12-24 weeks pregnant (part 4)

arbrighton

I guess waking up three times coughing the other night is just good practice for baby's arrival right? This cold is making me so tired. I'm glad things are being put off til next week like tutoring and school gardening club/ meeting

penguingirl

April- that's exciting you felt something!

arbrighton- hope you feel better soon

We've booked our NCT classes this weekend- finally something ticked off the list! We didn't get a choice of classes, and it is £189. Our NHS ones are over a couple of sessions. The only bit we're really bothered about is the tour of the unit, so we're going to see if we can just do that bit. Our maternity services provide lots of information about private antenatal classes (which they provide some of), so I don't know whether that means the NHS ones are pretty basic?

I had the midwife today for 21 week check. Baby continued to be awkward and she only managed to listen to the heart through the umbilical cord and he kept wriggling away from her! All good otherwise. Next appointment should be 25 weeks, but she wants to see me the day before I go on holiday (in 2 weeks) to do another check and a fit to fly note. I managed to get my travel insurance sorted- it's just a standard cheapie policy, but when I read it it covers pregnancy upto 28 weeks for any unexpected conditions, so because we've not had any complications should be fine.

The other exciting news this weekend is that our nephew was born. A bit of a surprise at 37 weeks with mum only being 12 hours into maternity leave when labour started, but a straightforward labour, home from hospital within the day and all doing fantastically, although big brother isn't entirely sure just yet! Makes it a bit more real that we're next!

sweetbabu

cats2012 wrote: »

Elles def don't worry - could be position of your placenta too. You're still very early. Lots of second time + mums say they feel earlier as they know what they're looking for, but my midwife said before 18 weeks it is very likely it's just gas lol.

I have definitely been feeling baby for just over a week - it happens when my OH or DD put their heads on my belly, so baby is a little bit trapped almost! It feels exactly like my belly did as I was hanging over the precipice of oblivion (Alton Towers!) during Summer. It was much, much, later during my first pregnancy though.

arbrighton wrote: »

I guess waking up three times coughing the other night is just good practice for baby's arrival right? This cold is making me so tired. I'm glad things are being put off til next week like tutoring and school gardening club/ meeting

Oh you poor thing, I've had that too - you have my sympthies!

penguingirl wrote: »

The other exciting news this weekend is that our nephew was born. A bit of a surprise at 37 weeks with mum only being 12 hours into maternity leave when labour started, but a straightforward labour, home from hospital within the day and all doing fantastically, although big brother isn't entirely sure just yet! Makes it a bit more real that we're next!

Aww, congratulations!!

april87

Cats glad to hear your Hypnobirthing went well, and relieved to hear that it wasn't all hippyish that was one of my biggest concerns about it. Even though I know the person who does it and she is the least hippyish person i know. I look forward to mine next month now. My scan is not till next week and I've been pretty nervous about it because I've not felt much, but I'm hoping there's more over the next few days, it would help ease my nerves :rotfl:

Firebird hope you got your appt chased up.

Arbrighton I hope you feel better soon, and that the OH is taking good care of you

Penguin ours was about the same, and no choice of dates. It was a case of enter your due date, this is the class you're going too. Oh wow, what timing baby has. Glad to hear both mum and baby are doing well. Our time will be here in no time.

firebird082

I'm pleased to say that I've just had my '16 week' appointment, which was basically the booking appointment all over again (so my information is on the right hospital's system - at last!). It was a much less chaotic experience, so actually felt able to have a proper chat with the midwife, which was nice. Also heard the baby's heartbeat at last - nice and strong! They've booked in an appointment with the anaesthetist (I've had spinal surgery in the past, so they need to figure out whether and how they can manage an epidural/spinal block if required) along with the 28 week appt, so hopefully that's all my hospital issues in the past now

arbrighton

Thanks all.Still sniffing away and congested now. It's just a cold, I know but it's wearing me out. I certainly don't feel like i've got all the energy and wellness i'm supposed to have at this stage.

I'm not keeping either of us awake coughing now, just as well as the stuff that's in the 'nursery' is being moved out of it into the spare room so we can decorate and carpet it. So a couple of trips to the tip. And one more for the old carpet when i finish removing my carp from there- it's been the dumping room since we arrived in 2012.

I've been telling the students I tutor and their parents this week so they have advance notice when I'm intending to stop if it's not exam year or that it will be a bit play it by ear for the other two. Due date is 4th July and exams for GCSE go on up til mid june for my subjects and pretty much the end of June for A level so that is going to be interesting.

I've got 16 week on 24th Jan so, apart from realising my PJ trousers are a bit snug, still bimbllling on assuming a child will appear at some point

april87

Firebird glad to hear that your 16 week appointment went alot better.

Hopefully you feel better Arbrighton.

Is anyone thinking as far as maternity leave? I'm trying to plan ahead, and figure out when I should start.

firebird082

april87 wrote: »

Is anyone thinking as far as maternity leave? I'm trying to plan ahead, and figure out when I should start.

Yes - as soon as I told work, they said "when are you starting your mat leave?". I panicked and gave them a date 2 weeks before due date, but they are pretty flexible - lots of people get to a month before and realise that it's just not practical, so just update HR at this stage. It's not unexpected, especially if it's your first - how are you supposed to know?!

Remember also that you accrue annual leave whilst on mat leave - your company will probably want to know when you are likely to use that up...

poddle911

april87 wrote: »

Is anyone thinking as far as maternity leave? I'm trying to plan ahead, and figure out when I should start.

Yes! Me too. I do like my job, but also quite looking forward to starting the countdown. I'm planning to finish work about a month before due date - using two weeks of leave, then start mat leave two weeks beforehand. As Firebird says, holiday will still accrue, so I'll probably have about 5 weeks' leave to add on to mat leave.

How long is everyone planning to take? I'm glad that I don't have to decide now! I think I will tell my company that I'd like to take the full 52 weeks (plus holiday) and I can always change my mind later (more likely that we'll struggle with three months' unpaid :rotfl:) as long as I give them 8 weeks' notice.

april87

Oh really? My boss has always been like it's so far away we'll get to it when we do :rotfl:

I put in for 2 weeks holiday and then start maternity the week before I'm due and he was surprised that I was planning on working up until just before 37 weeks. I said to him, obviously if it needs changed then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Yeah I've already looked into my accrued leave and will get to take it into the next year. Probably use it to come back for shorter weeks which would suit me fine, a 3/4 day week for 10/15 weeks sounds good to me.

I'm thinking between 6-9 months, come back before the end of the financial year. Plus my boss is putting his retirement on hold slightly, and I'm hoping I can apply/get his job. A pay rise would come in handy for those nursery fees :rotfl: