November 2012 - into the third trimester

[StuntNun]

Previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1529536-November-2012-reaching-the-six-month-mark

Stats list: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1485512-November-2012-Stats-List

We have been given a highchair by someone and it's in lovely condition. We had looked at them in the shops and some of them are pretty expensive so decided against getting one at the moment. This one folds up though so we can put it in the cupboard out the way until it's needed.

My auntie who lives in America also posted us some adorable little shoes. He now has more pairs than DP and I so that's enough now.

Off to London again tomorrow. This time for football. It's supposed to be a scorcher so I'm stressing over what to wear. Because we have had pretty crap weather the only maternity trousers I've bought so far are full length but they'll make me far too sweaty if it's going to be as hot as they say. Might have to be leggings and a long floaty top which makes me look the size of a small house. The joys of pregnancy!

Hia,

Great news about the work missmummy! Bad news about the hubby's head (and what a waste of curly fries!)

nervous we got our mattress from mothercare. We went for the pocket sprung one. We bought it online but we are very happy with it. I wonder if either you felt that one or they have sent the wrong one. Certainly, if you wanted a replacement I think the pocket sprung one is worth a look.

The photoshoot sounds fun tits. I am sure they will look very classy.

I had my 28 week appointment today. DH came with me and was very impressed. He could see the midwife sort of pinching the baby's head - he could see the outline because of the way she had it. Sadly I was lying down and could see nothing. The head seems to be down in my pelvis at the moment. Just hope he stays that way and doesn't spin round just when e needs to be that way.

It turned out my urine was very kautonic (?) or something. It meant my body was in fat burning mode because I hadn't eaten since breakfast and this was 2pm. I had been running around at work and just hadn't thought. It does make you realise just how much more thoughtful you need to be. I made it up to baby by having a large fish and chips for tea!

DH is lying sleeping with his legs up on my knee. He has the cat on his knee. Proper pile! I really need a wee but i can't move

Oh dear I managed to offend a pregnant lady at the show today. The conversation basically moved onto bump sizes to which she said, jokingly, oh please don't stand too close you make me look huge. I then said ih when you due? She said oct, so I was like oh you have a month on me, my edd is 1st nov, to which she replied, erm that's my due date too, now I feel even fatter.

Tried to say something along the lines of having a good core before pregnancy etc but the more I spoke, the worse it sounded so I just walked off......

Oh horsey I hate when that happens! Sometimes the best option is to just stop and walk away.

I'm watching last week's midwives. I am not sure if I am being a bit touchy but I can't help but feel that the 'posh' mums are being a bit ridiculed. Did anyone else see it? What did you think?

Shattered. Redundancy conciliation was hell, was supposed to be one hour, after five hours had to break and go back on Monday. BH all evening, thought I was going into labour. I'll be lucky to come out of this alive at this rate.

Oh just remembered that I read that some of you were on calcium tablets. I drink no milk at all and have cheese on pasta maybe once every two weeks. There is calcium in the sanatagen preg tablets but I've only been taking them for a couple of months, used pregnacare before and that had no calcium. I asked a couple of times my midwife and doctor if I needed extra calcium and they said no. Did something come up in your bloods as to why you've taking calcium?

How have I missed this thread, can I join in please? Due November 24th with DS2, 26 weeks today and I am enormous. I feel like an egg on legs.

arrgh we got a letter from the tax credits today saying we owe more than £800. honestly I wish I hadn't bothered applying. Such a pain, pay us money then ask for it back.

stuntnun that's rubbish, how inconsiderate of them.
We've had a supposed consulation on for 3 weeks 'before' the new department was decided on. It consisted of one meeting on the first day. Lots of romours, no info unless you asked, then an informal meeting at the end. No one is any the wiser and will find out at some point in the next few weeks what is happening with job moves.

georgee Hi I remember you!
I had a very similar sounding birth with my DD, I didn't get a EMCS but had a 20 hour mostly induced labour and she at some point got in a face up position which they only noticed after I was pushing for 3 hours.. Rushed to theatre, preped up but they attempted to tip her face down with forceps first, which worked and she was pushed out luckily. so close to the CS but lucky not to have one. I am hoping things will be very different this time! same for you!

Welcome oysterleymama!

Stuntnun rest up, sounds awful.

It sometimes feels like thsi baby is trying to escape!

mrswee I have yet to hear about tax credits. Have you told them you are going on mat leave? Have they discussed repayments? I am going to tell them as soon as my money goes down as I will be needing extra pennies when I need them, or for repayments to drop which will be more likely.

We would not apply for Tax Credits unless we needed them, but they cause so much stress. It really should be the case that if we get paid something, we do not have to pay back unless clearly fraudulent. It is not as if our employers can say, well actually you owe us bla bla bla. We work out our lives and budgets according to how much money we have, and having to pay money back is not easy! Grr!

mrswee that is a bummer about the tax credits. u fortunately it is hard to get out of in my experience me and my ex were found to owe about 1800 between us at the time of the divorce and my finances were really in dire straits. They still made me pay. On the plus side they let me tell them now much I could afford to pay back a month, so although I paid my half back I did it on my terms, it took for ages. Give them a call they were quite helpful.

DH has just brought me cup of tea in bed I'm not sure if he realises now absolutely wonderful that is. I ache from head to toe this week as if I had fallen of my bike/horse/down the stairs.

