April 2015 Thread 9: Let the chatting continue!

[cinnamongreyhound]

Quick new thread as only 2 posts left on old one! Any newbies or lurkers please join us!

Just had a meeting with HR to go through details of maternity leave. Thought it was all sorted but then realised the GP forgot to stamp my MATB1 form - pain! Luckily I'm back there tomorrow for my whooping cough jab so will ask them to do it then. Very excited to have dates confirmed and have an actual plan as to what's happening when (as long as baby complies!).

The countdown begins...

Morning all

brixton exciting! let us know when you've exchanged, hope it all goes well and you can get a speedy completion date so the work can begin.

siarie that is a gorgeous mobile!

Our nursery is staying as it is, DD1 will move out into her new room next week I hope (carpets coming Friday). I'm feeling a bit guilty that DD will have had everything new and DD2's room and clothes and kit will mostly be used. However DD2 won't care I'm sure, at least not for a few years!

Those with GD - I had a long chat with the GD midwife yesterday. got a blood testing kit and some dietary advice. The dietary advice is mostly about having regular meals and snacks, and heavily limiting sugars and high GI carbs, as I expected. However it also says to reduce fat which I'm not sure I agree with - from what I've read, more fat in a meal should make your blood sugars less likely to spike, so is a good thing from a GD perspective. Maybe that bit of the advice is because many women with GD are also overweight? Anyway I can experiment a bit now I have the kit and see what works. So far soya & linseed toast with peanut butter is ok, sausages with green beans and lentils is ok, bowl of cereal is not! (as I expected really!).

choco thanks for your advice! I can't find the small free version of that app at the moment but will keep hunting.

Rusty I'm sticking to plain yoghurt to be on the safe side.

aw annia sounds like your parents are really excited. Mine were a bit arms length when I was having DD - though in fact my mum was a lifesaver in the early months when DD was very difficult, despite being "not a baby person".

Good point about dressing gown for hospital. Seems I may be in hospital for a while due to likely induction and needing blood sugars monitored afterwards . I will check out Primark I think. They have lots of v cheap nighties and pjs, some of them are BF suitable (buttons down front or big stretchy neckline) in case anyone is looking for hospital pjs.

Maternity pads - I have some Natracare ones left from when dd was born, a couple of boxes I think. Not sure if that will see me through but local chemists have more if not. Natracare ones were good iirc, I didn't bleed as much as I expected but then was only 34 weeks so maybe that's why.

Words of advise for all- I took a dressing gown in for DD. Thank god ! I had leakage afterwards which I wasn't always aware of in my nightie so it saved rather a lot of self dignity when going to the toilet/ having to get up!!! No matter how many pads you use in the first few hours you will bleed lots so leakage is a v high possibility. ( not that by that point you have any dignity left haha!!) it was also my only nighty so couldn't even change :/

Sorry chicken but you'll be cursing those cute bunnies if they make you hot!

Banana - as you have an HR function - did they say what happens with the annual leave you accrue during pregnancy if you decide not to go back after a year off? Do you just lose it?

This baby is having a mad disco morning it's really hard to concentrate. Since I have magically managed to speak to people really quickly this morning I am using it as an excuse to be on this thread rather than getting on with some other work.

Banana that's great about your mat leave being sorted! It's such a relief isn't it? I'm definitely counting down the days - 26 more days in the office, 6 more days working from home - until I can leave!

Banana - I meant annual leave accrued during mat leave.

Thanks wine and Errm I think it was smogs re the pads. Maybe I'll have to actually go out in public and find them then because they are not online for my tesco shop. Idiots. Or ill use that boots link when I'm on pc
re thin dressing gown, mines from BHS

Spoke to Dr, b12 levels are very low but said to try the iron tablets and test me again At next mw appointment. He also said I'm fine to still use gaviscon just take it separate to the tablets.phew, coz my throats burning.

That mobile was cute!

Smog they didn't say as I told them I'm definitely planning to come back, but I think you should be reimbursed for it - i.e. you could 'return' for however many days AL (and any bank holidays) you've accrued and then officially leave at the end of it. You'd need to check though.

