July 2016 (7) We're halfway to meeting our little bubs

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Hi all started a new thread as the old one was getting almost to 1000. We're a very chatty bunch! Happy Friday

P.s. Congrats on scan bluebell! Great news!

Ciao bellas!

KayTee just wanted to wish you luck with dealing with HR. They are absolutely in the wrong, although they can ask for evidence of your appointments, so perhaps worth asking your gp/midwife for a backdated appointment card. The .gov.uk website gives a basic summary of pregnancy rights, so worth quoting that back to them, but more detail is available on other sites. I wonder whether CAB could advise what the next steps would be (employment tribunal I think) so that you can mention it in your response to HR. Would hopefully be enough to scare them into reading up on the law even if you have no intention of taking it forward (and I don't suppose you'd have a case unless they actually refused rather than just being difficult).

Hi KayTee hope everything goes well today they really cannot make you feel bad when you have done nothing wrong legally you can have as much time off as you need and there's nithing they can do.
Cheery have a lovely break it's nice to get away.
Great news Bluebell
Thank you for all the lists everyone in so unorganised I havnt bought anything yet! But dp is going up in the loft next weekend to bring all the baby stuff down so we can sort through it and see what we need hope everyone has a lovely Friday

Oh Kaytee!!! Please don't let these idiots upset you. You're doing nothing wrong they've no idea what they're talking about. Stay calm and send them all the links. I think speaking to colleagues is a good idea. Keep us posted and if you get stressed start looking at baby clothes online to calm you down

Re dungarees... I've worn mine twice for about to hours. Look cool. Huge faff!!!!

Congrats Bluebell! And have a fab weekend Cheery!!!! Love to be going to Rome.

I'm finally feeling better but now DD is ill. I have serious cabin fever and she just wants to sleep. Ah well crap TV and tea it is!

Morning all. Came down with another lurgy so haven't been around. Absolutely fuming for you kaytee. I've had awkward employers before and it really does add so nuch extra horrible unnecessary stress. I really hope things smooth over. Agree with lots of other helpful advice. Midwives will be more than happy to help you out I'm sure. They offered to write letters to my employer before (a really really big global company!) they also made a colleague walk to and from her doctors (out of town) and back on her lunch break, leaving her no time to eat/sit. And this was a 30 something week routine appointment. Companies are bastards. Really hope you get this sorted. They are completely in the wrong.

have a lovely time in Rome cheery eat the ice cream ! They say you shouldn't have MrWhippy ice cream (including McFlurrys, but I've had some during previous pregnancies) sshhh!!

Great news on your scan bluebell

gnat have a lovely weekend away

youandme I would go to the doctors and get it all checked out. Take care and rest up

beautician that's a good list. Second lots of 'big pants' . Think I bought a multi pack of size 18-20s from Primark last time

My asos order hasn't arrived yet. Not due yet but doesn't stop me being impatient. I've ordered a jumpsuit without thinking of the need to pee. I'm feeling so gross it probably wine look nice anyway. Gaining so much weight on your hips is not advisable. My maternity jeans are already too small

Luckily I have a few hours while dds at school /nursery and have put myself to bed. Unheard of- house is a shit tip. Eurgh go away lurgies

Kaytee your work are ridiculous. I would send an email out to a solicitor clued up on employment rights. Then I would show the reply to your HR so they know how serious you are. I wouldn't put up with that shit. I wouldn't be worried about going into work at all I would expect them to be worried as I'd be raging.

Speaking of pants anyone found anyone good maternity ones. Mine are starting to dig in. I give up with maternity wear in general this time I can't find anything I like. It's all so ugly.

24 weeks today really feels like a huge milestone.

24+0

Thanks for your support ladies it's gotten me through a tough day. I didn't sleep a wink and have put my back out from being sick but at least I have many cheerleaders amongst you!! Got into work today an hour and 15 early to show willing.
I emailed hr this morning with a very factual email. Basically here is link to nhs schedule of appointments here is the list of my appointments so far and future appointments already booked along with scan of page in preg notes and scanned copies of my letters for booking appointment and two scan appointments that I had thankfully kept.
I really hope I get an apology but I don't think I will hold my breath.

I got very comfy HUGE pants from new look maternity - definitely not sexy

Gnat I have a 6 day weekend next weekend and a pregnancy spa day booked on the Thursday , getting my cleaners to do a spring clean of the house also. Treating myself :)

Good on you Kaytee

I have tonsillitis. Throat so sore (despite all that rice pudding) and now I know why. On antibiotics for ten days as apparently 'there's a lot of pus down there'. sweet!!

Sorry to hear about all these issues at work kaytee sounds like you'll handling all well thanks to all the advice given already by the ladies. Keep us updated.

Eliz sorry to hear you're feeling unwell hope the antibiotics sorts it all out quickly for you.

Beautician New Look so some great maternity pants so not sexy though but comfort wins!!

Happy Friday everyone! Roll on the weekend I say. 24 weeks exactly today.

This time off and spa day sounds divine!! Very jealous. kaytee you totally deserve it! You have had such a crappy time. These people make me furious for you. You shouldn't have to explain yourself and appointments in this manner if you ask me. If their response is anything other than apologetic I would be taking this to a serious legal level.

