November 2017 #3: Flutters, bubbles and a proper bump!

[GingerHanna]

Previous Thread

Here we all are... delving into our second trimesters and awaiting 'The Big Scan'! Don't forget to keep the list updated.

I haven't really confirmed yet but definitely two weeks before (due 1st November) and hopefully work from home two weeks before that as I work in London and commute in from suburbia, so don't want to get caught out in town then have to get myself home!

Can't stop eating today - have eaten all the carbs (again)!

Hi @Bubbasmama2017 this is my first pregnancy and I am due on the 21st Nov. I am gonna tag my holiday onto the start of my mat leave. I am therefore starting my mat leave on my due date (unless baby comes early) and taking 2.5 weeks holiday before baby arrives to chill and prepare.

@izzibee29 that's a good idea I'll try and save some time to do the same maybe. I only have a desk job but it can be quite stressful and I think I'd rather have a lot of my work handed over and just helping out in the last few weeks maybe. Seems to be ages in the future though at the mo!

Hi ladies sorry a bit late but can I join, currently 17+3 with first baby xx

Due 11th November I should add x

Welcome @ew1990.

@Bubbasmama2017 my jobs a desk job in a retail business so I'm trying to stretch my mat leave and holiday at either end to enable me to take 2 xmases off. But I also hope to just do a hand over a week or so before going off as we will be in the thick of Christmas by October.

Welcome new people! Exciting to have new members

17 weeks today and went to the midwife, we heard the heartbeat which was lovely. And my blood pressure has come down! Still no news on harmony test results tho.

I really want to finish work at least a month early, but am having to balance that with ensuring I'm off until the following Sept so we don't need summer hols childcare for our 5 year old. Think I'll probably end up finishing at the start of October half term but we'll see. Bit worried about finances while I'm off

Had 16 week appointment today, nice to hear the heartbeat and have reassuring that the baby is still there.

@izzibee I'm in the exact same boat, same industry and considering the same leave.

@DryHeave got to love the crazy world of retail in the 6 weeks of Xmas

I'm finishing at the end of September, due Nov 21st. Ds came 3 weeks early and I was hospitalised from a week before (36 weeks), so I'm finishing early this time too just in case. I'm self employed and would finish earlier if I could as I'm royally f*cked if I have to cancel orders at short notice, but I already have bookings until mid September so I couldn't cancel them. Hoping I don't get pre eclampsia this time and go until November, but have to be prepared that it could start earlier and worse and lead to a miserable long hospitalisation :(

Welcome newbies. Please feel free to add your stats to the sheet on the OP.

I'm due 23/11 but might have an ELCS. I'm therefore think of finishing work on 27/10, when I'll be 36+1. However, as I delivered at 33 weeks last time, I'll be planning my work handover to be complete by the time I reach 32 weeks!

Shall I add a "starting mat leave date" column to the spreadsheet?

I'm undecided when to start my mat leave. I'm due on 12th but hoping for elcs so likely to be a week earlier so was thinking 20th October & using holiday for a week & then starting mat leave. However if I don't have an elcs this may be too early as I don't want to end up with 5 weeks off before baby arrives as I had with DS as it drove me mad. I'm also running out of holiday rapidly for various reasons.

Not going to find out about elcs until 20th October which feels really late. Think I'm going to tell work 27th October & see how I go. The way all our meetings work it makes sense to go that week as I can use all my monthly account meetings as a final handover / close down & not have to do any of the work after!

My midwife didn't listen for the heartbeat today at my 16 week appointment. To be honest I was less than impressed with how she dealt with me. I'm definitely asking to be transferred to the other midwife at my doctors.

Maternity leave here must be taken four to six weeks before due date - the period before baby comes is called 'confinement leave'! Therefore I finish 20 October, four weeks before due date.

Feeling very jealous of all of you and maternity leave. This country really does suck

Sock, I had to ask (and promise I wouldn't freak out if she couldn't find the heartbeat) because apparently they don't normally do it until the next appointment.
I'm not a big fan of my midwife but she told me she's off to train as a health visitor and I'll have someone else next time.

Stuckinny what happens in terms of leave for you? How much time will you be able to take off?

@butterybollocks you have made me feel better now. I thought my midwife was just being mean to me, I guess I can blame hormones for that. I still don't like her very much though!

I am so glad we get to choose our midwife practice here. If you don't click with a midwife or practice you can just change without issue. Most folks go on word of mouth and approach - i.e. I have chosen a small practice of just four midwives so I will get to know each individual and they are very pro home birth which supports my intention for a home birth if at all possible.

We just get random midwives at hospital appointments, it's very much in/out system so you don't get to know anybody.

Working from home today really must get out of bed as have loads to do :-/ I have seen two different midwives didn't get to choose but they seem ok

Think I saw a different midwife each time with DD. Hoping for some consistency under consultant led care!

Just had my midwife appointment. Saw the same one as booking in. There are only 2 midwives in our area so not too bad. The other one I saw pretty much every appointment when I was pregnant DS & she is lovely, the one I saw today is new to the area & nice enough but very formal & is always running very late.

Everything was fine & got to hear the heartbeat. Baby wasn't happy about that & kept wriggly away & then decided to try & kick it off! Starting to get lots more movement during the day now.

@stuckinny where abouts are you based??

@butterybollocks I think short term disability is three months. I think I remember it being 8 weeks for normal delivery and 12 for c-section. Either way it's not enough.
To be honest, I'm hoping to be made redundant before then. I'm not planning on coming back either way. The woman I work for is too chaotic for my liking and it's not an environment I want to be in. I'm planning on looking into working from home options in the next few weeks so I have something already set up. Even if it means working two jobs for a few months.

@izzibee29 I'm in New York. Been here for years although never planned on staying.