Jan 2016 #3 - booking in for ginger tea vs frankfurters + rapidly expanding boobs

[Blackandwhitecat3]

New thread for the January babies

Fingers crossed Bee hope you're ok

Fourlegs I know the feeling, I just devoured a Hot Cross Bun....

Valancy only after 12 weeks lol!

Definitely can recommend the bands, work perfectly for me but only if I keep them on at all times including at night. Bought black ones, wore then at work today and I think I may have styled them out, though also was with people without kids who probably wouldn't make the connection...

Bee fingers crossed for u! I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Xxx

bee i hope all is well. I know it sounds weird but could it be trapped wind? I have been in agony in the past and thought i had appendicitis! Peppermint tea is really helping my digestion and actually helps the nausea a bit too.

I have the black bands too, and bought a black long sleeved cardigan from Next in a size up from where I am as my usual shirt/jacket combo would ride up. Seems to have worked so far, plus I'm surrounded by childless men or practically teen girls so should be OK.

I did wonder about crafting them up to look more decorative but who can be bothered lol.

I'm another one who just needs cheese and potatoes at the moment. Just got home from work and MIL is cooking lamb (barf) but has made me a little cheese and potato pie with leeks "for the vitamin E" - bless her!

Thanks will try them gouda

Valancy I know they are doing timetables now for next year too and I'm thinking I might give them a heads up tomorrow. However I'm primary, only P/T already and do PPA at the moment. I would really like to continue this until jan (as its so much less stress) and figure I'm less likely to get a class job share if they know I'll be off after a term so it's for my benefit to tell early despite not really wanting to after the mc. God it's hard but you have no need to tell them until you have to although some good will might help you when you're bigger and need time for an classes etc and negotiating pt on return. Sorry no help but don't rush into it through guilt.

Didn't know you could get black ones, they might be a bit more subtle. Will have a look, thanks

valancy that sounds exactly what is wrong with me, I'm not sure if it's digestive or mc, it's just it came very suddenly in the middle of the day and I hadn t eaten anything stodgy (cereal in the morning, banana and grapes as a mid morning snack). I posted on the pregnancy forum and someone said they'd experienced something similar and turned out to be the uterus stretching? As I've never had it before and I'm on my 3rd I immediately presumed the worse, but my mother reckoned I would be bleeding by now if I was mcing so I'm definitely more hopeful and less tearful now, and I just hope I get a good hcg result when I finally manage to get a darn Drs appointment.

My black ones were from Boots. They've got a white bit where the plastic bit is, was idly thinking about colouring them in.
kep crafting them up brilliant. With sparkles. Could pretend my toddler did them I suppose.

m.ebay.co.uk/itm/171468774370?nav=SEARCH

In the description says you get black ones.

How far along are you bee I had pains and cramps last week at 8 weeks. I even had some spotting too eventually. I was so scared but after an early scan showed nothing wrong everything subsided and I'm putting it down to it being round the time my period was due - this is common apparently.

Would you be due around your period? Even if not, I've learnt that early pregnancy can involve some quite bad pains! Fingers crossed everything's ok for you xx

Room for one more?? I'm 7+1 and due Jan 19th as far as I know. Been haunted by the idea of mmc since the start so booked an early scan for Monday, eek! I'm a first timer so it's such a relief to see all the bizarre symptoms getting mentioned on here too, I seem to be getting taster sessions of a bit of everything!

Lilliana I'm a bridesmaid about the same time as you. Oh, the fear about 'the dress'! Feel like I've been inflated like a balloon today, except not with air, with something sharp and bitey!

Nice to meet you all :)

Valancy it's a toughie. Us teachers are sometimes too conscientious for our own good. I'm with Dragon, wait until 12 weeks, sounds tough but you don't know what will happen over the next month. They can still change things around again for sept if they want to, and they may even decide that you inspiring these top and sixth form sets from now until dec (over half the time left until their exams) is worth it anyway.

I've got my own quandary- my HoD has recently resigned and they're looking to appoint internally. I've said I'm interested, but this week I really feel like I don't want it, and am considering withdrawing. DH is trying to get me to look at the long term in terms of career, but I can't even contemplate how on earth I'm going to manage a normal full time teaching job sept 16 wih a baby, let alone a HoD on top of that, I still have plenty of time before they get through the process, but it's on my mind.

My priorities have just completely changed since 2 months ago!

On another note, I'm just relieved and surprised that I managed not to vom over any children today, given how sick I felt this morning...

"We teachers"! Where's my red pen?

Oh crap. Tell me someone else can't do up their jeans

They are skinny jeans but still.. Tried my old mat jeans on and a bump band and I look much better. Dh said today my tummy is definitely getting bigger. I'm 8 wks ffs

Sleepy & black Normally I'd be the first person saying 'wait until 12 weeks' - but the issue I'm having is that I won't be 12 weeks until the second week of July, and my new timetable will begin halfway through June. I'd be taking over a-level groups that have already lost both teachers this year - and think they really need some continuity for A2. I kind of feel weird about starting teaching them in two weeks knowing this, and then turning round a month later and saying 'oh, by the way...' I know things could go wrong, but to be honest if I miscarried I'd have time off work and they'd find out anyway. Just don't know what to do for the best!! If it was just the timetable for next year I'd wait until 12 weeks.

