Frisky and Glowing in The Second Trimester on The February Baby Bus!

[BillComptonstrousers]

Well, are we?

Has the sickness abated?
Are our locks shiny and luscious?
Are our nails long and strong?
Are we back on form in the 'ahem' bedroom?

No? Well we soon will be ladies it's The second Trimester*

*billcomptonstrousers accepts no responsibility if this does not happen to you.

Old thread here

innocent I wish I could help you, you sound like you need a big hug!

Is there any work you could do from home which could continue when you have had your much loved and very lucky baby.

Also is there any extra support you could get as a young mum in your area? If I remember correctly you are 19.

And definitely make an appointment with your GP your mental health is just as important as your physical health.

Innocent, no useful advice, but enjoy your glass of wine :)

I had some goats cheese today in a panini. It was lovely... it wasn't the rind type, so not reeaaally naughty....

Now off to ride my horse. Had lectures from some people about doing that too, but the midwife I saw on Monday said she rode until about 30 weeks with her first, so I can chuck that back at them next time!!

They haven't said it is just because I am pregnant, it's just what I suspect; I asked the manager to take me off close shifts because of the heavy cleaning and suddenly I am on 1 shift a week!

And yes it is a franchise, I am so scared for my financial future! DP is having to take a pay cut to keep his job (well a change of responsibilities) Can i still take action if they havent said it is because of PG?

X posted with everyone - going to book an appointment at CAB and speak to ACAS.

And yeah I am only 19 :( I would have thought my boss would understand she already has 4 kids herself!! And i was on like a flexible contract only contracted to 4 hours a week. But always did more.

I am literally going to be cutting the cord and going back to work. And hormones mean I can't even think straight :(

They don't need to have said it, it speaks for itself. Employers are meant to do a health and safety assessment once they know you are pregnant which may result in you not doing heavy duties, but your hours shouldn't be cut because of it. You need to request in writing a reason for the change in shift hours and look carefully at your contract.

Oh Innocent what a cow bag of a boss you have . Definitely dig your contract out and speak to ACAS and/or CAB. I'm a personnel manager and when people come to tell me they're pregnant with or without their MATB1 forms if they're working under the limit to claim SMP if it's something they want to do I always increase their hours so they get entitled to it. I don't understand how she thinks she can just cut your hours like that and get away with it. We're all here for you if you need any more advice or just want to rant and let it all out. Just keep thinking in February you'll have a beautiful baby

Louby Can I work for you? I haven't submitted my MATB1 yet because, well I don't know. I was going to do it at 24 weeks. Reading my staff handbook now, just mentions the health and safety, but not hours. I am going in to speak to my boss, on one of my plentiful days off, and just to request at least 28 hours (as that is what I need to qualify for the highest rate of MA) After I have spoke to her, if nothing is resolved I will be going to CAB/ACAS.

After that I will go through the route of finding out WHY my hours were cut as Zhen suggested - it speaks for itself. They could just suggest business needs though couldn't they. I prove my worth adn that I am a good employee, day in, day out, I just joined the company a week too late to qualify for SMP!

Rant rant bloody rant but I definitely feel better! And yeah I will, and they will be beautiful :) Just have a skint mummy and daddy but money is not the be all and end all! I was just thinking the other day, they will be born in Feb, still winter time and be able to have all the mummy and daddy time with them snuggling up inside and in bed and watch the weather outside!!

Innocent - I'm on a zero hours contract, but still eligible for SMP. You want to check why you're not. I also do a very physical job, and was risk assessed, but didn't have my hours reduced or anything like that.

I'd also speak to the job centre about benefits. You'll get more help once you have a baby, and if you're not eligible for SMP, you should be able to get Maternity Allowance, which pays up to roughly £120 a week (can't remember exactly). There's also child benefit that you get as soon as babber's born.

I've been doing some work for a local college recently, and they have loads of exciting earn while you learn jobs/courses. I retrained once I had babies as a swimming teacher, which I love. Sometimes having babies is the perfect chance to do something new.

Sorry some of you are still puking. That's rubbish.

woowa - at your nappy changing advice! It reminded me about the projectile poo!

Innocent I don't think they can do that to you and its a bit obvious thats why your hours are being slashed. I used to work in McD's when I was in college and the manager and another colleague were both pregnant and they still worked full time right up until maternity leave. I'd certainly look into it because it doesn't sound right, enjoy your drink :)

phlossie I am not eligible for SMP because i was 4 weeks pregnant when I started working there - you have to be employed for a week before you get pregnant. But I do qualify for MA - but i need to be earning more than I do now to get the top rate of it 90% of your weekly earnings capped at £124. i don;t just need to earn more for maternity pay though, i need it just for now too, to live basically. My DP works over 24 hours a week and even though we are technically homeless (we live with my parents because couldn't afford my last house after I lost my job in February) we are not eligible for any benefits such as i cannot claim IS or JSA income based. I know we will be eligible for CTC and CB later but nothing for now. I know money isn't the be all and end all, but it certainly helps. Bloody hell, I sound like a bloody troll who has everything wrong with them!

Pam it is a little obvious isn't it. I am speaking to a colleague of mine at the moment, and she has had exact same happen to her since they found out she was PG - from 36 hour weeks to between 6-8. They won't get away with it! Got so many resources now thank you so much all of you, and I will let you know how it gets on with my manager. Going to go to speak to her off shift.

Just looked at my schedule and my next shift is NEXT FRIDAY!!!

