September 2013 - Definitely in the third trimester now!

[badguider]

New thread... will try to find the stats thread and link...

And yes, it's totally girly but having had plan black for 3 years, I am hormonally drawn to the pretty purple bows!

Can I just ask- when are we meant to talk to our midwives about our birth plan (ie where we want to give birth), delayed cord cutting and other stuff like that?

I had my 28 week appointment (at 26+5) so have had the bloods taken, but then things got a bit hectic as I told her about my rib pain, and she thought it might be gall stones so I ended up having an abdominal scan and then waiting to see the obstetrician.

I don't have another appointment until I'm 29+1...

Juniper my mw said it's up to me if I want to fill it out or not, said I could also download one from the Internet & then just to ask if I have any questions about anything....I don't think I'll bother...

I asked yesterday at 32 week appointment and she said we'll discuss all that next time (35 weeks I think). I recommend discussing all the aspects of the birth plan with whoever will be with you: DH knows from last time what I / we want to do in different circumstances (have been quizzing him to check!)

Ooh SGJ that is a very pretty bag!

juniper I've not discussed birth plan with the mw yet either and my neat appt is next week at 31wks. Tbh though I think as long as I've discussed it with DH and have some notes written down for him to reference on the day then I'll be happy with that. Might draw up a mini exam to test him like jenni

It makes me sound very organised but some of the questions were actually more like "what did we do about vitamin k? Did DD have it?" As I'm a bit blank on some stuff. I think on most things I trusted my antenatal teacher and own research over one midwife, and checked while in labour that they were happy to delay clamping and the injection etc. Usually there's plenty of time to tell them plans while you're waiting for the baby to come, and you're with the MW who'll most likely actually deliver your baby.

ready that's what we're going to do - because it will be my wage that affects it not DH's I think I'll have a tax year (possibly two, depending on when I go back to work) of being under one threshold or the other, and then when I'm back FT will stop claiming it so we don't have to pay it back.

Good Morning!

Child benefit - We'll try our best to work out DHs salary including these 'benefits' we never see and after childcare vouchers and if it's safely below 50k then we'll claim but if it's over or borderline then i don't think it's worth the risk of having to just pay it all back.

Changing bags - I really like the little foldable pouches so think i'll go for one of them carried in my rucksack... if I go out with the sling on my front I couldn't bear having a shoulder bag banging around and with the pram i'm sure the rucksack will fit underneath.

Birth planning - my nhs a/n classes are weekly from 23 July, labour and birth are in the first two weeks so I don't think anybody will expect us to do a plan till after that, so I will be 35 weeks. We have a template in our notes with different questions about different aspects which seems pretty useful.

And Bike Rides - Are officially magic!! I had pain in the back of my hip / top of my bum on the right side since Friday and have been sleeping rubbish for a week at least... took an hour's bike ride in the rain yesterday and hip is totally cured and I almost slept through last night with just one wee trip!!! :) Going to make sure I take a ride every day or two days from now on...

I'm glad I work in the recruitment section of HR and don't have to deal maternity entitlements daily! This is making my head swim.

After WaggyBlueElf pointed out you can claim vouchers without being charged, I did some reading and found the following from this HMRC site.

"It is not correct to make deductions from SMP to reflect salary sacrifice
arrangements."
and
"At present, employees must continue to receive all their contractual benefits other than remuneration during OML (OML - the first 26 weeks). These may be described as contractual non-cash benefits.
As a result of the amendments employees must continue to receive all their contractual benefits except pay during Additional Maternity Leave (AML - the second 26 weeks). Employees who are denied this entitlement will be able to bring a claim of sex discrimination against their employer."

I'm trying to work out how many childcare vouchers I'll want to claim, and how to sync this up with pausing my pension, and how all of this will affect my pay, so I don't lose too much while they can still charge me for it.

Sheesh, give me annual leave entitlements and pay errors any day!

I have an appointment with one of my bosses a week on Friday to discuss and book my maternity leave, but I still don't have my MatB1 form yet. I'm afraid they will just have to wait for it as I won't be seeing my midwife again before it. If all goes to plan, I'll be staying in work until the end of August, but doing 2/3 of my hours in the last 2 weeks, so I can be there on the busiest days, but not my full hours. My team leader seemed quite happy with this plan, so I'm hopeful.

As for changing bags, we'll just be using the black one that came free with our silver cross pram last time, as it fits easily without banging on my legs, and sould easily leave enough room for DD1 on the buggy board (that I haven't bought yet!) Once we're onto using the pushchair I'll be switching back to the rucksack.

Am I the only person who has lost the ability to eat without dropping food on my boobs/bump? I think I've ruined about two t-shirts, a jumper and one dress with unermovable food stains in the past two months

Belvedere also contemplating getting a new one, especially having been given some john lewis vouchers. I can't believe people are willing to spend £60 on something second hand that you can buy new for £85? Seems a bit bonkers.

running I'm with u on food-mouth coordination! Not a day goes by without me spilling something!

Runningbear - yea totally agree and plus postage as well. I think people get carried away on eBay.
And yes, I generally spill something down myself at most meals. I've reverted to being a child again.
And losing my car keys - I searched the whole house on Monday including the bins and my DP came home and found them straight away. I even left them in the ignition all day whilst at work - thank god noone stole it. Always thought baby brain was a load if rubbish until now!

