April 2017 #5 - second trimester! Less feeling crap, more feeling kicks

[Celen]

For all those lovelies expecting babies around April 2017

Good news on there cervix lengths puggle and everdene!

Love that scan pic super definitely looks like some sort of yoga pose! Thanks for the info from HR perspective too that useful to know. I will mention about not having had a risk assessment when I hand it MAT1B form next week.

Anyone got any tips for dealing with horrendous hip pain in the night?! It seems to come out of nowhere in the last 2 nights and I've had such interrupted sleep pillow between knees doesn't seem to be making a difference. The pain goes when I roll into my back but obviously can't sleep like that. Ended up sleeping basically sat up propped up on loads of pillows for a few hours last night in desperation to get some sleep 😴 it's going to be a long day!

Hi marmite. I had that hip pain with my first. The only thing that worked was to fold a duvet in two lengthwise and sleep on top of that. It made a huge difference for me for some reason so might be worth a try?

Morning all,

Not posted on here for a long long time but I have been reading closely.
24+6 today. Feeling ok-ish, not sleeping well at the moment, partly insomnia and partly hip pain. I do the pillow in between the legs thing too and the towel just under bump which does provide some support.

EDD is 31 March and I've given work a provisional date of finishing on the 17th. I'm consultant led and was advised to finish earlier though so I wouldn't be exhausted for the new arrival. Will see how things are and evaluate at the end of jan/ early February.

I've had a risk assessment but there has been no mention apart from casual chat about my return to work. Think I'll be taking the full year plus the accrued annual leave.

Sorry to hear of those who are struggling, lochi in particular. Thinking of you!

Has anyone started shopping? I haven't bought a thing and after two miscarriages have constantly been reminding myself that things can go wrong at anytime (this is our first). Had a really tough year with losing family members too.

I think I need to start planning now though, and have decided I'll start with the hospital bag. There's a good thread with lots of advice at the moment so I'm going to start collating my list and then buying during the sales.

Apparently there is a mama's and papas outlet in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, which dh is keen to check out. We live in Scotland so it's a trek but he thinks we could get decent quality for less and it would totally be worth it.

Has anyone been??

marmite i get the hip pain too but only on my right side so I'm forcing myself to sleep on the left!

purple I have been really scared to buy things too but I've bought my pram and a few bits. A friend has just told me she is selling her sleepyhead so I'm going to get that too I think. I haven't been to a mamas and papas outlet but I did get my pram from the shop. They do this thing where you can get a refund if the pram goes down in price up until your due date which I thought was good!

Hi haven't bought anything yet either. Had 2 losses so bit afraid but will in January in the sales. As a first timer it can be quite confusing as to what to buy. Heard great things about the sleepyhead and snuzpod. I'm feeling huge at 23 weeks and have just got back from New York - ate all around me!

Hi sorry also looking for advice - my boss who doesn't always deliver things in the right way told me that for my cover will be made permanent when I come back? I got a bit upset as couldn't understand why they would do this. She couldn't even tell me what they would be doing when I came back.

Gathered my thoughts and spoke to her the next day and she said due to my level as a manager of 10 people in a very busy company that they don't believe someone coming in at that level for a year will be fully committed to the company. Said she spoke to a few people who only want a permanent position. Said she has to think of what the position will be - we have business in the uk (I'm in Ireland) and will be getting more involved in this market so I suggested they could manage this side of the business which she seemed interested in.

Made me initially feel very vulnerable as really we need more people on the team and not more senior people. I work in marketing and already we have 3 of us involved at a senior level.

Any advice greatly appreciated

I have a form to fill in which tells my employer when I plan to leave and if I intend to take the full ML allowance. If I decide to come back early I have to give 8 weeks notice.

You have to give notice to your employoer before 28 weeks, which is why our MWs give out the MATB1 at our 25 week appointment.

You also have rights to return to your job when you take statutory ML up to the 52 weeks except in certain circumstances i.e. The role no longer exists.

This page might help answer some questions: www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/statutory-maternity-leave-returning-work

I've just had my risk assessment (finally!) although there isn't much they can do to change anything. I got hit in the stomach yesterday by a students handbag as she rushed down the corridor! So I mentioned that and my SPD.

As far as I'm aware you have a right to return to the same job. I was worried as I thought my position of responsibility would be taken away but I've been told they can't change anything, not even my classroom!! I have given them when I aim to leave but said this could change and not told HR anything about coming back. I think they will give my replacement a one year contract so when I come back there will be two of us doing the same thing for a few months.

Btw is 25 weeks considered 5 or 6 months?

40 weeks is 10 months... so I really struggle with what to say when people ask how many months I am lol!

Ha Purple - I've been having that conundrum too. Although I'm a little behind you, I'm just coming up to 24 weeks.

