February 2014. The cake mix is in the mug, the microwave is on, it's slowly rising and we'll be pinging in three more months!

[Shropshiremummy2B]

Sadly my cake mix is rising too much and resulting in a serious muffin top.

And hi cuckoo!

There's a stats thread as well somewhere so you can see who we all are and whether we're expecting dc1/2/3/boys/girls/surprises

Lol shrops, nah i reckon I'll cultivate a handle bar tache so no cut needed

Quick q about work risk assessments. My work hasn't done one and the lady responsible just told me to do it with head of dept, which I haven't as I've no idea what is needed to be done and have been too busy to bother thinking about it. Got an inset day tomorrow so figure I should get it sorted, especially as I'm getting bigger and doing practicals with classes if 30 kids etc. So - any ideas on what is needed? Is it actually something I should be doing or should work be doing it? My hod has no idea at all. I know some of you are teachers too so it would be really useful especially to know what yours have been like.

Thanks! x

Morning Tea, all the groups I have been to have been really laid back and relaxed, no competitiveness. It's also been great to have different views on any issues you have and seeing the differences between childrens development.

I was going to be going back to work very soon, but due to this pregnancy it has been delayed until this one goes to preschool/school. I will change career tack as retail managers don't work particularly family friendly hours and I have got used to that. plus after 14 years of Xmas in retail, I actually enjoy the festivities now I'm not working

miss, I think I still have mine from work. It should be done between you and your manager/hod/hr. Most companies should already have a blank one that you just fill out relating to your needs. If you want I can hunt it out today, scan it and email you it if you want. I worked in retail but it would give you good idea what it covers.

Misskatamari, I am a teacher but my situation is a bit different as I work with SEN kids so we have all been trained to physically restrain/remove children from a situation. Obviously I cannot now do this, so I have to step way back and let other people deal with it, which has been harder than you might think, especially when it happens in my class and I am there with one trained CA and one not - the poor girl who is trained has been the first line of defense.

Other than that, I am not covering PE, and just generally being careful. Our health and safety person has not said I need a specific risk assessment, although I am sure it is just because he hasn't thought of it! I won't mention it, as that would be extra fecking work.

Welcome Cuckoo - come and join in the fun. Just be warned - this thread moves seriously fast! In order to even try and stay up to date I have to devote vast amounts of work time to MN. Bad employee.

Hello cuckoo. I am new too and trying to get up to speed.

I am 40 and pregnant with my first ( although I have beautiful twin stepchildren as well). We are having a girl on the 4th February.

Will try to find the stats thread later :)

Morning all, welcome cuckoo. Interesting info re nursery/childminders. Had always assumed nursery was best choice for us as don't like the idea of baby going to a CM's 'home' and getting too attached (this is our first so feeling possessive already). Might contact a few nurseries in the coming weeks to find out when waiting lists start. I'll probably be going back to work in Jan 15 so it'll be 11mths.

Very hacked off and today. Took me 2.5hrs to drive 25miles. Got into the office at 10. Meeting I battled to make has been cancelled. Clear diary for the rest of today. Very tempted to head off early and work from home.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1767134-February-2014-Stats-Thread stats thread here for all the newbies

If you would like to join our top secret Facebook group to add bump/nursery/baby stuff photos then PM me with your FB email address and I'll add you tonight. It's completely hidden from your feed and friends can't see what you post so makes it easy to share our weekly belly shots!

Ladies with low placentas - did you find out at the scan or at the next midwife appointment?
I've looked at my scan paperwork and the sonographer checked the boxes saying 'posterior' and 'low', so I don't know. If it was low enough to trigger another scan would she have said at the time, or waited for the midwife to look at my results and tell me?

I succumbed to DH's cold overnight and am now snotty and blah :( I want him to take a multivitamin so he doesn't get any more and infect me but he is stubborn and doesn't believe they work. Also he has taken to watching repeats of 2.4 children and I might hit him with the remote.

Also - OMG I'M HAVING AN ACTUAL BABY IN FEB! I'm so not ready for this even though I want it to be feb already.

thanks camwombat, i seem to have a warped view of these groups being like school with others wanting to size up the newbie.

Side question, how do you ladies know that it is bad to sleep on your backs whilst pregnant? Its my most comfortable position.

Also has anyone got itchy breasts or longer/thicker hairs growing on their breasts???? what is happening to me????

I know julietee, Feb seems so soon. I've only just gotten a bumpbelly.

Teaaddict I think it's a problem when your bump is really big in the third trimester and the weight of it compresses major blood vessels behind, but I reckon it'd be fairly apparent when that time has arrived and it would no longer be comfy! I have a definite bump and I still sleep on my back.

Just had the flu jab - the nurse in my GP surgery is so lovely. she does all the baby jabs too so I'm glad she's a good'un. In fact all the nurses and midwives I've come across so far have been beyond awesome. Makes me love where I live even more.

In case it's of interest to anyone she said the optimum time for whooping cough jab (which you can have after 28 weeks) is 34 weeks - that way the baby gets the most ideal level of immunisation from it, so best to book it at 32 weeks for 34.

Tea
Yes, my boobs now have a nipple forest. I plucked about 25 long black ones thismorning. I get them normally, but not that many!

The back sleeping thing is advice widely circulated amongst American pregnant women. It's not that it's incorrect, it's more that the possible bad effects have been exaggerated. The theory is that the growing weight of your uterus compresses the big blood vessels (I want to say vena cava?) that deliver blood to both you and the baby/ placenta, so in theory lying on your back could decrease flow of nutrients and waste to and from the baby. Lying on your left side is meant to provide the least compression of those vessels and thus be a better position to sleep in.
In practice, apparently, this lack of flow would affect you before it did the baby and you'd feel dizzy and weird and breathless, so you'd stop anyway. And that only happens to some women. And the evidence isn't particularly clear on it being harmful anyway.
I'm sure Dr. Google can explain it way better than I can!