Lilliana Sounds like you'd probably get a better deal through telling them early, but can totally see why you wouldn't want to! That's a toughie too.

Black I think it depends on if you really want it or not - HoD is definitely a tough job, I know some people love it though, but seems to be more and more paperwork nowadays. Is it something you've always fancied, or is it just that the opportunity's there?

Welcome Lil :)

Actually Valancy you're right, at this point they will know if I mc so might as well tell them.

black I found my priorities changed massively after having DD. I still care about doing the best I can for the children I teach but do not put work first at the expense of all else any more and do less hours too - I have to prioritise what I do, somethings don't get done right away and I have to make sure I don't do too much on my days off but I actually enjoy teaching more now the stress has been reduced by being part time and give 100% on the days I'm in. On the other hand my friend had 2 children, went on to be deputy and loves it although she does say it's hard work and she doesn't see her boys as much as she would like. It's really hard as you wont know how you feel until after you've had your baby. Is this something you've always wanted? are the other opportunities likely to come up at a later date? It's really tough.

Hi everyone, I thought it might be nice to join this group to see how you're all doing and compare. I'm expecting on New Years Day with my first. It was planned but still a shock and I'm just settling down now (I think?!). :)

welcome clementine
hehe..i cried loads when i found out even though it was planned aswell lol

Welcome newbies!

How long is everyone hoping to take off for mat leave? I was looking at this today. I get full pay for 6 months and then would go down to statutory, so I'm thinking of taking 9 months, plus 5 weeks holiday at the end so would finish work before Xmas this year (around 11th-12th Dec) then go back middle of November next year. All being well with baby of course!

I only get paid for 6 weeks then statutory I'll still be taking 9 months off though. We'll just have to rein our spending in a bit! Shouldn't be hard seeing as our fancy date nights will be in the past.

Was in a panic on the way home as I could feel wetness. Turned out to be white slime.

I'm having the same quandary about telling school... I've recently taken over a new leadership role, still with a teaching timetable, with emphasis on core gcse classes and am in process of appointing a second /Coordinator role but the person the head wants, I don't want as second but would be good covering my mat leave. Also don't know when to tell them as classes I'm due to get are actually decent but feel that if I tell them, I will get the horrible ones instead!

I would still go for hod job if I were you and you can always decline after interview but will always wonder ' what if ' if you don't.

We're finding out sex, we didn't with ds (well, we had it written in envelope but never looked until after he was born) but I want to be able to tell him and also to plan if we need anything new! Do down want a girl but ultimately, as long as healthy, I'm happy!

Do teachers generally finish/start at the beginning of term? If it turns out I'm due at the end of jan I don't really want to go off at Christmas - especially as I was 2 weeks late with DD it could potentially be 6 weeks before baby is born. equally I'm not sure I want to go back in sept but not sure I could financially manage until January. Would Oct half term be ok do you think? My dates were so easy with DD I didn't really have to think about it!

Lol oyster some days I feel like a snail!

I get 13 weeks full pay, 6 weeks half pay and then rest at stat, with a return to work bonus of 6 weeks half pay (so pretty much 19 weeks at full pay). I am (so far) planning on finishing on Christmas Eve and going back 1 July. I will have some holiday in that too, and with KIT days I hopefully won't have too long on stat. In my role the timing would also be decent as my current project finishes at the end of the year and another major one kicks off mid next year.

Glad it's not just me with all the school-related quandaries! Am still unsure - but leaning towards telling them to be honest. There are some interesting politics in our school at the minute, so am going to discuss it with my two colleagues who know I'm pregnant and get their thoughts.

Lilliana You can finish/start whenever you like, I think mat leave always has to start on a Sunday though. At the moment I'm planning on finishing at Christmas and not going back in Jan - a lot of friends have advised not working right up until the end and having some time to put my feet up! If I did that, my SMP would run out in the first week of September, so I'd be better off going back for the last week of July and having holiday pay. I can't afford to have three months unpaid unfortunately I don't think I really have a massive choice - at most I could only work an extra two week of January realistically which would take my SMP to mid-September, which isn't really worth it. So think if all goes well I'll just have a nice extended Christmas break! (I may have already worked this out on a spreadsheet as I'm said like that!)

Valancy, it's so tough; let me know what you decide (and be kind to yourself!). My timetable for next year (starting in Sept) is looking like being all A level. I think I will tell them mid July after twelve week scan though will be grumpy if they re-jig things so I have all KS3! We're an inexperienced department next year though so they may still decide having me teach the sixth formers for the first half of the course and then handing them on to a newbie at Christmas is less risky then giving them straight to an NQT/Schools Direct... Hope so!

Also am TOTALLY copying your maternity leave plan! I am so dozy sometimes I didn't even think of the 'start back the last week of summer term' plan - genius! When exactly are you due? I'm the 18th.