Jan 16 #9 halfway point - time to watch our bumps grow 

[moonshine25]

New thread - wouldn't let me write on the last one

cause both work and DP has said what if the LO comes early or what if you can't cope it's giving me doubts. I can't it being any earlier cause everyone on my side of the family was late only my DP was 5 weeks early

If LO comes early (unlikely) your maternity leave will start automatically - don't worry about it. If you can try to keep a list of what you are doing, updated every day/week so that if you suddenly don't come in tomorrow your colleagues can see where you were upto and what needs to be done. I kept mine pinned to my wall and told my closest/most responsible colleague where it was.

If you can't cope you will get signed off by the GP and start your mat leave early that way, really not a problem x

Tiny I would plan for what you think now you will want to do. Then if you feel you need to start your mat leave earlier, speak to your employer closer to the time. If you are ill in the last four weeks your mat leave kicks in automatically anyway.

Hth

Cross post...and what Nightfall said

Anyone else's baba lying down really low? Just feel so heavy under my bump!

Trying to work up as far as I possibly can with it being our first - so think just under 2 weeks before my due date...if everything all goes to plan of course

Hi all, still here too but also mainly lurking! However, this thread is awesome and it needs to live and carry on breaking MN records in terms of chattiness.

I'm planning on starting ML on 7/12, due 28/12 but likely to have ELCS a week earlier (like last time)...so that's 2 weeks to have a bit of a wind down when DS is in nursery and hey it's Christmas...there's stuff to be done!

welcome Bella Congratulations xx

yokyil yeah mee too half way between the public bone and belly button

Thought mine had eased off missm but back with a vengeance this evening like wild trapped wind that's just painful

Aloha Me to DD the other weekend 'are you going to go downstairs with Daddy and have your breakfast?' DD 'no Mummy, I'm just going to stay here and watch you in the shower'. Lovely darling!
And she did just stand, and watch me shower.

That's really funny romeo, bless the little darlings! My 1yr old finds it too funny to practice pulling himself up on me whilst mummy is "on the potty"

I'm finishing on 11th Dec when I will be 37 weeks (due 2nd Jan) as I'm taking 2 weeks annual leave before our office Christmas shut down. My mat leave then won't start until after my due date as the 4th Jan is the first working day back after Christmas Day! Don't know how it will work if the baby comes on a non-working day eg New Year's Eve, HR didn't seem to know either haha!

I personally wouldn't finish earlier than 36 weeks as you're more likely to go overdue and then you could end up with 6 weeks before baby comes! A couple of girls in my pregnancy yoga class finished at 37 weeks and they were bored after a couple of days, the time would go much slower I bet. It'll fly by for us who are due just after Xmas. Plus the longer you work up to, the longer mat leave you can take on the other side when baby's here!

Congrats on team blue aloha! Starting to even out now

Hey Bella - I'm a newbie here too

We close for christmas on 23rd and don't re-open again until 4th jan. Still pondering whether worth me going back to work in the new year (due on 13th but no doubt baby will come late).....

20 weeks today! Whooo!

Yeah I think my LO will be late as said before everyone but the OH was late. My grandparents think I'm stupid for leaving it so late to leave as the stress over the Christmas period might make him come early. Oh I dunno haha. I got consultant tomorrow to see what meds and dietary I need for my migraines and ibs, personally I think it'll be a waste of time but hey ho I get he morning off work xD

bella and elvi I've added you both to the stats sheet. Let me know if I've got anything wrong!

Question - fruit and veg. How many of you are managing five a day? I LOVE veg but not such a fan of fruit and have had to find ways to get my intake easily, like processed fruit sticks and those yoyo things. Mostly I think I'm getting five portions a day but some days have definitely been a bit less than that... Please tell me I'm not the only one? I also haven't paid any real attention to the recommended portions of all the other food groups and have definitely made no effort to curb my sweet tooth...

Had my 18 week Midwive apt. Heard the heartbeat!! sooooo happy to hear it!! Was still quite worried as not had any symptoms but beating away! Yay!! Feel much better Now!
2 weeks until the scan and fingers crossed we get to find out THEN I'll be buying everything! can't Wait!!

Got my order from ASOS. Love it!! It's a black wide legged jumpsuit with gold embellishments on the sleeves. So.....comfy!
Just got all my New Look stuff to come!!

