Due in May- 2007 is officially here 01/01/07

[ShowOfHands]

We're having babies this year!

I wish I could be a SAHM.No chance for me.I hope to have 9 months off with this one as hasnt the statutory mat pay time period gone up to 9 months?-I get paid for 6 months from work so will I still be eligible for the other 3 months statutory does anyone know?

Hopefully by then DH will have qualified as a management accountant and will have got promoted so I will just have to go back for my 3 months notice and then will be able to just work agency or something for a few less days a week as working the 4 is killing me at the moment, never mind with two lo's to deal with..I hate being away from dd all day.This morning she was very clingy as she hasnt been at the cm's for a week or so and I had to prise her fingers one by one off my scarf so I could leave.I cried all the way to work.I HATE it!

SOH I m frightened about my scan as well.I have a feeling of impending doom, (which I had throughout with dd so I m hoping it will prove unfounded as it did with her!Remember I am the most paranoid person in the known universe so dont set any store by it).Fingers crossed, im sure you will be fine tomorrow..

We are going to look at a house tonight as our two up two down is so tiny now let alone when baby 2 comes.We cant afford it really, and I love where our little cottage is, right in the country in a lovely friendly village.So I hope I hate this house.But I bet I love it!

$100 to $250 outside of insurance according to one website for the US... Though yes, money better spent on a stroller or something else for the baby. We'll be with you in spirit of course!

MKG-My DH has just told me he cant make my scan either as he has some meeting or other.Im petrified of going on my own.When I win the lottery on Wednesday I will fly over to you and come with you and then fly you back so you can come with me to mine.Deal?

Scooter. AFAIK, provided you meet certain conditions, you are entitled to 52 weeks maternity leave. 9 months statutory pay, then option on 3 mths unpaid. If you're on 6 mths full occupational maternity pay, then you get three months on stat pay after that. If after the 6 mths, your DH has had his promotion (fingers crossed) then you could hand in your notice before you go back. (Unless your occupational maternity pay has a condition that you can't do that.) Likewise after 9 mths, you could give notice and take your 3 month unpaid as your notice period.

this direct.gov website has a tailored Q&A section to tell you exactly what you can get.

OK scooter it's a date.

The more I think about it I kinda like the idea of finding out by myself. Maybe I'll do something special for when I tell dh.

I'll make a cake with the color icing for the baby. That's it!! I'll turn this little upset into a culinary delight.

Oh that sounds like more fun now.

Thanks twelve.I have to go back for the three months whatever I do as its in my contract that I actually work it.(Although I dare say they wouldnt actually come round the house and physically drag me in to work)

Hurrah that means I will certainly be off work NEXT Christmas, which is great as otherwise it would have been my turn to do Christmas day which I would have hated!

When is Easter?I like Easter more than Christmas in a way as its less stressful and chocolate figures heavily.And also lambs, bunnies and daffodils, all of which I am inordinately fond of.
2nd Jan, Scooter.Get a grip.

Easter is April 8th this year.

Oh MKG I love your attitude. Maybe I'll tell DH I'm going on my own too- without MIL and DM!

Scooter, it will be 6 months full, 3 months stat and optional 3 unpaid as 12YG says- same as me, but I have to return to work for 3 months to qualify for the OMP so another reason why I have to go back! I will fight you for most paranoid person in known universe crown. I'm reigning champion I tell you. Don't move house whilst pregnant- the hell of trying to complete on this house we're buying is just about killing me.

Yes we'll be off for Christmas next time. How lovely. I'm going to the Royal Albert Hall on Easter Sunday this year to see my favourite band. And I'll be dancing away with enormous bump. I agree, Easter is splendid!

Morning all and Happy New Year.

We went round to friends and didn't get home until 2, had family round yesterday so today me and the DDs are not even dressed yet!! I'm very tired.

Little one moving around quite a lot now, I saw my tummy move again this morning. Have a 24 week midwife appointment next Monday.

Good luck with all the up and coming scans.

I am getting very bad heartburn/indigestion - according to the old wives tale that means the baby has lots of dark hair! I'll let you know.

I would love to be a SAHM but really need to work, I am lucky in that I only work two days a week but I am going to start looking at Nurseries/child minders soon. I intend to have the full 9 months so with that + holidays will be off mid March to mid December. Don't really fancy going back for Xmas but needs must!

Well SOH, I figure the only thing I can control in this life is my attitude.

My dad always said, "When life gives you lemos, make lemonaide" Do they say that over there?

For those of you that have to "work" your notice, it is actually worth asking them if they "want" you to. It can be easier for them to let you go, vis a vis replacements and things. If they don't make you work it, then they don't have to get rid of the replacement then ask them back again, if you see what I mean.

My friend did it with Deloittes. She was supposed to go back but came to an agreement with them. Worked out better as the person seconded to her job was moved permananently. Otherwise they would have had to send her back to her old dept and advertise again.

SKYTV,

I had really bad heartburn with ds and he had tons of dark hair, of course I also ate like horse so, I'm not sure.

I'm starting to get heartburn with this one, and some mint tea fixes it up evertime.