On the plus side can feel movement, they must be enjoying my drink just as much as I am (I hope ha) x

Innocent - when I claimed maternity allowance with DD (missed out on SMP by a week like you) I only had to provide 13 weeks payslips out of the 26 employment weeks in my test period so I provided the ones with the highest pay rate. If you have paid Class 2 NI contributions at the end of each week in your 13 week earnings period, you will be treated as having enough earnings to receive standard rate MA. You pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions at a flat rate of £2.50 a week.

If you have worked 13 weeks full-time before this change would that still provide you with enough class 2 NI contributions to get MA?

www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/specialist-guides/technical-guidance/ni17a-a-guide-to-maternity/maternity-allowance-ma/rates-of-ma/

innocent. Yes def get some advice. How long have you worked there? Your contract is only 4 hours but if you can show that you have worked considerably more than that since you started and that only changed after you said you were pg and asked for a change in shifts, it could look favourable. I would mention this when you talk to your manager.

It is right that they should have done a pregnancy risk assessment and adjusted your duties accordingly, rather than just making assumptions.

You are protected from discrimination from day one, although in reality this could be hard to prove. Have any men had their hours reduced? If it is only you and the other pg employee then it does look very dodgy and they would have a hard time justifying it. I think talking to your manager in the first instance is the best bet. It might be enough to rattle her and make her give you more hours. Good luck, let us know how you get on.

Can't believe how many twattish managers there are out there .

woowa I have the same questions as zhen about the nappies and also are they a lot of work?

Re the bathing - they showed us how to do this in hospital so wasn't so bad. I would def recommend staying at least a night for first timers. Subject to staffing there is usually someone around to ask things you are not sure about and you can always earwig on the advice other mums get.

Had my 16 week appt today, got to hear heartbeat

17+1

It says about the test period (66 weeks) If i submit my old wage slips from my previous employer (pulling in £1000 a month) would that mean I qualify for Ma at the highest rate. I was employed by them up until February 2011 (Thus less than 66 weeks). sorry I don't understand some of this

See eligibility Eligibility

It says about the test period (66 weeks) If i submit my old wage slips from my previous employer (pulling in £1000 a month) would that mean I qualify for Ma at the highest rate. I was employed by them up until February 2011 (Thus less than 66 weeks). sorry I don't understand some of this

See eligibility Eligibility

Hi woowa I have another question about babies, I really hope you don't think I'm daft. Do breastfed babies get colic as freqently as formula fed babies? Also how do you know when the baby is winded? I am intending to breast feed so I'd really appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance :)

Still going to speak to her, because I need more hours for the now, not just for maternity pay. Thank you so much, great advice and I would recommend you to everybody. Interesting point about asking about H&S risk assesment seeing if there is specific duties and what hours i can and can't work.

everything is so much clearer in my mind. And i think baby is lying in my back as feel them low down in my abdomen, much more relaxed. Still going to speak to midwife and doctor about how low i have being feeling - up and down days you know...

Innocent - if the payslips fall within the 66 week period then regardless of which employer they are from you can use them. You can use the 13 highest weeks pay within that period provided you have been employed for more than 26 weeks within the 66 week period for them to average.

Pam - some studies have concluded that colic is lower in breast-fed babies mainly I think because when a baby feeds from a bottle it is more likely to take in air during the feed. Some babies guts just take time to mature and they may still get colic even if breastfed.

With regard to wind, sometimes you will hear or feel them pass wind, but sometimes they won't, if you put them down and they seem uncomfortable (bringing knees to chest, arching back, crying, restless) then they may need more winding. Good video here.

When DD was newborn I favoured the sitting up with hand cupping chin position. Rubbing in a circular motion with the downward stroke on the left hand side of the back mirrors the motion of the ascending, transverse and descending portions of the colon so can help with digestion and passing faeces (good for constipation).

I breastfed DD for 23 months and loved it, gave up because we were trying to conceive and I wanted a gap between breastfeeding DD and breastfeeding another child.

pam I think colic is found in both ff and bf babies, from personal experience, one of each, the bf baby had no colic at all. Generally winding them just means patting or rubbing their backs til you get a big burp or two. I found breast feeding to be considerably easier than formula feeding in the long run, but it can be really difficult at first, you need to equip yourself with helpline numbers etc, and read up as much as you can before. Also check if there are local breastfeeding groups.

Thank you both Zhen and Esme that is great, I will save these recommendations into a folder and go over them a few times before the baby arrives.

Esme I live in Ireland so the ante natal care is structured differently, there are ante natal classes but the MW told me not to book them until 28 weeks. I've never been to one so I don't know whether they go through birthing options or care of a newborn etc. I do know you get taken on a tour of the labour ward. The hospital were I am due to give birth has a Baby Frendly award and I know that there is someone there to help you breastfeed. Thanks so much for your advice too though, I'm probably just panicking

OmG I just read that we are not supposed to lie on our backs after 16/ 17 weeks!

Really?! I so struggle to lie on my side! And have only just stopped lying on my front!

How do/ should we sleep?
I read it can restrict blood flow and am worrying

Oh my word so much to catch up on and my laptop charger has broke n reading it all on my phone!

Can't remember who it is who has the manager beef but the manager sounds a proper expletive! Unfortunately i have no advice. Luckily sue to dh's job he knows the benefit system inside out so he knows what I'm entitled to!!!!

Good news day today. When Pip makes their appearance inwont have to get a taxi to hospital. Dh passed his driving test today. First time too clever sod! He now has 8 years of me taxiing us around to make up on! Lol

Night folks
17+3

kayano I'm still sleeping on my back and on my right which is also to be avoided. Yes it can restrict bloodflow. But if bloodflow was restricted while you were asleep/dozing. You'd soon change position!