12-24 weeks pregnant (part 4)

Tinks05

Hope you manage to get it sorted Pink and glad to hear the midwife appt went well Big5!

We've been busy trying to get the nursery done. We're getting major work done to the house soon (great timing) so wanted the nursery finished nice and early so we didn't run out of time before baby arrives. It's all decorated but we're having a nightmare with the furniture from Mothercare. All three pieces from the set are damaged, and trying to get them to sort it out is ridiculous. For such a large company their customer service is shocking. We really wanted to get it put up over the long weekend too.

I've had a few hours off work today so trying to get a lot of the baby clothes washed, ironed and put out of the way, a job I've quite enjoyed!

pink_petal

I suspected they'd be rubbish at responding to my queries which is why I'm asking them really early...I'm glad I did as who knows when they'll get back to me! They can't even answer the most basic question about do I have to send them my original MATB1 or is a photocopy acceptable! I don't trust them not to lose it and the midwife says it's really difficult to get a replacement!

That is shocking about Mothercare Tinks! I'd definitely have thought they'd be committed to decent customer service. We like some of their furniture but that would make me think twice about ordering it!

I really want to start thinking about the nursery but work is manic at the mo and we're being offered overtime in the next couple of months. I'm shattered and have loads to do at home so should probably refuse but the money would obviously come in handy just now...

sexymouse

Hi ladies - glad all of your appointments have gone well. We've been catching up with friends and going out and about to make the most of the weather and summer holidays as well as me having afternoon naps some days.

Your comment about the boy's name made me laugh big as my nearly 4-year-old son also said that the baby could be called his name if it were a boy too! It's so funny how they think at this age.

I'm 16+4 today so quite a while until my next scan, but my bump has most definitely popped out now. Depending on my clothes I can hide it still fairly well, but I'm wearing yoga trousers and a t-shirt today and it's quite obvious. My friend I was meeting today has known since very early on, so I wasn't worried about hiding it. I don't want to tell work too soon as I'm worried they'll give me less jobs to do (agency worker) and I need to get my average earnings up, but I don't expect I'll get much work right at the beginning of term anyway as teachers tend not to take time off until a few weeks in unless they're really ill due to having a new class to get to know. I'm desperately looking for some nice smart maternity trousers to wear to work as my normal trousers are definitely too tight now. Has anyone seen any nice ones? I tried on a pair in New Look the other day and they were awful! They were really cheap material and were all saggy around my bottom and tight around my knees. Jersey dresses would just give it away as my bump would show.

Good luck with HR Pink.

It's lovely being able to wash the baby clothes Tink. My son's cotbed was from Babies R Us and we've been really happy with it. I've had friends who've had similar problems with Mothercare when pushchairs have broken and they've been really unhelpful (even their own branded ones). John Lewis have excellent customer service too for future purchases too. I hope Mothercare sort it out for you. What a shame.

big5

My son's cot, mattress and changing table came from Mothercare. Had no problems with the items, but they somehow delivered them to the wrong address (despite the correct address being on the label - luckily the people who'd received them let us know) and the invoice inside was for someone else's order. Really quite glad I didn't have to return anything since I didn't have the right paperwork!

psychopathbabble

Tinks05 wrote: »

Hope you manage to get it sorted Pink and glad to hear the midwife appt went well Big5!

We've been busy trying to get the nursery done. We're getting major work done to the house soon (great timing) so wanted the nursery finished nice and early so we didn't run out of time before baby arrives. It's all decorated but we're having a nightmare with the furniture from Mothercare. All three pieces from the set are damaged, and trying to get them to sort it out is ridiculous. For such a large company their customer service is shocking. We really wanted to get it put up over the long weekend too.

I've had a few hours off work today so trying to get a lot of the baby clothes washed, ironed and put out of the way, a job I've quite enjoyed!

We thought we had ordered our cot etc a little early as I was only just 20 weeks. Luckily we did as it took 2 months to get sorted out... the delivery company is completely and utterly useless. Mothercare kept promising to escalate it and call me back but no-one ever got back to me... we ended up going and collecting the cot from the depot after waiting in 3 times for it to be delivered. It's a joke. Hope you get sorted soon Tinks

MancMama4

Eek what a nightmare with the furniture Tinks, really hope you sort it soon. We have looked at Mothercare stuff for the nursery but think we are going to go with the Silver Cross Soho range from Lesters Nursery World in Manchester. They do a combined wardrobe/changer which is quite compact for our box room.

Got a week off booked in September so hoping to get the nursery painted and a new carpet in so at least we will be ready for when it all arrives. Delivery is 6-8 weeks though.

Definitely feels like things are starting to come together now. Hope everyone is well Xx

MancMama4

mouse I got a couple of pairs of maternity pants from Next and they've been great for me - wash really well and feel nice and supported in them x

Tinks05

I really wouldn't recommend Mothercare to anyone. We ordered because our nursery is going in the box room, so we were restricted to sizes for furniture and their stuff fits perfectly, and it was in the sale! Wish I had just paid the extra and gone elsewhere now. I can deal with stuff turning up damaged, as long as the resolve it quickly, but that's not looking likely! It's a shame because the staff in our local store are fab.

sexymouse

Thanks Mancmama - will have to look at Next. Xx

pink_petal

I'm the same, I can't find black trousers anywhere. I tried both Next and New Look and also ordered 4 pairs from ASOS and they all went back! I've been living in jeans and dresses!

Finally heard back from HR and it's a good job I'd checked with them...turns out the policy doc on our intranet is out of date and the maternity policy has changed, they apparently just 'forgot' to put the new one on there! So everything my colleagues have been telling me is wrong as it changed in April! We get 6 months on full pay now which I think is pretty good and then 3 months SMP and 3 months unpaid.

So I think I'll take the 9 months as going down to statutory will be hard enough without going onto no pay! I might be able to take 10 months as I'll have loads of annual leave accrued and we also get paid for any public holidays while we're off so that's another 6 days. Will just see how it goes and try to save like crazy!