April 2015 thread 6: our Christmas puddings are half cooked, now bring on the glow!

[BrixtonBunny]

We were getting perilously close to being full up, hope no one minds!

Just a heads up for any bargain hunters out there ... nipped into Tesco Extra on my way home today and picked up the following:
Weleda Nappy Creams - these were reduced to clear at £1.73 a pop. Big saving on the near £7 they usually charge. I bought three!
Burping cloths - pack of 5, really cute designs. £1.50 down from £5
Sleepsuits - pk of two. £4 down from £6. V cute. I bought one pack for upto 3months and another for 3-6months.
Muslins - pack of 5. Ridiculously cute. £2 down from £6. I bought two packs ... now I just need to work out what they are actually used for and why everyone on MN raves about them!

Now im going to make a cuppa and read through the oodles of pages ive missed!

21+6

Lauren do phone maternity if you're worried and want peace of mind. At my 20 week scan the sonographer wanted to double check the placenta position but had to wait for a couple of minutes as she could see on the screen that I was having a braxton hicks contraction! Said I probably couldn't feel it (I couldn't) but that some people (ie you) do feel them early on. Said it's all perfectly normal and that it's all part of the uterus stretching a growing. I hope this gives you some reassurance but please make the phone call if it's worrying you or gets worse

Def give them a call Lauren it's what they're there for. Hope things settle down overnight. My sonographer person said I was having a contraction during 20 wk scan last week, I didn't feel anything at the time.

Mostly for wiping up sick in my experience mswibble! Ds1 was sick A LOT and I always had one with me. Ds2 then had one as comforter and know we always have one around. They also make good capes and even a sling of needed in an emergency I guess.

Sorry things are getting so scary for you Lauren82000, hope you have a peaceful night!

yikes lauren definitely give maternity a call, better safe than worried!

I hope you managed to speak to someone in Maternity Lauren and you are able to relax tonight. Lots of rest for you

Lauren that sounds horrible, really hope you can speak to someone for some reassurance soon. Braxton Hicks sound very normal though.

Hiding I'm taking annual leave from 13 March then taking maternity leave from 1 April for a year. Hoping to go back part-time, DP will hopefully go down to four days a week, and my mum will hopefully do a day a week for us, so we are aiming to have a day a week where we need childcare. Scary to think about it all though - London is so bloody expensive!

I am literally a counting down the days until I finish. Morale is at an all time low and to be quite honest my ideal scenario would be that the place folds and I get my nice redundancy package. But anyhoo, I digress - at the most I'm looking to finish on Friday 20th March, using my remaining AL until I start maternity leave on 20th April. Due on 23rd.
I'm taking the full year off and returning 3 days a week, possibly 2 days for the first month or so. The last couple of months of mat leave will be a bit tight but hoping that prior budgeting and saving will help.
Can't wait!

At the moment - not at the most!

mswibble make sure you get your matb1 form back and keep it and all of your pay slips for the year before maternity and the entirety of maternity on hand if there is a risk of the company going under, they're all things you'll need to apply for the government to take over the remainder of your maternity payments (speaking from experience, I was notoriously crap at keeping that stuff as I never thought I'd need it >.

Had a crappy nights sleep but not because of bump. (Who by the way settled down eventually and this morning it's just slightly pink which is better than the dark brown I was getting yesterday.) I seem to have picked up this horrible cold everyone seemed to have 3 weeks ago! My head hurts all over, my back aches, I feel sick and my throat hurts feeling very sorry for myself. Plus I have to look after DD this afternoon as DHs grandma can't do it like she normally does. So I'm bunking off work but there is no going back to bed for me.

Sounds more positive, hope your dad gives you a break today Lauren82000!

I will be working until I drop unless I win the lottery in the meantime! With ds2 I worked until the Friday and was induced with him at 41+6 on the Monday at 8.30am. He was born at 5.30 and I returned to work 3 weeks later. This time it may have to be different but as the consultant expects that worse case scenario is my boy will be in hospital 2 weeks maximum I will have a week at home with him and then be back to work.

Lauren I'm pleased things seem to have settled down for you.

My sympathies for your (our) cold. I have been using some sweets from Boots to soothe throat. They're not medicated so we're allowed them, they obviously
don't 'do' anything (not being medicated!) but provide some relief from scratchy sore throat. Moral support if you will. A brand called Jakemans and they come in black currant and lemon and claim to be 'menthol' which sounds like it's trying to be helpful.

Glad the bleeding has settled down Lauren and hope your cold passes quickly.

Pregnancy is cruel. Woke up and had to rush to bathroom to be sick but cause it's first thing in morning pelvic floor failed and now have a nose bleed. This day is going to suck.

Blimey cinnamon that sounds a bit full on! I could barely keep myself and baby upright at three days last time :S

Glad things seem to have calmed down a bit lauren even if you're not going to have the most restful day!

DD and I have been up barely half an hour and she's destroyed all my tidying in the living room (also have cranberry sauce all over the living room carpet for my troubles >.

Thanks everyone :) you lot are better than MrGoogle
Wow cinnamon well done to you! I think I'd like to work right up to the end if I can although I guess you neve can predict how well you'll be.
I'll have a look at our local childcare options I think.I just didn't want to seem like a crazy mum asking about availavailability and costs before he is even born!
DH says he'd like me to be able to not go to work if I didn't want to but I think I'll need it for my own sanity. If we had a second child I'd consider giving up work then but mainly because 2 childcare costs would be more than I earn so I'd be worse off.

Hope you managed to have a more restful night lauren

Oh no kismac , if the day started so bad I guess it can only get better. I've not been sick yet but I can defo feel it brewing, and now we'very moved offices I'm furthest from the loo :/ hope I get there in time lol

Cinnamon will your DH be looking after the new one when you go back to work or do you have a brilliant nanny/ rellie lined up? I must say I take my hat off to you, I couldn't have done that.

I'm a childminder smogsville, so I'll be with him just working too

Not at all Hidingthrfear, I've had several mums visit me while pregnant and bring babies once every few weeks for an hour of so all through their mat leave so the baby knows me.

That sounds like a pants start to the day kismac!

cinnamon I'm very impressed you'll be childminding with a brand new baby! And that's so lovely that mums bring their babies to get to know you before they start with you. Must be so reassuring to know you have a lovely childminder.

Of course you are cinnamon - I knew that - pregbrain.

I really take my hat off to you in that case!

I did it with ds2 BananaToast, it was tiring but worked well. He was a pretty good baby. Ds1 was 3 1/2 and walked or buggy board occasionally, mindees were 2 and 2 1/2 and in double buggy and ds2 in a sling. Only 2 in nappies so not too bad, just not chance to catch up on sleep

X-post smogsville, thank you!

Well writing Christmas cards and a letter to Santa ended in a tantrum. DD wouldn't write her name and was trying to get me to do it all. Stuck a video in (film of choice is labyrinth at the moment) and now she is half watching half playing with her babies. Roll on 4oclock when we can nip to the shop before dropping her off to get ready for her nativity at 5.