Not thought about when I'll finish yet. We close on Xmas eve until the 5th so thought if I have a rest/panic buy then maybe finish 15th and use my holidays then take my mat leave the week I'm due then it should be fine. Due 26th.

lily prob about 2 fruit a day and 2 veg (portions) at the moment some days are better and I prob have the right amount
I love having fajitas cz I have loadsss of salad and peppers and onions.yummm!

Glad you got to hear the hb wynsey, it's definitely encouraging when you do!

And yay for lovely ASAP haul

Ar thanks lilyb84! Yep - all info correct - I'm 32, no dc and team yellow, but no rush to add!

My diet has been worse than it's ever been - realised recently that I'm not eating healthy meals, for some reason I've just eating sandwiches lately. And cake!! Recently into cakes for some reason?! I think I'm too tired to cook but really need to pull my finger out and make sure I eat the daily recommended fruit and veg - it has been worrying me recently. Tomorrow, new start!

Uuuurgh, DD1's preschool sent a notice around saying headlice is doing the rounds. have never had to look into this before, I wonder what is safe to use during pregnancy?

My diet is okay except that Im eating too much in general Midwife also told me off for too much caffeine! Ive been having one weak coffee and two teas a day. Not sure what damage it can do at this stage though?

tiny your comment about the glow made me laugh. Me too!! I've been mixing a bit of serum into my foundation as the skin on my face has been so dry and dull.

wynsey loving the jumpsuit idea, link please? I think I would probably look like a (pale) oompaloompa in a jumpsuit atm though.

welcome bella!!

congrats on the boy aloha!!!! welcome to TEAM BLUE!

And good luck for the scan tomorrow dinosaur

Awake for three hours already with back pain, it's 5am , so decided to get up and have a hot chocolate

I have a chronic back condition but the last few weeks it's been getting worse, probably because of the weight of bump + boobs pulling me forwards. Had physio on Monday but already today in agony again .

Would love to take a couple of nurofen and plaster some heat rub on it, but obv can't. Heat pack and more chocolate will have to do.

So while I can't sleep I decided to check against a pg weight gain calculator (I've been eating so much cake) and lots of people have been saying "don't put too much on!". Anyway, it's all good, I'm right at the bottom end of the range for 20 weeks, and apparently I can put on a lb a week all the way. I think that means more cake, don't you?

Normally I have a really healthy diet, but I'm transfixed on carbs and cake at the moment. I'm getting so hungry! I am managing to eat some more f&v than before though. I try to have fresh berries with my cereal and an apple at lunch plus some veggies. Apparently we're supposed to up our zinc in the2nd tri...lamb, beef, spinach, nuts and......chocolate! Hurrah!

Sorry it's such a me post. It seems to have been mostly about pain for me so far this week. Hope everyone else is sleeping soundly.

b&w I've been awake for hours too... blooming pea-sized bladder woke me up then heartburn kicked in and then little lady decided to dance a jig for half an hour. The latter is lovely but well and truly awake now!

Congratulations on team blue Aloha and tiny, good luck for scans today. If anyone gets chance it would be interesting to see if we've evened up in team blue v pink stats?

yokyil I think Bean is really low at the moment, felt really weighted down yesterday.

Afm I have crampy calves now so going to up my banana intake, i do also need to get more calcium as I don't really drink milk I just eat my body weight in cheese

I am planning on breaking up on Christmas Eve (only half day at work) as already have between Christmas and New Year booked as hols, and then mat leave starts 7th Jan. Bean is due 15th but will have elcs around 8th. With my eldest I had planned to work until 39+ but ended up finishing early as some complications and had him at 37 weeks. With ds2 I was booked in for section at 39+2 (a Monday) so planned to finish at 38+6 (Friday) but started in slow labour (which I thought were just braxton hicks) at 38+3 so again finished a bit early (had him by emcs at 39). So I agree you can only plan based on how you feel, and I wanted the max off after baby was here.

Kep 19+6

Sorry about your bak b&w sounds painful.
I think I'm just eating normally which is generally healthy so I never really analyse. Healthy amount of cakes of course. Probably slightly too little veg but that is because I tend to do more cars and meat for the kids. Have been craving sushi though but there is nowhere here that sells it apart from the very average stuff at waitrose. So I get a pack from there. Every week.

Whilst it's true that you will have more may leave on the other side of you work right up until your due date, don't forget though that you also accrue holiday when on mat leave. We're not allowed to carry over more than 5 days into the new year so I'll be using my annual leave to have all of 2016 off.