Both DDs had lots of dark hair too. Also, the food over xmas hasn't helped. New Years Resolution is to eat better

Yeah they say the lemons thing here too!

SkyTV- happy new year you slattern.

Just did TPT for the first time since before Christmas and I'm 8 and a half sheets, that's a whole sheet bigger than last time I measured.

I'm officially a biffa.

Woo hoo!

Woo hoo! 12 weeeks is nothing.

Anyone else getting full really quickly when they eat? I'm a porker usually and can eat my own body weight in anything... but keep having to leave half my food these days.

I get full incredibly quickly and can't possibly finish a full meal. I had heartburn for the first time in my whole life on Christmas day- too much rich food at my parents'- and my God did it hurt? Even if I feel ravenous I can't eat much. Got some trusty Gaviscon and while it tastes like some rancid leftover, it did the trick at Christmas.

My maternity leave starts on May 4th (May the 4th be with you? ) and seems like it's an age away!
Love the new name!

...4th be with you.

Am going to leave it til the last minute to give work my final date. I gave March 30th as provisional, but would dearly love to go earlier.

I've hit a wall of tiredness. I've been awake for about 27 hours now.

Hello everyone and happy new year!

I tried catching up with the old thread but didn't get very far, especially as I'd noticed that not only had this one started but it already had over 100 replies! So sorry if I'm missing out on anything and not totally up to speed with you all.

I think I saw someone mention the Huack Infinity? That's the one I ordered from Kiddicare - got a 10 piece travel system kind of affair for just under £280 (I think the RRP was £600 or something like that). I don't know much about all these new brands and 'travel systems' - they weren't around when I had DS 10 years ago - so it's comforting to see that what we've chosen is getting the thumbs up from you more up to date mums! It actually arrived this morning, so once I've unpacked it and stuff, I'll give some feedback, if anyone's interested. To be honest, I haven't opened the boxes yet because I've been feeling pretty down today. I think it's a mixture of hormones and having been stuck in the house since 23rd December (I'm not back at work until the 4th) and the fact that I want to get on and do stuff but DH has been a bit of a lazy lump - all he's wanted to do since he broke up on the same day as me is watch repeats of The West Wing (he's now just started series 2). The house needs a good clean but I know I'll have to do it all on my own before I go back to work on Thursday, including hoovering around his feet as he watches telly (again). I know it's a stupid and small thing, especially when others are dealing with bigger issues and problems and LG&T is pining for her DH, so I'm sorry if my moaning has pissed anyone off. I'm just finding everything a bit 'emotional' today.

Also, TPT = 9.5 sheets. The same as it's always been, even though I am enorous.

Something else I forgot! Twelfty and anyone else thinking of using real nappies instead of disposables: check with your local council to see if they operate a cash back or incentive scheme for mothers using real nappies. Many of them do these days in order to encourage ecologically sound practices. I've asked my council to send me a leaflet about their scheme - once I have it, I'll post up the details as I imagine that these kind of schemes will be similar from council to council.

Oooh, yes, give it a bit of a push around and let us know what it's like.

DH saw someone jogging with a three wheeler pushchair yesterday and said he'd like one like that. This is from the man who said it was too early to look at pushchairs and who hasn't been jogging since the London marathon last April. (Which incidentally, he hardly trained for.)

Hmpf. I'm making a shortlist of three pushchairs. If he comes to see them, then he can help me choose. If he can't be arsed then I will choose!

My DH is like that Creena. His "time off" is just that. "I'm on holiday!", he wails if I suggest he does something. Like, hello, whenever I'm on holiday at home, I have a whole list of things I need to "get done." FFS. That is yet another reason why I want to be a SAHM. Don't see why I should work AND spend my free time getting things done at home. I've had this row with him before about why is his free time more important than mine.

He's very good about so much, I shouldn't moan, but you all know what it's like when something just gets right up your nose!

Oh Creena, chin up chick. My DH can be similar to yours- even likes West Wing DVDs. He sees his time off work as time to rest, I spend my time off work cleaning. He likes to cry 'oh just leave it' and he knows I can't. However, with a little cajoling he can be coaxed off the sofa. He's very good when he's at work as he gets up early and washes up/does laundry/hoovers etc, it's just when he's off work that he slobs out.

You're entitled to be emotional, you're pg and it's that awful early January slump. Just keep thinking, your scan's next week!

Is everything okay with work now? No repercussions from their messing about?

See 12weeks has the same problem. It's a man thing, their free time is precious.

I'm with you Creena. Haringey offer £50-something quid back. You have to buy the nappies first then submit a claim form with the receipt.

Was also thinking of doing one of those nappy service things. They work out about the same price as disposables, but obv ecologically sound. Might work for those of you with dodgy bin collections. The poo goes in the toilet where it belongs and the wet/ used nappies go in a sealable bucket which gets collected from your doorstep once a week when they drop off the clean nappies and covers. Would mean you wouldn't have a bin full of poo sitting around for two weeks...

Was also thinking about the dodgy bins and that if you really can't use reusables, if you used flushable nappy liners in the disposables then the poo could still go down the toilet rather than in the bin. Might help with the stench a bit.