Julietee I was told at my 20 wk scan that my placenta was low and I'd need further scans at 32 weeks and possibly later depending on whether it has moved by then - I was then sent my scan date in the post - Christmas Eve!!! X

Hmm at my 20wk scan she said placenta was 'at the bottom' and I asked if that was a problem and she said 'as long as it's not in the cervix it's fine'.

Another question to ask the midwife at next appt I think!

A little question for champagne hope you don't mind! If I ask to come back to work PT (as and when the time comes) and they say no, will I then get the option to decide for definite if I do want to come back FT or will that the end of it?

I've also signed up for our full pension today, I thought I'd better get a year under my belt in case they don't want me back!

wow, so much to read, can't focus on it all so picking out the bits I can comment on

Pregnancy Pilates DVD still unopened!

No idea what we're doing about childcare. I have to return to work in September and have already contacted 2 childminders but neither has a vacancy. I don't like the idea of nursery for an 8 month old but will look into it (one day)

Misskat if you're missing beer have you tried non-alcoholic? Some of it is ok - especially Bavarian stuff.

Flu jab and the other one (whooping cough?)... Any reason why not? I don't want flu - had it a couple of years ago and it took me months to fully recover. But someone wrote some propaganda/ news on facebook about it being an evil thing to do so interested in your thoughts...

Half term starts now! And I am now allowing myself to countdown to ML.... only 30 days! Oh dear, and I have to get Year 11 up to their target grades by then!

Thanks for the advice on risk assessments ladies. I've emailed the woman responsible and she's sent me a form with tick boxes and any additional things to add so hopefully should be pretty straight forward.

Boob wise I still have a super itchy right nip and there is the odd hair but luckily no mega forest yet. It's weird as I'm a hairy beast under normal circumstances but actually seem to e a bit less so now I'm Preggo. Got a leg and bikini wax booked tonight so that should be interesting as I'm not exactly flexible anymore! Lol!

Yaaaaaay loads of bargain eBay clothes have arrived today along with my arms reach co-sleeper crib which I got for half price on their. Need to have a go assembling it and fingers crossed its decent . I'm feeling quite sorted now as we know what pram we want and have Moses basket and cosleeper (thank you eBay!) plus quite a few clothes so I don't know how many more essential things we need for as soon as baby is born. I'm buying some cloth nappies from a friend and think things like sling etc I'm gonna wait until little one arrives before buying so I can try em out. There's probably loads of glaringly obvious stuff I've not thought of tho so if anyone can think if anything let me know. I'm still undecided whether to go for cot or cotbed but I guess there's no rush right now if we have the other things.

Must get a bump picture taken too - I feel like I'm getting bigger by the day. When I say this to DH he just tells me "of course you are, stop going on about it" and I want to punch him

nearly the weekend ladies yaaaaaay x

Is it true that lying on your left also encourages the baby into the best position for labour - less likely to go back to back or something? That said I'vr been propping myself up onto my left for a few weeks and thr baby seems to.be stubbornly staying on the right in spite of gravity.

Ooooh Ch I'll look into the Bavarian ones! I must admit becks blue is pretty good so I've been enjoying that. The main thing I want is a hoegaarden. I'd have a half occasionally but it's so bloody strong there's 1.4 units in one or something ridiculous. Maybe I'll allow myself a Christmas Day treat along with my pate on toast!

Wow 30 days left I am sooo jealous. I need to count mine up. My bottom set kids who I was dreading are all doing pretty well so far - I just hope they get someone decent in for my cover so they continue to do well. Kids can be a nightmare when get get someone new in and I do have some tasty characters!

In terms of lying I ask the midwife yesterday and she said as long as not totally flat on your back it's fine. Baby doesn't seem to like it when I'm on my left and boots me loads until I move!

Just got DH to take a bump photo and he tells me that the top I'm wearing makes me look "fat saggy and wrinkly" - so yeah that ones not going in fb! And I won't be wearing that top to work all day again either

Hi it's vix206 with a name change, thought it was about time...

Not had a good week as you all know but still lurking x

missk my beer loving husband drinks Bob alcoholic beers quite often so they must taste ok! He isn't keen on becks Blue, but I'm sneak a look when I get back and tell you what's in the fridge. One is very similar to a hoegaarden.

Talking of which, he got offered the teaching job he had the interview for yesterday. Only the school is about to go in special measures. We need to work out tonight if it's sensible for him to accept. I'm also cheekily applying for a promotion tonight once I get off mumsnet! It's in my current department, who I've given 14 years of my life to so I don't feel too bad.

Would it be bad for me to take my bra off on the train home? my ribs are hurting me sooo much I want to cry

non not Bob alcoholic! No idea who Bob is

misskb that was very nasty of your husband I'm sure you looked lovely and pregnant.

Oh so annoyed at myself! Teachers need your advice. My school have been pretty rubbish, keep asking me for my mat b1 form (which I've just forgotten to ask about at my 25wk mw appt-grr!) and said there are deadlines of when I have to write to them stating when I intend to go on mat leave/ come bk/ apply for part time etc but haven't told me when these deadlines are. I haven't been given any info on maternity when colleagues say I should have and that at 25wks I've prob already missed some deadlines. This is stressing me out. I tried ringing hr directly today but lady I need wasn't in, need to try again tomorrow. Also no risk assessment made. Any of you lovely teacher ladies know what I should be doing and when? And what I actually need to write in letters and to who?

Thanks in advance xx

Ps- wow so much to think about during pregnancy, I wouldn't have even have thought about applying to nurseries yet!