Jan 2016 #5 - Scanxiety, sickness and sweet relief as we approach the second trimester!

[TeenieDeenie]

STATS

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12-46WHExOXbKsKon2nKyEth9RRyKw9paIw4V4SGTFE8/edit?usp=sharing

Fx for those doing further testing

I'm at Kingston too, seems like a few of us are! Scan tomorrow and I'm not that nervous, I think bc we had an 8 week one, but now I'm worried I haven't been nervous enough!

As much as it's a bonus for most of us that Christmas falls right before our due dates, meaning that we can take 2 weeks annual leave then mat leave, it's not really great for partners/husbands. Mine had to take 2 weeks annual leave over Christmas and then will have to take either another two weeks annual leave or two weeks paternity at a vastly reduced wage. Rock and a hard place. He needs to be off but using 4 weeks annual leave in one go? Or basically losing half a months income? We literally cannot manage on half a months wage from him.

brickie completely agree, although I'm not sure how many days dp has to save for when his office closes over Christmas, will have to sit down and work it out x

fisher I've actually had the Harmony before the NHS test because of my age (41) and I'm a bit paranoid. I was told 10 days for the results and I'm on day 8 now so feeling a bit panicky. I finally got my 12w scan today and the sonographer was lovely. Printed me off loads of pictures which were free. I've now got a due date of 12th January, I'm 13w and everything looked ok. The NT was 1.9 which I think is alright. But I'm waiting for my results before I tell anybody, including my 3 DS.

I'm going to look at what my maternity pay is but as I'm a teacher I don't think it's amazing. I only work part time so I don't think the difference will be that massive. But I can't complain as it's the summer hols in just under 3 weeks.

Teenie thanks, I didn't realise you'd made it editable though you've probably told us enough times. I've been in and updated my stats plus I've reordered it by EDD

My DH has to save 4 days A/L for when the company he works for closes over Christmas but he will go back to work between NY and EDD as there's no point in him being at home for no reason.

My mum wants to travel down for as near to me giving birth as possible so if she stays for a week he might split the A/L he takes after bubba is born..... The problem will be getting my mum to go back home!

My first ever scan is tomorrow, eeeek! Are there any questions I should be asking or you wished you'd asked but forgot?

As I work for NHS my mat leave and pay is pretty good, not sure when I'll be starting mat leave or going back but it'll have to be part time.

With DH's work, they have their busy period during xmas/new year/throughout january! I think he might try and do a lot of overtime before the sproglet arrives. Although they don't get extra pay for overtime, they get it back in time owed/lieu time. Hopefully anyway!

No probs Lily and B&W I did post that it was now editable last week, but it may have been part of another post where I've also been yapping so probs easily missed!

Fisher I asked our local hospital about harmony while having the combined test and was told if it came back high risk one of the options was an nhs referral to a private clinic in Oxford for the blood test. We would have to pay but it would be a reduced rate roughly £300 instead £500 so maybe that is something you will be offered? Fingers crossed for you and everyone else having scans.

Dp isn't able to get time off to come to my 12w scan with me :( although he did ask me the other day out of the blue, why I'm having the downs test, as if we found out the baby did have DS, we'd never abort anyway....

So....got a letter in about my routine bloods to say I'm Rhesus Negative. No clue what it actually means yet but says I need to go for an Anti-D injection at 28 weeks and then afterwards. any one the same?
Midwive also told me I need to get the Whooping Cough and Flu jags about 28 weeks too! And this is from the person with a phobia of blood and jags!! Yay!!! Go me!!! Lol

Better get used to it!!!
Xxx

I'm relying on the foetal anomaly scan to find markers of downs etc, I'm not keen on worrying about 'low/high risk' as someone else said it's not a very definite answer and even with low risk there is still a possibility.

whnsey I'm rhesus negative too, it just means you get an injection in your behind at 28 weeks, so at least you don't see the needle and once baby is born they will check its blood type and if it's positive you get another injection. it generally means you are stuck in hospital a little longer waiting for the blood test results (maybe an extra 5 hours)- or at least that's my experience.

Wynsey I'm rhesus negative too. Which I knew beforehand anyway, midwife didn't give me any extra info about the injection (Tho I knew it was required) not sure that's I'm very helpful there - but in the same boat...

Thanks Bee!! If it's in my bum then that's fine by me! Much better!!! Yay!!! Xx

So sorry you have had worrying news fish. I was worried about the Down's screening (no reason other than anxiety) and I asked the phlebotomist all about it, she said that out of the women who get a high risk result, the vast majority DONT go on to have a baby with Down's syndrome, so the odds are in your favour, especially if your NT measurement was in the normal range.

Good luck x

I get great maternity leave, 24 weeks full pay, then the 12 weeks stat pay, so I'm taking the full 9 months then a month's annual leave on top. Plus I will take 2 weeks annual leave before Christmas (I get a lot of annual leave too) so will finish on 12th December and go back early-mid November. Lush!

What are people doing about going back full/part-time, particularly those whose first baby it is? I'm torn, I could request to go 4 days a week (although I might be refused), but my full time wage by that time will be £29.5k (which where I am in South Wales is pretty good!) and going down to 4 days means it would drop to £23-24k ish. Seems like a big drop just to lose 1 day a week and seeing as I get so much annual leave plus flexible working anyway, seems a bit pointless. Plus we have 3-4 days childcare covered with various grandparents so at most it will be 2 days paying for nursery, but hopefully only 1!

So who else has their scan tomorrow? There's me and mrsmum so far.

Got some sad news today .... My friend lost her baby at 14 weeks!! :-(

Oh no Mrs faz how sad, was it just a sudden thing? Pregnancy is so scary isn't it, when can you stop worrying? A positive scan at around 12 weeks gives you the impression everything will be OK :(

Sorry to hear that faz, that must be difficult for you too

My scan is tomorrow!

for your friend MrsFaz

Awful news MrsFaz pregnancy is a worry all the way through.

Looking-I'm part time, I always knew I wanted to work a max of 3 days, so it was relatively easy to decide after dd1. But I work in HR and know lots of people who have a baby and completely change their views. Some think they want to be part time but can't wait to go back but others are desperate to stay at home, far easier to decide when you're off. The money stuff sounds a lot from part time point of view but taking into account childcare fees (if you have them) plus tax etc it's not always as much as you think.

Oh and very early to think about this, but sort out childcare vouchers pre-maternity leave. It's a little known bit of maternity benefit but your company will continue to pay your monthly ££ when you're on mat leave and once your occupational mat pay stops they alone will cover the cost. Ka-Ching!

Good luck tomorrow hot cross !

Oh mrsfaz that's so sad

My biggest fear at the moment is that something will go wrong. It's such a worrying time and like Brooke says, so difficult after seeing a healthy scan around now too!