to 4D briefly and it was nowhere near as clear as the picture at the private scan place so I’m even more tempted to go again now, maybe at Christmas or early in the New Year.

Aww how lovely will your baby girls looked dressed up as bridesmaids! How is the wedding planning coming along? Mostly importantly how are you going to choose a dress?! But maybe you’ve done that already!

Good luck on the next thread – see you there soon!

Milly – Sounds like your job situation worked out for the best then! I agree with you about not wanting to be influenced by anyone else’s opinions on names. Are you not finding out if baby is a boy or girl? So you need double the options! A week today til your scan!

Princess Kate – Yay for the headaches subsiding but boo for the return of morning sickness! Bless you, you’re not having it easy – I hope your OH is looking after you at home!

I’m annoyed I completely forgot to ask about the MAT1B form today! I made a doctor’s appointment for Friday just in case but I was hoping to be able to cancel it. I might try contacting my midwife and see if she’ll just leave it at the doctors for me too – good idea!

Good idea re annual leave at the end of maternity leave too! You’ve made me think about taking the most of next December as annual leave then I would actually have some money for Christmas! It seems logical to start back at work at the beginning of a new year but depressing too!

Good luck for your scan tomorrow!

Aunty-Pickle – Thanks for sharing that info about car seats. I hadn’t heard anything about that so def need to look into it!

You’ve reminded me I wanted to ask everyone about cars. I have a pretty old car with no back doors and no isofix (but it’s a reliable good runner and I’m happy with it!) but I’m assuming this won’t be ideal once baby is here. The easiest thing to do might be to swap cars with my DH (his car has back doors and Isofix) but he’s set on buying me a new car. I obviously like this idea but equally money will be tighter once I’m on maternity leave so I don’t know what to do. I think long term we both need cars with back doors and Isofix as the thought was I will do nursery drop offs and he will do pick ups. What are you all doing re cars?

Jedi – You’re on the list as team yellow so I guess you’re not finding out what you’re having? Would you use the name Scarlett now if baby’s a girl despite your MIL’s comments? For what it’s worth I think it’s a nice name!

We’re hoping to convert (part of) our garage too! We want a utility room and downstairs loo – what are you planning?

Aunty-Pickle

I'm too knackered to read through properly and reply personally.... (sorry!) will try and do that tomorrow.

Just wanted to say hope all goes well for your scan tomorrow Princess Kate. Couldn't remember if you're planning on trying to find out if it's a boy or girl but I hope if you want to know, that you find out and that if you don't want to know, you don't find out - if that makes sense!!!!

AFM, won a maternity winter coat off ebay for only £15 (inc P&P) so quite chuffed - hope it fits!!! My current coat is already straining round my little bump!

Princess_kate

Thanks pickle & Tilly, scan is at 11.30 so I'll hopefully get chance to update at lunchtime. Quite excited, always that bit of worry before a scan tho especially this big one! Not looking forward to having a full bladder, it's noticeably smaller already, I just can't stop weeing!

Off to bed now, had another 12 hour day in work & I'm shattered, also got a very sore throat but hope that goes after a good sleep, fingers crossed! Sorry for being a moany moo, all I seem to do!

Oh & we're staying team yellow, as tempting as it may be when we're in there!

Hope everyone is ok, glad everything was ok with your scan Tilly & good the have the reassurance regarding movement & you placenta position. Missy- don't stress about maternity leave, it'll all come good in the end, just think, you know you'll have every Christmas Day with your child/ children, there's going to quickly become a time I'm expected to work Christmas Day & miss the whole day. There really is pros & cons to it all.

Tilly_dreams

Thanks Kate are you sure you need a full bladder for your scan? I didn't today, in fact I went to the loo just before and they could see everything fine! If they haven't specifically said to you to have a full bladder personally I wouldn't worry about it! X

Pington

Cars: I must have been predicting my pregnancy because I changed my car just before I got pregnant, to what is really an ideal family car. It was a reasonable price (~4k) and has all the bells and whistles. Only downside is it has a fair few miles on the clock but as a VW/Audi Group diesel that has been well serviced it should run well for ages.

It's a 55 plate Skoda Octavia estate 2.0L diesel. Boot is ginormous (essential for me as I have two dogs as well as double buggy plus all the other gear), leather seats (already proven their worth when one of the whippets was sick on them so should stand up well against baby mess), isofix and good space in the back. It also has nice treats for me such as heated electric seats

I can't imagine moving away from an estate now, and that's before I've had the babies! Will need a roofbox for family visits etc as dogs and buggy will take up the boot.

OH's only vehicle is his work van (2 seats) so not sure what we're going to do regarding transporting babies if I'm using my car without him!