THREAD 12 Jan 2014 - The one where we start mainlining raspberry leaf tea and festive treats for "the baby"

[fryingpantoface]

Thought I'd go for it

A friend brought me some Henderson's Relish as a gift once. It was great :) But we don't get it dahn sarf.

For future reference, Worcester Sauce is usually with the ketchup etc. Popcorn kernels are normally with the couscous/quinoa/dried beans/lentils.

I genuinely think popcorn kernels are too continental for the people of Leeds. The majority of shops I've been to either say they stopped selling them ages ago or the shop assistants don't even understand what they are (how is that possible?!). The only place I have ever managed to get them is a crazy health food shop in town and they cost me a bomb

I found some in Asda, it was with the popcorn stuff, right at the bottom of the shelf. Also with the peanut stuff.

I think a trip to the gigantic Asda near me is in order!

loulou sending love and hoping you feel better soon, you poor duck. Sounds atrocious. On the bright side (it may be too soon - is it too soon?) in 6-8 weeks time, you'll breeze through labour, in comparison. Hopefully.

felix fucking soy sauce can get to fuck. Things that do not stay where they are put are the BANE OF MY LIFE. Currently on my shit list for this (we have just moved house) are: my wireless mouse, the HDMI cable that makes our insanely large TV HD, and therefore worth having (a huge TV on non-HD is not pretty), one of my favourite mugs and some of the Christmas decorations. ALL of which are hiding. When I find them...

DH now has the bug of doom. He is lying in bed, moaning softly. I am feeling better (ish), and am extremely (saddo alert) excited that our new tumble dryer arrived today - pressie from MIL. I can't WAIT to wash towels and try it out. It's such a practical baby present - bless her lovely heart.
Ooh, and we constructed the cot yesterday. Well, DH did, I leant against the door saying feebly 'let me help...'. It looks ace!

I cried in Asda because I couldn't find the Marmite. Maybe it is an Asda conspiracy against the pregnant.

How was the kidney scan choco?

Can I go home now please? I keep getting random bump pain and I can hardly walk because the baby is grinding into my bladder/pelvis. Woe is me.

Stop going to Asda, then :o

Yes, book. Go home. The weekend starts now.

choco I hope the pain is getting under control this afternoon and that you get some answers soon.

Had another meltdown on my midwife this morning (had literally just met her for the first time and she had the bad luck to say 'how are you') but she was lovely. I'm going into work in a few mins and will speak to the manager about cutting down my duties a bit, and I've cancelled the extra shifts I was due to do this weekend. Still feeling very emotional but hearing from all of you about all the good and bad experiences is helping me keep a bit sane!

(going to sheepishly collect debit card from morrisons en route to work, luckily they have kept it safe for me...)

oh and although everything seems fine otherwise, baby's growth has accelerated so going for growth scan next week. hope it will all be fine but I have now said to DH he has to take time off for all the other appointments so that he can witness me being poked and prodded and emotionally ridiculous.

humpty not good about dh. I was mega excited when we got our dryer! My work gave me money for it as a wedding gift.

felix I went to NCT (finished last week) and I was really nervous to begin with but loved it. I think the class really depends on the person leading it. Ours was really non-preachy and just covered everything we asked her to (both sides of arguments and treatments etc) and reminded us that it is best to know what you can about different points of view so that you can make the right choice for you as it is your baby.
She encouraged us to ask questions if midwives/consultants etc suggested things so make sure we were happy with the decisions that are made.
She was really really lovely and I think if we hadn't have had someone like her it wouldn't have been as good.
Our breastfeeding lady was more preachy, but I am at NHS classes too and they are very promotional about breastfeeding too so I don't think that is just NCT.

I now have a facebook group with the NCT group so we can keep in touch and arrange meets once the babies are here.

Must go more works to do

Flowers I left £40 cash back in the dispenser of the self checkout at Morrisons the other day. Realised on my way home and by the time I got back someone had already run off with it. Bastards...

humpty I have a spare HDMI. I can post it out to you tomorrow if you like?

frying you are so lovely. Are you sure? I would be eternally (HD) grateful, if that's no trouble.