Ps I agree with you vq if they cock up how much they give you based on the true information you have provided should be tough really.

pass I've been watching the midwives programme, I thought they were saying the posh women needed more reassurance etc during labour whereas the not so posh just got on with it. They were prob so worried about offending the deprived mums it went a bit the other way!

Getting the buggy today woooooooop!!

vailum and sophia Yes very annoying. I forgot to re apply, I was kind of scared to but anyway I should have. They just sent a letter saying I owe bla bla and they will make arrangements to pay. We are paying two mortgages, two council taxes, two sets of bills and have just upped DD's child care so we our budget is very tight, so I guess I won't be paying that much back a month!
I will tell them about mat leave. My 3 months full pay will basically take me right to the end of this financial year, but by the last 3 months I will have two kids and I have doubled my child care costs for most of this year.

It's so complecated!!

Any dealing with the government in any guise to do with money is a nightmare. Left hand and right hand don't only not know what each other are doing but sometimes actively seem to undo each other's work.

DH you are absolutely right about the midwife programme. It was only one bit that got me a bit sensitive and only one midwife. The rest were lovely and non-judgemental wherever they worked. It was just one lady who was saying that the 'poor' ladies wanted nothing from you and just have birth because that's what they did (her words) while the 'posh' ladies wanted lots of information and control. Her tone implied she definitely preferred not being questioned and not having to provide much. However, it's telly and I'm sure she tone wasn't what she intended.

I did smile at the 'posh' lady's birthing plan - contractions must be called surges and no mention of pain. My birth plan at the moment consist of 'get it out of me!'

Both ladies used a pool though and it seemed nice - So that's definitely my plan.

Oh, and horray for tea in bed and buggies!

mrswee I think they will only backdate 1 month, but do reapply. It sounds as if you would have still been entitled? Deffo more so now, so any amount owed should hopefully balance out. I like to think I am fairly intelligent, but I do not understand it. Apparently there are Accountants who do not understand it either.

What buggy might this be? Apologies if you have already said. It gets a tad confusing as there are a lot of us! And what colour?

Britax B Dual in denim, got it for £180 inc a rain cover, second seat, foot muffs, instructions, car seat adapters and apron.
It's had really good reviews online and to buy all that new you're looking at £400+

All I need to get is a soft carrycot to attach to it while the baby is small esp as it'll be cold.

Oh yes. I remember. Exciting! I hope you are pleased with it.

Anyone tried the Graze boxes? I had a voucher for a free one & its LOV-ER-LY and I've only eaten a 1/3 of it. Plus, its meant to be quite healthy - all nuts & dried fruits etc with high fibre ones & so on. Unfortunately, at £3.89 a time, I'm not sure I can justify keeping it. :(

As for tax credits. Rubbish system, should never have been invented. There aren't enough checks in place to ensure its not fraudulently used & then people that are entitled are messed about. Stupid system. Should have just increased the lower tax allowance so that only poorer earners/low incomes benefited. We're still going through the whole 'you've given us too much money' thing, they won't take it back yet, but we can't afford to spend it knowing they could ask for it back!!! The really really stupid thing is I only applied once, 2yrs ago, and its only 4mths ago that they gave us anything. We didn't reapply/update our details because we're still dealing with all the other hassle. Perhaps we should have reapplied, but I figure if they took 2yrs (near enough) to process it first time around, its not worth updating them now. As it is, they're already sending letters to the student loans company telling them I'm no longer working, requiring me to fill in a form to say 'bollocks'!!!

Chunky that is bizarre. You have done so well to not have spent it. I am dreading my letter, but so far payments have continued as before. I tried to tell them childcare costs were going down as on Mat Leave and they said because we are undergoing a review they cannot take the information yet. And there are people who claim they are single parents when they are not, disabled when they are not, and folk who live in council houses who earn £100K plus. Grr!

DD1 is driving me crazy asking for food every 10 minutes. She has just turned six and may be having a growth spurt. Of she eats any more fruit she will have the runs!

I have seen the graze boxes and fancied them bit not tried as I thought they were expensive. Worth a try then are they?

If you can get a free one with a voucher Sophia def worth a go! The bits I got were honeycomb oat flapjack, Eleanor's Apple crumble (Orange sultanas, dried Apple slices & honey cinnamon glazed almonds) - both of which are yummy - plus jaffa cake (dark choc buttons, Orange sultanas & roasted hazelnuts) & oatcakes with chutney dip. They aren't very big portions, and I'm sure that, with a bit of thoughtful shopping, you could recreate the same type of snacks cheaper. Afterall, as mums, we usually have lots of little snack tubs knocking around!! The only thing that might be trickier to source is the healthy flapjacks, but could prob make from scratch if so inclined. If I wasn't a working mum or pg, I'd probably keep the a/c & get a box once a wk or fortnight so I had some healthy snacks when the 4pm munchies hit, but its a bit pricey/an extravagance at the mo.

VQ to be honest its been really hard to not touch the money, & this month, with the garage repair needed, we've dipped into it, with a view to paying it back when I get paid. It's so frustrating knowing that a little bit is ours, but not sure which bit iyswim!!! Our plans for maternity money have had to change too - we are introducing austerity measures in the Chicken household!! :)