May 2019 (or late April 2019) due date

[ByThePond]

Anyone else?

I have quite long cycles but using OPKs, I have a rough idea of when I ovulated and have just got the faintest of lines. So 30 April or 1 May for me! Eek.

You might be able to rearrange the appointment Zoe?

I think dizziness was my first symptom looking back. Last time it was insomnia, but not had that yet thankfully.

Dietcoke1 yes, especially considering how early I tested... 👶🏻👶🏻?! 😱 Better not be, we only want 2 and have ds already!

@ZoeOutdoors I would just tell them - pregnancy gives you additional protection so they'll be less likely to moan about it!

Omg anyone's clothes feel tight already?!? 🙈🙈🙈

@minnierose3 yes - the bloat is unreal. I won't mind once it's actually bump and baby but the bloat is not nice!

@minnierose3 not sure if I'm bloated or not but my tummy feels loads better with my Jean button undone aha

@ZoeOutdoors can you not just tell them you have an important hospital appointment that cannot be rearranged outside of working hours, but not specify what it's about (I assume they wouldn't ask, and it's perfectly reasonable to say you feel uncomfortable discussing it if they do). For all they know it could be something serious, so surely they have to let you go?

I've been trying to lose weight for aaaaages (I'm a bit overweight for my height) but have never been able to get below a certain point. This morning I was 1lb under my that weight 🧐 so odd!

Also (sorry for multiple posts!) will take the advice and wait another week or so before phoning the gp 👍🏻

I had a Dr appt this morning about a rash on my hands. I told her I'm pg (4+6 today), so it's on my record. The process here is the GP surgery give out a "booking pack" which contains some info and your handheld notes. You then book an appt online to see a MW when you are 8-10 weeks. I think I'll wait til I pass 6 weeks to book it.

In my previous town you saw the GP no earlier than 6 weeks. They'd then make a referral to the hospital and a MW would ring to arrange booking in after that. With my 1st baby I was booked in at 8 weeks. With my 3rd I didn't see anyone til 13 weeks! I'd had my scan by then. At booking I was given my notes in a Bounty Pack. If you don't already know, Bounty is a pile of crap. I turned the plastic envelope inside out so I wouldn't do any advertising for them!

Someone upthread was asking about folic acid. The notes I've been given state that if your BMI is >35 you should be on 5mg daily.

We self refer to the midwife here, the GP doesn’t want to know.

Anyone else getting lower back ache too along with the cramps?

Yes lower back ache here as well, on and off. It’s the main symptom that’s terrifying me because I always read that front cramps are okay but backache/cramps that come from the back are not. And I had horrendous backache in the days before my last MC. It’s why I’m half expecting things to go wrong.

Hi to those who've got their BFPs over the last few days!

Cramps/stretching pains on and off too. And cold, when I'm not ridiculously hot. Can't seem to get to the right temperature!

Had my booking in appointment today. Feels a bit more real now I think! My midwife is lovely so I'm pleased about that. Got my scan booked for 16th Oct. I think we might opt for NIPT before that though so if we do we'll get a scan before that as well. Desperate to see evidence that there IS a little person growing in there!

@Dimblebimble It’s different depending now here you live I think. I called up and expected them to book me in for another four week (I’d be 8 weeks) but she offered me an appointment for tomorrow and said it doesn’t matter as long as it is before 12 weeks. I asked for one in a few weeks though, just so I’m sure.

@zoeoutdoors I had that exact same problem so I had to just tell my boss. I’m a teacher and there are big shortages so I didn’t feel I couldn’t make up a sufficient lie to get time off. I’ve asked for her strictest confidence and she can’t break that so it could be best to just be honest?

My first and only previous pregnancy was super planned (knowing when I ovulated - timings... all that stuff) so having an unplanned pregnancy is pretty wild so far even if it's only day two. I'm glad I'm not alone there though @espressopatronum !