Re NCT we had our first class on Tues - it was nice, but mostly meet and greet. Not unmissable. She did say that was what she was intending though, so next week will tell. I don't mind - I wanted to use it to get to know others locally as much as anything, but so far it's not been the mine of information I expected!
She did have a GENIUS suggestion for fending off MIL/DMs with 'helpful' suggestions though: buy a special notebook, and get it out to write down their ideas, and if you want to really labour the point, say 'actually, could you write it down for me, so I get it exactly right - I so appreciate your input'.

I am already mentally filling mine with 'I wish you wouldn't listen to this modern advice on putting babies to sleep on their backs - it's so dangerous' and 'baby sleeping bags are clearly a death trap'.

Hi Humpty, that's totally fine. PM me your address and i'll get it posted to you tomorrow. Happily we bought too many of the things when we moved so I have a few (three pairs) spare.

I'm debating whether or not to bring mat leave forward. I've had another dizzy spell at work. I'm supposed to finish 3 weeks today, so at 35 weeks. I get 100% pay for 6 weeks, and then 50% for 12. Then it goes to stat pay. I'm gonna come back to work when the baby is 18 weeks old and DH is going to go on pat leave and then go part time when I work full.

I'm just so tired, and my bp isn't good if i keep going dizzy, but then I think about the money. Will someone please make my decision, with explanations, for me? I'm worried about money, but it'll be tight no matter what we decide. I'm hoping to get promoted and there'll be opportunity in Dec or Jan which i'll go for as if i'm the right person they will wait for me.

Help?

I just keep thinking, what if the baby comes late? I'll have been on mat leave for 10 weeks (well, not really, because I wouldn't be leaving this week or next, would prob be on 7th) and then it'll seem so silly

Could you be signed off as sick from now until your mat leave starts frying? That way you'd still be starting your six weeks at full pay at 35 weeks, but would be able to stay at home until then while you are feeling so rough. I know being 'off sick' sometimes has a bit of a stigma in some workplaces, but by the sounds of it you are too ill to be there. If you are feeling dizzy then I'd suggest that there is an H&S/duty of care issue for them to consider as well.

Good to hear others have found the classes useful! Humpty the notebook idea is brilliant - I may have to steal that one. I've already gone a bit nuts at people at work for trying to force their stupid parenting views on to me.

Frying - I was also considering bringing my leave forward before I got signed off sick. I think you have to do what's best for your health rather than obsess about money (which I admit I was doing also, and it's VERY hard not to!). I keep thinking about her being late too, which means I could be off for 10 weeks before she even arrives. I'm 5 days in to my sick leave of 4 weeks at the moment and I am bored shitless. I must say it's pretty nice to sleep (or not sleep, damn pregnancy insomnia) and not have to worry about work stress anymore, and just generally relax. Listen to your body and do what's right for you!

Sorry, just to drip feed, I don't get sick pay at all - bloody call centre work

I was going to say get signed off sick too, but if you don't get sick pay that's rubbish

frying I was having the same debate with myself earlier in the week. I only get smp as well but I've decided that bringing it forward by two weeks won't break the bank we may just have to be a bit more careful but it would make me feel so much better. You just have to weigh up the options.

Although saying that it doesn't look like I'm going to get a decision on my leave until Monday at the earliest Hate being in limbo. I've decided to start sorting out my handover anyway. Most of the team are away today, I still feel a bit ropey and it's Friday so I can't be arsed! All good reasons to have an easier day I think!

Hi

Well, I just talked at my DH, and then the acting manager at work and i've decided to finish next week. But the guy i'd ask isn't in until Monday, so I don't know if that's even possible.

DH said that we need to make sure I was ok. So means i'll be on the thread all the time!

When you thinking of going Nature?

Hoping to go on leave on the 6th with mat leave starting on 18th. At the moment I have leave starting on the 21st with mat leave starting on the 6th January which financially makes far more sense but I just don't think I can cope with another 4weeks unless work make allowances!

Although I have to say most of my day today has been spent on mn, looking for a new job for dh, eating chocolate, gossiping and general internet perusing. Hmm going to have to be creative when filling in my timesheet later If only every day was like this!

Frying that's good news. Hopefully can be made official when you speak to the right person at work next week.

Welcome to the world of sitting on your arse doing naff all every day