Bhs has the baby bjorn for £85 with 5.25% cash back from topcashback. Like you say, makes the ones going for £70 inc delivery on eBay seem expensive...

Also I have a 15% off code (and free delivery) for JoJo Maman - got some lovely babygros yesterday. Still not cheap, but better, and NOT PINK!!! - code is MTG31

Permanently covered in food. Mainly crumbs collecting on top of bump though - makes me feel like one of the Twits.

Am completely stumped with the child benefit. Think might just take it all, put it in an account somewhere (a high interest one? Is that allowed?) and then pay what's needed back when we do our tax returns. Is there a threshold where you wouldn't get to keep any of it? I need a proper grown-up to sort this out for me! Maybe will ask my Dad .

Am working at home today and planning on stopping at 3 to watch the tennis. Pregnancy perk, no?

Just seen that code runs out tomorrow - should have mentioned

Phew, glad I'm not the only one covered in food, but yes, do keep getting mental images of the Twits as well!

la la la la la child benefit la la la la la ... have no idea, don't know, don't understand and haven't a clue! I can't imagine we are anywhere close to any kind of benefit threshold, so will continue to be ignorant/poor and sort it out in a few months

If anyone is looking for organic cotton baby stuff try here they also do a 99p trial pack of degradeable nappies and organic baby bathing stuff. Girly things are super cute, but I've bought a couple of totally unneccessary spotty baby grow vest things and a polar bear hooded towl

Also covered I'm food.

Spent a very nice morning at a "meeting" (gossip!) With a lovely member of my team (who embarrassingly I had a slightly naughty dream about recently) eating cake in a swanky French patisserie. Makes up for the fact I'm fsking knsckered.

Been given a second hand nice unisex black changing bag (not sure how it will work with real nappies) and plan to get a new rucksack too (need one for work anyway).

Hurrah for bike rides!

Cannot for the life of me work out child benefit. Probably will lose our by chosing not to bother claiming as DH earns over the threshold, but don't know how childcare vouchers will affect that? :s

Hi all, had my 28 appointment with the mw today. After all my freaking out (as people kept saying I was very neat) about being small for dates, apparently the baby is actually quite big! Measuring 27cm for 28 weeks which is good!

The whooping cough vaccine wasnt too bad as there was a new nurse YIPEEE!!! And the mw took the bloods herself so no bruised arm, all in all a good appointment.

I asked her about my cocsyx as I split them as a teenager and Im freaking out now about how they'll react during labour, but she didnt seem concerned and said they should move out of the way?!

My eBay rule is no more than half the new price, otherwise you may as well buy new I reckon, as there's ways that risk the second hand item won't last / has a problem with it.

Also covered in food, the bump really gets in the way but is great for balancing a cup of tea / small plate on when slouched on the sofa!

okay ... i'm going to have to ask: what are childcare vouchers

Lol!

Childcare vouchers are a salary sacrifice benefit that many employers offer - you can choose to take some of your pre-tax salary as childcare vouchers instead of money, thus you don't pay tax on them/it and as a side effect it reduces your 'taxable pay'.
Pretty much all nurseries and a lot of childminders accept the vouchers and lots of employers offer them as by reducing your taxable pay it also reduces the employers NI contributions they have to pay.

Ooo excited, pram came this morning and I love it! My mum helped me put it together then promptly drove off with it, old wives tale that it's bad luck to keep in the house (despite having a cot, moses basket, travel cot, high chair etc etc!)

Yes to food dropping onto bump, also bouncing off! Had my whopping cough jab last Thurs and just had a bit of soreness, though did feel much more tired than usual on Fri, Sat and Sun night so wonder if that was anything to do with it.

I'm not sure if my groin pain is SPD, does it come and go? I've been okay all week so far. Wonder if riding my bike helped too as badguider said, I ride 3 miles to work and same home once or twice a week.

Child care vouchers - my sister works in HR benefits and tried explaining this to me, since reading on here I think I need to let her have another go at getting through to me!

I have a hospital tour tonight to see the maternity unit - getting do real now!

also last night I had NCT - this was the 5th class (took the option of getting on the slightly earlier one as it is in walking distance of where we live) I have to say I am really impressed - the people are great (one of the main reasons I am going us because I am new to the area and have no family near by so need a network) but they have been completely non judgmental. We went through all the pain relief options and was told not to rule anything out and not to beat ourselves up if we need an epidural. We also spent ages on induction and c sections last night - which was good as I had no idea what to expect fro. a.c. section.

Then tomorrow I have my first hypno birthing session - have heard loads of hold things about this so I hope it works for me.

Every time I take my bra off I find food inside it. I don't know how that happens. Can I just say, taking my bra off before bed time is right up there as one of my favourite times of the day!

Jammy is that because of all the food treats you find inside

thanks for the insight to childcare vouchers. i'm going to make a wild stab in the dark that my company doesn't do them, given the cycle to work scheme was too complicated/hard for them!? will ask anyway, now that I will have a job to go back to! they sound like a bloody good thing though!

Jammy you wait until bed time? My bra is the first thing off as soon as I'm in the door. The bliss. Am sure will be droopy much sooner, but it's worth it.

and Dorita my SPD pain comes and goes, depending on what I've been doing - physio said that was normal.