All aboard the love bus! Get your ticket for a February BFP!!

Cursiveletters I feel the same I have pregnancy symptoms but testing neg and it's so frustrating. I honestly feel like I am but if I'm not I'd rather AF just came so I could get it over with, the wait is horrible. Fingers crossed for Monday for you!

I'm still on the Feb bus, in the limbo room! I'm still late, no spotting or anything yet, really think I'm preg. I got a few BFNs last week and decided not to test over the weekend. I'll see what I get on Monday. If I am preg I really don't understand how I could have enough HCG or whatever to feel symptoms but not enough to show up on the stick!

I'm so sorry to everyone who has had sad news, TTC is so tough sometimes.

I got a bfn this morning again, feeling very down now. I'm 9 days late and was convinced this was our month.

Thank you so much for your kind comments, they really mean a lot xx

This really isn't a good bus, is it? jones I'm so sorry to hear your news, please look after yourself over the next few days/weeks.

I bought a frer and tested this morning... Nothing. Now starting to get af symptoms which will be a not so happy present this week. But fingers crossed for a big rush of good news for everyone in this last week!

I was wondering about that MissMrs. I'm not 100% on this, but I think even if you leave whilst pregnant, and then start a new job shortly afterwards, you should receive SMP if your dates work. I looked at this when I resigned from my perm teaching job in Dec and had a break of a few weeks whilst we moved, and was still covered. Irrelevant now as I'm still not preg, but it was useful to know!

The gov.uk website is a good one to look at dates and mat pay.

Have you found something outside teaching that you are interested in? Good luck with whatever you decide about it!

Thanks barmy it a job outside teaching that I was looking at. I think I am eligible in my teaching job as this is my fifth year but I'm just seeing what would happen if I left. Not sure if I will :-/

Good luck for wed then kitty!

Impatience I'm sorry. That's awful, and such a sad feeling. we are thinking of you.

MissMrs my understand is that to be eligible for SMP, you need to have worked there for 26 weeks by the time you are 25 weeks pregnant. BUT, that is 25 weeks pregnant based on your last period date, so 15 weeks before your due date by your lmp if that makes sense. If you aren't eligible for SMP, but have been working in the lead up to and during your pregnancy, it is highly likely that you can get MA. The tricky bit with MA as a teacher is choosing your relevant weeks so they don't fall in the holidays if you are on a temp or supply contract! To be eligible for AMP is another question altogether. I think as a teacher you need to have worked there for a year and a bit before falling pregnant in most local authorities to get AMP, your contract will specify that one.

Hopefully that waffle makes sense. I'm not very good at explaining it and struggle to get my head round it in term of teaching contracts, but my previous career used to involve dealing with legal claims over mat pay so I still have a few bits in my head about how it works, it still looks the same to me from what I can make out!

Mrs that must have been very hard with a six day old ds!!

Thanks Mrs

Just weighing up my options! Still off sick.

Gosh, that must have been hard!

Hi missmrs I'm probably not too much help as I only ever qualified for maternity allowance many moons ago, as I was self employed. But yes it's basically 6 months work before the 15th week of pg. it's worked out on the due date irrespective of the actual delivery date. Smp is only 90% for the first 6 wks and then the same as MA highest rate anyway.

Last time I couldn't take any maternity leave at all. We run our own businesses and there simply wasn't enough money for me to take time off or stop running the company. So at 6 days old I took ds to work with me.

Whatever time you get do enjoy it. It's so special. Looking back I really missed out. Think it made me quite low.

Impatience I'm so very sorry! I completely understand how hard this is. I wish I'd been a mner when I was going through it. There's so much support here. Take care

So sorry impatience

kitty how are you? Any more spotting? Really hope not.

Ladies, can you advise re: maternity pay? I'm trying to work out how long I'd have to work at this place I until I'd be entitled to it. It says to be eligible, you must have completed at least 26 weeks of continuous service by the Qualifying Week (ie. the 15th week before the expected week of confinement (EWC). Does that mean you could actually get pregnant pretty much as soon as you started there?

Sorry to read that impatience. Look after yourself. It awful its know. Lots of cuddles, chocolate and cake for you today.

Back on the bus for March.

Hpt was very faint this morning.

Started losing brown blood this morning, it's now red.

I want to go back to bed and not wake up until it's over.

I'm still on the February bus too MrsExtraordinary but only just (I'm picturing it as a Routemaster type with me clinging to the pole in the doorway and hanging precariously off the back). I have every symptom of AF apart from the obvious one.

So sorry to hear the sad news Jones. I haven't posted much on the thread but have been reading from the start and following everyone's news. Wishing you well.

Good luck wishes to Kitty & Rhibee for stronger lines soon to put your minds at rest.

Thanks barmy, fingers crossed for you too toots!

The other 2 tests were clearblue. If that's makes any difference. And I did think I oved late. I actually don't mind if af turns up but the limbo is driving me a bit potty! I mentioned to dh I'd be 5 days late tomorrow and he said oh no not another deadline missed. He thought I was talking about work! Bless him we were talking about work but even still You'd think at 40 he'd have a little more sense he said, no you can't be, I saw you with a tampon yesterday!

Awful news Jones. But like the others have said, dont blame yourself. Nothing you could have done.

Im still lurking Mrs. Glad your spotting didn't come to anything yet.
im still in limbo but going to test tomorrow. everything crossed x

Kitty, how many dpo are you today? Digis often take a few days longer to show up, so that line is a good sign!

MrsExtraordinary fingers crossed for tomorrow!

Jones I'm so sorry to hear your update. Look after yourself and take your time to relax if you can. No words can console with a loss, but know we are all thinking of you.

Is anyone left on this February bus?! It feels rather quiet! Is anyone still seating on a seat up the back perhaps?

The spotting update is that today there has been no spotting at all! So just a bit yesterday afternoon and eve. In fact today has been nothing absolutely nothing. So if I don't wake up in a flood I don't think I can hold out, im going in hunt of a frer! Whatever that is!!