12-24 weeks pregnant (part 4)

cats2012

It's natural to think ahead I think - I'm only 7 weeks from finishing now!! I'm finishing at 38+2 though. People think I'm mad but I like my job and I want to save the leave for when baby is here.

OH & I are doing shared parental leave, so I'm going back in the new year, which will be approx 10 months off, using some mat leave & some hol. He'll finish work before Christmas and we'll have 3 or 4 weeks the 3 of us, then daddy & daughter will be fending for themselves til March!! If anyone decides to do this feel free to PM me, it's been quite a mission getting our head round the law and what's required but we're really excited

PS: Sorry I keep crashing this thread, ours is really quiet!!!

poddle911

april87 wrote: »

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:

That sounds ideal, April - part-time and a promotion

I should add that I'm not really planning on going back to work in this job which is why I'm looking at spinning it out as much as possible. I'm hoping to spend the first few months of 2018 developing my freelance business (which I currently do very part-time) to see whether I can make that work financially based on a couple of days a week, but it's really nice to have the safety net of being able to return to work.

cats2012 wrote: »

OH & I are doing shared parental leave, so I'm going back in the new year, which will be approx 10 months off, using some mat leave & some hol. He'll finish work before Christmas and we'll have 3 or 4 weeks the 3 of us, then daddy & daughter will be fending for themselves til March!! If anyone decides to do this feel free to PM me, it's been quite a mission getting our head round the law and what's required but we're really excited

PS: Sorry I keep crashing this thread, ours is really quiet!!!

That sounds really great Cats :T Always nice to see you here - it's good to hear from someone a bit further ahead!

newthrift

Firebird - glad your appointment went well and all the problems with appointments seem to of settled.

Had 16week today, was only in there 10/15 mins was really surprised hahaa. Everything was ok and got to hear the heartbeat which was so nice - good and strong. I recorded it on my phone so I can show DH later. Next one booked for 24 weeks :eek:

Mat leave due to my working circumstances I will be there until going in to labour. I walk to work, which I basically live on site so it's not far at all and with my inlaws and DH so if I'm having a rough day near the end there won't be a problem with me coming back home early or going in late.

Cats - it's lovely to see posts from you and I will be interested to hear how the NHS classes are.

When have people been offered the NHS classes? I was part expecting to get told about them today but not heard anything and I forgot to ask. I'm happy to book on a NCT course if they don't have much of interest on offer.

cats2012

Newthrift I only got offered mine at my 28 week appointment, don't know what's normal in other areas though

firebird082

newthrift wrote: »

When have people been offered the NHS classes? I was part expecting to get told about them today but not heard anything and I forgot to ask. I'm happy to book on a NCT course if they don't have much of interest on offer.

I was suprised to be told about the NHS classes at my appointment yesterday - they hold 1/month at our hospital, full day. Appears to be aimed at out of area mothers though, which is a bit strange (I am one of those, but don't see that it would make any difference!). All they give you is basically the dates and an email address to book it. Their information online suggested we wouldn't be told about it until the 28 week though.

I think we're going to do the cheaper NCT one as well - I can't bring myself to pay £260 for a bunch of maybe-friends...!

Cats - it's lovely that you still pop in - please continue to do so!

april87

Poodle that is what I'm hoping :rotfl:

Cats that's nice. Me and my OH have talked about sharing but I don't think its practical for us. As Poodle said its nice to get info from those slightly ahead of us

Newthrift the 24 week appointment one feels like ages away. Just think you'll have your 20 week scan in between now and then. I was offered NHS classes at my 16 week appt but I mentioned that we were doing NCT ones, so she didn't really say much more about it. I think they kind of frown upon doing them both up here, or atleast that was the impression I got.

Firebird, I've noticed a few people saying they have options for the NCT one's. We only got the one choice when we booked.

Ratison

April I only had the one option for NCT too. No idea which one it was though, there's three sessions in total and I think the last one is about breastfeeding.

I plan on taking a year for my maternity but haven't thought much more than that. I do have a long commute so I think I'll be looking for a closer job either when I'm off or when I go back.

penguingirl

april87 wrote: »

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

Yep, maternity leave is about the one thing I'm organised on! I have to do my forms by 4th Feb (15 weeks before due date). I'm lucky and work for the NHS which has ok mat leave so am taking 12 months. Would love to do shared leave with OH but financially we can't get it to make sense. But he does work from home so will be about lots. I'm starting mat leave on my due date, but taking 4 weeks annual leave before, as annual leave runs April- March so I need to take 41 days a/l somehow! Am negotiating with work about whether I can do a graded return and take 2 days per week for a couple of months from May 2018. Work policy is that they'd prefer me to take carried over leave as a block straight after (meaning of be off 14 months in total!), but my line manager is supportive so we'll see what they agree.

I had info about antenatal classes in my maternity notes from my booking appointment. Midwife hasn't mentioned them.

Hope everyone is doing ok. I went swimming last night which I really enjoyed, but it wasn't quite the weightless experience others had told me! Bump obviously found it strange as he was wriggling a lot and was in awkward positions so it almost felt like I had a stitch. But then he's pretty wriggly anyway...

vanilla8

cats2012 wrote: »

OH & I are doing shared parental leave, so I'm going back in the new year, which will be approx 10 months off, using some mat leave & some hol. He'll finish work before Christmas and we'll have 3 or 4 weeks the 3 of us, then daddy & daughter will be fending for themselves til March!! If anyone decides to do this feel free to PM me, it's been quite a mission getting our head round the law and what's required but we're really excited

PS: Sorry I keep crashing this thread, ours is really quiet!!!

Hi Cats, I am looking to do shared parental leave with TH, is it just his work we notify our intentions to? I have downloaded all the forms from ACAS but not figured out who needs copies of them! I am just taking 30 weeks full pay and returning just before Christmas.


I booked onto the hospital one day antenatal class at my scan last week, its towards the end of April, still undecided about NCT.

Has everyone seen Asda have their Baby event on from Sat 14th - newborn nappies and the perfect prep machine (£60) seem to be good deals.

firebird082

Blimey Vanilla - 30 weeks at full pay is very generous. I was pretty happy with the 18 I get! Clearly I need to find a new employer for baby number 2...!