I finish 9 weeks today, will return in February being paid full-time for a couple of months but only working 3 days a week. God bless annual leave!

Thanks for advice re dressing gowns - you're making me rethink my plan not to bring one now. Might invest in a Primark cheapie...

Banana I'm doing the same from next April and going back three days a week on full pay for a while (think it actually works out to around 20 weeks!) So great!

smogs probably the wrong technique! Although OH is often caught cuddling one of my wedge pillows so I might blame him

I think I will be taking a dressing gown in hospital with me just in case I'd rather have it and not need it I think, I have a Boux Avenue one at the moment that I don't really want to get ruined so will have to look out for a cheapy!

mini I think some of the establishment advice about diabetes in general is a bit skewed and dated. Not claiming to be an expert but just have a keen interest in nutrition-partly because, whilst not having GD, I've always done better on a lower carb/higher fat regime. I recommend Marks Daily Apple (MDA) to anyone struggling with blood sugar regulation as there is a forum and Ive got loads of lower carb recipes from there.
MDA loves his fat. So do I. Fat is satisfying. Poor FIL has type 2 and I was at some of the advice-"avoid eggs, avocados, caviar (), sea food, oily fish.." yes he's overweight but that's not from poxy caviar is it?!
Good luck with it.

Just picked up my MATB1 form and it's now scanned and all sent off to the accountant (after about an hour of sorting out the scan function on the printer and the new Mac OS).

Anyway another things done, I got to go into the birth centre and there were tiny babies there! Can't believe I've only got 13 weeks left if I get that far, really getting big now too the weight is starting to feel uncomfortable on my back.

Speaking of hospital gowns, I was thinking of getting a Pretty Pushers gown so the midwives have access to everything like a normal hospital gown? Anyone else thought of getting one of these?

I need to start taking my prenatal vitamins again, something is out of whack right now I'm craving salt!

Sorry to hear some of you are having sleeping problems. I had a weird one last night where I was finding I was getting breathless when I was lying down. Hmmm.

28 week midwife appointment turned out to be consultant appointment. Boo. Really wanted to have a moan and cry but held it together for the doctor. Still measuring a week behind but all good. Not allowed to discuss birth plan until 36 weeks though which is disappointing cause I have questions!

Dressing gowns - I've got a thin, silky dark blue one which I'm going to take with me - should be fine for covering up on way to loo etc. I get very hot at the best of times! Need to pick up some breast-feeding suitable PJs though - will try and brave primark as don't want to pay for stuff I won't really use again (I'm a knickers and t-shirt person rather than PJs or nightie).

I obviously don't know what will happen on the day but hoping for MLU birth and to go home quickly, so hopefully won't be spending too much time in hospital!

Have half packed my hospital bag now!

Siarie that looks interesting - I guess you'd wear it instead of clothes / PJs? I think that I'd rather have something less exposed for walking around in, though I guess it depends when you wear it and what for!

kismac no problem with crying at a doctor! I know lots of people who do... And have done myself! It's useful for them to know if you are struggling otherwise they can't offer support.

penguin yep but that sounds like 2 shifts to catch up on, all good - not my 17 ish! Still, it's because I was so ill for so long I actually wasn't in a state to do them. I should have realised sooner after my op it was about to become a big issue though. Think I'll have to do some long overnight shifts fortnightly or something instead to accrue the hours. Dh will not be pleased (neither am I) but needs must! I think it is technically do-able, which is a relief I suppose. I just don't like it at all, it will be a very tight squeeze.

Dd was a bit of a nightmare while we were out for coffee with a friend this morning. I felt sorry for everyone else trying to have a nice drink! She is too strong for me to hold while tantruming now so I left her to it on the floor. She wanted to keep running to the door and I said no. OMG. She just got herself in such a state. After that every little thing set her off. Eventually my poor friend had to abandon her coffee so we could leave!!! Just when a lovely day with her would have been perfect... But it's been a bit of a morning of battles instead. I think it's just her age, not that she has clocked anything about ds, but it could be wrong. She is less bad with daddy because he can just pick her up and move her elsewhere or whatever and not have any of it, whereas I can't lift my screaming struggling trying to slide out of my arms banshee child off the floor very easily now! Good grief she is becoming hard work. She is an intelligent 21 months, please tell me it's just a short phase?!

