We're growing babies, stomach beards and nipple pubes - it's pregnancy glamour galore with humongous tits, medicinal prunes and praying for poo on JS Grads 37!

[honeysucklejasmine]

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the 37th grads thread... celebrating the success of Just Shagging in getting us viroids upduffed!

For those that don't know, a 'viroid' is from the original JSing thread 1, where someone was trying to type ladies (in reference to all the JSing ladies), but their phone decided to call us all viroids instead!

The name stuck and we've been the JSing viroids ever since.

The 36th grads fred is here

The thread we have graduated from is here in its 52nd outing. WARNING: they're all a bit kerazy not to mention randy!

There is also a Just Mumming thread here for once your babies come along, or to keep up with the graduated graduates!

There is also a private facebook group (so it doesn't give the game away in your news feed!)... if you want to join to see photos of new babies etc, just ask in-thread!

Here is the stats list, please update your own spot with any updates.

bat do you get to see your notes where you are? It would be scribbled in there but if baby was engaged they would tell you. I don't want baby to come yet we've only got half a house!!!!

JC purple and tee are HR bods they should be able to advise you.

Well despite only being 11 weeks I need maternity clothes already, I'm surprised - and not working this time means I won't be able to spend half my life in a uniform so...
A friend has lent me a couple of pairs of jeans too.

4/5 engaged ga? When are you due? I don't think DS ever got that engaged!

No antenatal groups for me this time -I just did NHS ones last time and they in no way prepared me for anything. Learning on the job with a lovely group like this is how I prefer to do it.

Still waiting for my scan date - come on Mrs post lady!

I'm not sure where you stand legally. If you work less hours presumably you'll get less pay. Can you top up with holiday?

You could go to the GP for a fit note, I don't know if you have to be off sick though first

Are you in a position to supplement your working hours with holiday hours JC?
I did that with DS, but I knew I had no intention of going back to work, so I get that might not be an option for you.

JC i think the issue is if you aren't working the hours they aren't legally obliged to pay you unless you're off sick etc. I do know some places (mine included) will actually force you to start your Mat leave early if you are off sick for a pregnancy related reason past 28-ish weeks I think.

Can you have more rests and time outs during your longer shifts? I think as part of the risk assessment they need to accomodate your tiredness.

JC if you did swap to the 8hr pattern (I assume same total hours a week) would you need two days to recover? Might be worth a shot... Those 5 less hours a shift might mean you can recover quicker. Worth a try before a pay cut for reduced hours?

No we don't see our notes ga - I'm sure if I asked then I could look at them but we don't get to keep them with us like you do. Also I've never had a midwife appt for a feel or whatever it is they do, all appts are with the doc who does a scan. How do they tell if you're engaged? The scans are how I know baby is head down but other than that I don't know anything else.

jc I have no idea I'm afraid, sounds pants though and unfair that they can't try to accommodate by changing your shifts rather than reducing hours, hope they can sort something.

JC this is pants, sorry I've no advice though. Maybe try 8h shifts, and as honey said maybe you'll be less tired so will need less time to recover than you think?

They can only force start mat leave from 36 weeks IIRC.

bat I don't think they can tell from a scan, they have to feel your bump and feel the baby's head. When baby's head starts engaging it means it starts to descend into your pelvis. So 4/5 engaged means they can only feel about 1/5 of baby's head, and the rest is inside the pelvis.

Scan date through - it's in a fortnight yay!

yay thursday :) exciting! i can't wait for my next scan!

Thursday I'm due in 6 weeks or there abouts, I'm guessing the baby is the size a four year old though going by bump size and pyjamas that dont meet in the middle.
bat uk midwives have a jolly good feel of the bump and pelvic area and measure the uterus with a tape measure. You get to keep the little paper tape measure, its like an Ikea freebie!

jc don't they have to adapt the work for you, or is that only if you have a sick note. Could you do different (less tiring) kinds of work while you're there? Can you get advice from occ health?

Ooh scans! Eeeeeekk!

Yay for scan date Thursday!

Ga is your bump much bigger than with DD then? How big was she? I love your bump pics

Very grey day here. I have to hang another load of washing indoors I hate the time between the seasons, when you can't hang the laundry outside because it's too cold or wet, but the heating is not on either and clothes take forever to dry!

Ah they wouldn't know then I guess, I haven't been touched by a midwife at all other than BP and weight! Maybe we just get to find out the baby is engaged when someone shouts that they can see the head!

jc if you reduce your hours and hence pay now will it also affect your maternity pay? (would have at my previous job, this job just has shit mat pay)

had a miserable day yesterday, just woke up feeling poo and pesimistic so took day off sick, sobbed for a bit watching sad films, lazed about watching 16 and pregnant and googled lots of random stuff.

on the bright side mw phoned and i have my first appointment next week (on our wedding anniversay!), and feeling randomly better today (emotionally anyway).

in other news...dh is desperate for me to have scan so we can (he hopes) get the all clear for nookie again!

JC they can't enforce mat leave until 36 weeks if you're off sick

The higher rate mat pay is calculated based on earnings for the 8 weeks up to week 29. So if you want to cut your hours wait til week 30 if you can

5hell hope you're feeling better today. You've had a rough ride so far. When is your scan?

Ah 5hell sometimes our just need a day like that to get it out of system a bit. Hope you're feeling better.

JC that sounds pants, surely they have to be more accommodating of rests etc? Would they make a man take reduced hours if he had a debilitating condition? Hope you get it sorted soon.

I'm so with carrot on laundry frustration. Massive backlog and nowhere to put it. We need a tumble dryer, come winter there's going to be 7 adults, a toddler and a newborn in the house! I'll get my brother to suggest it, my mum's more likely to think it's a fabulous idea then

Aw 5hell you obviously needed a self care day. Glad it helped.

ah 36 weeks, my bad i thought it was earlier! :) ignore me!

when did people start planning their nursery? I've already decided the "style" i want to go for :)

It's my job Jelly, more payroll than HR really. I'm not great on employment law.
I found a neutral nursery range I liked in mamas and papas but it's gone out the window after I got letters for the wall in a different colour scheme and my sister made me bunting. So I've just gone for curtains and lampshade to match the colour scheme now. We haven't decorated in there as we're extending next year and he will get his proper bedroom then. The room now is a neutral carpet and walls so no biggie just needs painting

Ooh Jelly, what is your nusery plan?

5hell, it feels as though you have been pregnant for so long, can't believe you haven't met the MW yet. You have really been through the mill so far you poor thing.

JC, sounds like a tricky situation. It's potentially a bit daft though as I presume you could go off sick until 36 weeks and then just start mat pay, and then they will be paying you for no hours! (What sick pay are you entitled too? Ridiculous situation but I might be financially better to be off sick!!!) I have a colleague who is unwell so will be on a reduced teaching timetable. She will still be paid full time. This is not uncommon in teaching, I'm not sure about other professions. Makes more sense to me than driving staff into the ground though. Could you speak to GP for advice? Is there such thing as a partial sick note? Sorry if this is helpful, just thinking 'out loud ' really. ì