Glad I'm not the one one! According to my book 'what to expect when you are expecting' the 6th month is from 23-27 weeks....

It feels nice to say I'm 'six months pregnant' rather than the week! 23+5 here

Hi I know I haven't posted much but can I be added to the due date list? Due 16th April x thanks

Thanks Gorilla my right hip seems to hurt whether i'm lying on my left or right side but I will try that as we do have quite a firm mattress which might not be helping. When I get up in the night I can feel the pain travelling down my thigh as well... really hope this isn't the start of some sort sciatic pain..It's strange how it came on out of nowhere this week though.

Feeling very grumpy at work today due to lack of sleep all week and too much work on, we should be winding down for christmas now!

Don't know about M&P outlet I'm afraid Purple

Which M&P pram did you buy Jpeg? We haven't bought or looked at anything yet and wondering how people went about research? One thing I have been vaguely looking is the co-sleeping type cribs e.g. the Chicco Next to Me - anyone bought this;/have any experience of it? Or what else are people planning on using? I literally have no idea about any of this!

Glad you finally got a risk assessments Jpeg, I've given up on my manager!

23 weeks today and enjoying feeling so much movement and kicks at the moment!

Brought a next2me off eBay this week for £80. I set it up this afternoon and it looks good. Also got a second hand sleepyhead for £50, looks like new :-).

I was getting so many hard kicks last night it was making me laugh!! It was like being tickled not quite pleasure or pain!!

I bought a Joolz pram so not actually a M&P one marmite but they still do the deal of paying you back if it goes down in price.
In terms of research I went on the mother & baby awards, into mothercare, and just generally looked at reviews on places like which etc.

Well done Cajun!! I just got a sleepyhead go £50 too! Just the next to me to go!

Is anyone doing an NCT course? Have found my local one but the course is just over £300 which seems a bit much!!

I'm torn between some people saying the classes are so-so but it's invaluable for meeting other local mum's, versus some people saying they never actually kept in touch with anyone from their classes!

There are other local bumps and babies, sling meets and breastfeeding cafe type places I could meet people while on maternity leave, or will I be too late and everyone will be in their NCT friendly groups?!

peanut there's some good information here about your rights to return to the same job after maternity leave:

www.workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/your-rights-at-the-end-of-maternity-leave-returning-to-work-or-choosing-to-resign/

Suzy I did NCT for my first. I think the main advantages for me was having a ready-made group of people going through the same thing in the early days - we used to have a WhatsApp group that was most active about 3am when we were all up doing night feeds! That alone was worth every penny we spent on the course. The other good thing was that it forced DH to focus on birth and babies for a couple of hours a week - he was a bit in denial during the pregnancy and I think it really helped to do the course together - I can't imagine he would have spent much time considering the pros and cons of epidural otherwise!

We've booked a hypnobirthing course near us which I've heard people raving about, although the price did make my eyes water a bit. It's only a small class so don't necessarily know if we'll meet people but it's worth a shot.

It's 4x 3 hr sessions but it's supposed to be the full package like NCT, just a bit more hippy dippy I think!

Suzy I'm doing NCT, it starts in January. I'm also doing NCT yoga.

DH and I barely know anyone here as we only recently moved here, so I feel like the more people I get to know the better!

So far everyone at NCT yoga is nice but we frankly barely say two words to each other, whereas I think NCT classes will be more helpful as there will be a ready made circle.

I live in London so it's hard to make new friends really, I bet in less self-contained places it'd be easier to make a few new friends!

Hi everyone, I've been a bit quiet on here. It'seems busy season with band so have been playing lots of carol concerts. Baby has been dancing along - very cute but slightly Off-putting!
I ended up in A&E last week after blacking out in the hairdresser's. All fine, just got a bit hot.
We've booked onto an antenatal course with a local midwife rather than NCT. There are photos on her Facebook page of coffee mornings etc so it looks like there are meeting ups afterwards.
What has everyone else bought so far? We've not really got much yet. Waiting for the sales!

Hello!

I'm not sure if anyone will remember me, I was on the thread way back during the 1st trimester and up until around 16 weeks when we moved house and had no internet for a while.

Just wanted to pop in and let you all know I had my little boy last Wednesday at 25+1 weighing 1lb11oz. He's currently in NICU and we have a long long road ahead of us but he's doing well

Hope everyone is well and wishing you all luck with the rest of your pregnancies

scandi of course we remember you! congratulations on the birth of your little boy. I am so glad he is doing well. xxx

Hi Scandi - I remember you. Congratulations on the arrival of your little one.
I'm glad to hear he's doing well and wish him luck and strength as he grows big enough to go home.

Congratulations, I'm glad he's doing well. I hope you have a lovely first Christmas with your little one.