Anyone else with DCs already finding they're being difficult a pain in the arse? I think the youngest could be starting to worry she won't be the baby anymore etc. But this stinking cold and fighting/meltdowns/obnoxious behaviour is really not a great combination. Sorry for rant! And to make matters worse they are resurfacing the round outside my house so the noise has been horrific and everything vibrating.

beautician I'm with you on the pants. Everything cuts in no matter if I buy a bigger size. And agree on maternity stuff. Very frumpy/mumsy

Thanks for the list! I've bought some big pants, £4 from Asda for a pack of 4 so I've got a couple. I'll just chuck them after the birth. Got maternity pads too - 90p for 12. Feel quite organised!

I've done too much today, shattered and already in pjs. The baby hasn't really moved either as I've been on my feet so much. Time to chill!

Hi, someone suggested some great face products to deal with the spots. (Sorry can't remember who it was). They have worked a treat and no new spots on my face. My back is another story. It is horrendous. I would post a picture but it is probably too graphic! Does anyone have any remedies for dealing with back spots!!

Return of the lurgy here too. The most annoying thing is dh is ill too and he doesn't get 'man flu' so he must feel crap but I'm so annoyed that everything is left to me when I feel less poop but more knackered! I'm being a bit unreasonable but my hormones are making me very impatient for him to feel better so that i can chill on sofa guilt free. Even his coughing is irritating!! I've been ill for best part of a month now, probably viral but wondering if i should visit the gp anyway he's been ill for a week and making out like he's got pneumonia it something.

Hope everyone has a illness free weekend!x

Mascara be careful with cheaper maternity pads. Your bits are going to be very tender for a while after birth and some cheaper pads can be really scratchy. I found boots ones quite good. You want the thick padded type definitely don't get any with wings. After ds1 I wore two pads together for extra cushioning as I had stitches.

Why with no wings beaut? I was looking at hospital bag stuff online yesterday.

Oh thanks beautician, they were Asda ones in the mum to be section, they had disposable knickers too but I wasn't sure?!!

Kaytee because they will be too thin and scratchy. Trust me you need super cushioning after the birth . The best ones are the ones you get in hospital nice and long and super thick. Think comfort ladies . Some people put one over their c section scar as well.

thom that was me, so glad they worked. I found them really good personally and worried incase they didn't work for you. I find the only thing for my back is the sun :( and given the Arctic cold of today no chance of a tan anytime soon. Do you have something long that you can exfoliate with? Maybe a strong medicated face wash on the end of something?!
minieggs I feel your pain. Even worse when DH is ill too. Also, I feel being pregnant and ill is much worse. Plus paracetamol doesn't do a lot imo. This is my 5th time of being ill in 5 months. Really hope you feel better soon.
beautician I remember the ones from hospital being really good! I think I remember putting something about arnica (or someting similar ) on the pads to help with healing? Have I made this up? Also remember shuving more than one down there, so do make sure you have enough ladies !
Last time, I also bought normal 'heavy night time extra long' sanitary pads for once I was home and it was more manageable

Have definitely sneezed snot all over myself unexpectedly whilst a bit of wee came out today

Thom / cookies what are these magical spot remedies?!? I'm still covered and waiting for the pregnancy glow...

Re maternity pads i hope they dont make them perfumed!!!

Im currently manning a phone at a comic relief call centre! Hope everyones having a good friday evening!

Not allowed McFlurrys?! Thats one of the pros working at McDonalds, I can have one for free! Been my way of calling down, and a bit of a craving of mine haha.. Didnt realise we werent supposed to have them not gunna lie I have one pretty much everytime I work for my break.. I know thats bad but I literally cant help myself, especially now creme egg is back

Thanks for letting me rant dh is still going my head in. No sympathy from my mum either as she's ill too. I think there's more people ill than not at the mo.

Very tmi but I think I used tescos maternity pads last time and had a few stitches but they were fine. They were thick and soft, then I swapped to the normal night ones when things were less horrid down there. I used a few of the disposable pants but hated them, preferred cheap granny pants.... I remember the mw telling me to wee whilst in the bath to stop it stinging... Never did tho! Grim.

Sorry about your job stress Kaytee - hope your hr dept gets their head out their a* soon.

I can't emphasise how amazong tenna pants were from the moment my plug went to about a week after birth. They didn't leak or slip and I just threw them out with the nappies when I was done with them. Just by chance (my mum messed up an order and got a whole box for free so I have some spare if anyone is interested. I might just need something for postage but otherwise I am happy to share the tenna love

Also you will find mat pads unperfumed a d if you go for panty liners or normal sanitary towels you should go for unperfumed (as I was advised byy mw last time). The reason is the smell of whatever is coming out of you helps identify what the situation is. Perfume makes it harder to identify.

They also prefer bare nails near the end in case you need to be seen unexpectedly because they can work stuff out by the colour of your nails and nail bed. I habe jad friends with their lovely manicured nails striped with industrial nail varnish remover when they had to go into hospital!

scase I totally identify with the Mcflurry thing it's my guilty pleasure and a craving of mine. I have it a couple of times a week. Had no idea it was on the banned foods list!

goingloopy you've convinced me on the tena pants I've just added a pack to my sainsburys online shopping basket so that will also make its way into my maternity bag when it arrives.

I've been having so many weird dreams recently. Last night's one was about trying to potty train a dog ( it included pull up nappies some reason) and I don't have a dog