The doctor rang and my hb is borderline with a very low iron so I need three times daily iron too. I will be rubbish at remembering it. And not looking forward to it's side effects, done this all before! Still, my risks with the HHT climb if I am iron deficient so I had best get wolfing them down.

Best go and empty the dishwasher and vacuum the floor or something while dd is napping and before we need to leave for swimming... I hope she enjoys swimming, I will feel sad if she gets cross there too. Bad days with dd make me feel so disappointed when I love getting to spend time with my happy little girl!

Just got into work and I have 108 emails. Leave me alone! Really don't think I'm going to make it to my planned 37 weeks before stopping for mat leave. So grumpy!

Hope your little girl enjoys swimming daholster and she can nap off some of her bad mood!

Just a reminder for any Londoners the Baby show is on at the Excel from the 20th -22nd Feb. Think I am going to go with my mum, MIL and OH, no doubt far too much money will be spent!

Siarie I saw someone wear one like that on the most recent series of One Born Every Minute I think. I'm just going for a regular strappy nightie - I can't see that it offers any less access to important areas and will make me feel a bit more normal!

Brixton I'm also hoping for straightforward MLU delivery, possibly in the pool, and home soon after - who knows how that will compare to what I end up with!

Thanks Banana I'll look it up.

Squidge I'll do some research into pillow positioning and let you know if I find anything on optimal positioning. It's really annoying as when I first started using it, it was amazing! And you'd think a bigger bump would stop me moving about, no luck there.

Kismac it's normal I feel furious if anyone asks me to do anything at all ie to do the job for which I am paid my salary. I mean how unreasonable of them

He he. Thanks Smog. I know, how bloody dare they. Do they not realise I'd rather be napping.

My Papoozle got delivered. Delivery man sent me a pic of it in the back garden after chucking it over the wall. just had an amazing thought though, what can I use to make my DD her own sling for her dolly? Think she would really feel part if it all.

She nearly broke my heart last night when I barked at her for leaning on my legs funny (it really hurt) she said why do you not want me anymore mummy? Your always telling me to leave you alone. Need to be a bit more conscious of what I say to her and spend some more mummy DD time I think. Easily done though when your grumpy and just want to be left alone, I didn't think I was that bad but perhaps I have been. Suffice to say she got smothered in kisses and cuddles while I apologised and explained mummy is just very grumpy.

Am I right in thinking when they measure your bump the number of cm should correspond to the number of weeks you are? Mw didn't say but I read my notes in the car afterwards.
Also got a trace of protein again in my wee but they don't seem bothered. I thought it wasn't a good thing to have. My next appointment is during half term so that makes it easier to sort out.

I tell my DD she will always be my baby as she was my first baby... but she is growing up and is the best little girl ever

Blimey, too much to catch up on!

On the annual leave query - I think the legal stand is that your annual leave expires as usual at the end of your leave year (be in April - March or Jan - Dec), and generally if you don't use it before you go (or will have time when you come back) your employer should pay your for it - that includes any bank holidays too. It is up to you decide whether it's in a lump sum of whether it'a staggered over your time off.

For example, I get 25 days running Jan - Dec and any leave I have at the beginning of April when I go on mat leave will be paid to me each month, plus any bank holidays that fall during the month in question.

Hope that helps, some places may be more generous but that's what our HR lady said was the law

Lauren don't dismiss the protein thing, I had traces in first preg and they tested it and said I had group b strep infection which is fine as long as you're given antibiotics in labour (you have to give your consent). Whenever I've had protein they have looked into it just to be sure. Had a bit in this preg but not every time.

Know what you mean about giving attention to first borns. Difficult when you're tired and over-wrought though!

Daholster I have days like that too and then other delightful DD days. Trying to just roll with it.