Going into work was really weird today knowing that I will probably be going on maternity leave in the future. I'm just in the beginning of a major project so I'm going to try and get my speed on and deliver as much as I can. Nothing like a tight timeframe...

Sorry to hear that some of you are having to tell work earlier than you'd maybe like. I confessed last time at 9 weeks in a (small) departmental meeting but I think even though everyone suspected due to me puking my guts up round the clock, it made everyone feel a bit uncomfortable because I hadn't passed 12 weeks. If I have to tell someone this time I will try and tell my manager in confidence.

Just discovered I won't qualify for the decent maternity pay from my employer as haven't worked there long enough 😩

How am I gonna survive on SMP?! Even though it's only paid for 9 months I'm still thinking of being off for a year- I'll only get this chance once to spend time with the baby.. gonna be tough though!

@mrsreader I won’t even get SMP I’ll have to apply for maternity allowance as I haven’t been at work this job long enough to qualify. Will probably still aim for a year off like I had last time. Will have to save up a bit harder to cover those last 3 months.

Oh no @MrsReader :( I guess you have 7/8 months to save? One of my friends for a poor maternity package (just smp I think, maybe a months pay), saved up during pregnancy, and is planning to take a full year off. Not sure how much her husband is supporting her to do it though.

I only get SMP too. First time round I was really freaking out as it just seems like nothing but actually it was ok.
You don’t spend anywhere near as much as you think and so as long as bills etc can be covered by your partners income I found that it was only really in the last few months when I had zero coming in that I felt like we were spending more than we brought in. I had over a year off with holiday taken either side.

Three things I’d suggest:

1. pause any pension payments during Mat leave. One year won’t make a significant difference to your retirement fund but will just give you a bit more each month
2. you accrue holiday AND bank holidays so you can return to payroll on X date but then request to take or a large proportion of your holiday until Y date. So youre back earning but can still take the full year.
3. if you do kit days as you get close to going back, do at least two a month otherwise you’ll find you don’t actually get paid as any contributions will be taken from it first (see suggestion 1)

@MynameisJune not ideal is it 😬

@Dimblebimble I'm part time and term time so can't afford to save 😭 I do some savings tho from before I started that job, but they'll soon go!

Husband not helpful at all with money so this will be tricky!

Thanks @MimiSunshine , I work in a school so won't accrue holidays ☹️ will look into the kit days and freezing my pension tho thanks!

No idea of I'll get smp or mat allowance... Need to read my contract carefully! But only started in February so who knows.

Yep @teladi wild is one way to put it! My son was discussed at much length before ttc, it's strange to have such a shock this time round. Well, not a total shock as I know we had unprotected sex! But still, it's one of those things you don't expect to happen after just one accident!!

My last pregnancy I'd been back at work from mat leave for 2.5 days when I started feeling nauseous on the Wednesday afternoon (I only worked Mon-Wed). I then had some spotting for a few days. Saw ooh GP the following Sunday and got appt at EPU for the Tues. On the Mon I went into work feeling rough as anything. Colleague asked me how I was and I confessed EVERYTHING. I must have been 6+6. She immediately sent me home. I know she told a couple of the others in the team. I called in sick the next day and had to speak to another team leader, someone I'd never met as she started when I was on mat leave. Also had to confess to her. She reacted a bit strangely (I realised later that it was because another member of our team was unexpectedly pregnant). Was off work for 4 weeks. Came back in at 10+6, still feeling like shit, and basically told everyone, so they'd understand why I was so dopey.

My previous pregnancy I confessed to two senior colleagues at 6 or 7 weeks, as was feeling ill...almost vomiting in a patient's home!

First pg I confessed at 8 weeks when I needed to leave for my booking appt.

I worked in healthcare and although I didn't want to tell anyone so early, it meant that people looked after me and we could do risk assessments early on.

I only took SMP last time around and it was manageable. I'll get nothing this time.

Are you eligible for MA this time @MauisLeftNipple?

@mimisunshine this is really helpful thank you