February 2019 babies - onwards and almost the third trimester!

[Since2016]

New thread!

@welshweasel - I can't wait for my consultant appointment, it's next month! Seems to have taken ages to come around! I hope I get to know that day, I've heard some people have loads of appointments 😩

I’m assuming my section will be agreed! Haha I do love a good argument... mine will be first week of Feb. I’m looking forward to getting everything sorted in Jan!

@yakadee mines not till the week before Christmas! But midwife told me last time it would defintely be my decision so here’s hoping I’ll know before Christmas!

Mine is agreed too. Last working day is at 39 weeks (very end of January) with mat leave officially starting at 39+4 because of my working pattern. I'm working over Christmas though (except bank holidays). It's coming scarily quickly - lots to do between now and then!

@Since2016 - I'm assuming I'll be allowed one but until I get that official 'yes' I can't believe it. My midwife simply said I cannot be refused but everyone I seem to speak to tells me I'll have to fight for it. I definitely have very good reasons and it's a 'no brainer' as far as I'm concerned. I just wish I already knew for sure. Xx

No I can understand that @yakadee - I feel a little like that too tbh! I had an EMCS last time so standard practice is to for them to give you all the options but ultimately my choice - hoping this bears true! Fx for us both.

I’m going to go on mat leave from December 21st when schools break up. It means I can get paid Maternity allowance over Christmas at least (whereas as an agency worker i’d normally get nothing). Plus I just don’t think I can face such a long commute in January and with potentially quite dangerous roads (i’m very rural).

I haven’t properly decided on mat leave yet. My employer has already put it in the calendar from my due date (10 Feb) but I do have about 20 days hol so realistically the time I am off before 10 Feb will be holiday. I can carry some over.

I’d like to see how I feel as I’d rather have time off after baby is here and I’m worried about being at home bored waiting for baby to come. I am thinking maybe mid Jan but if baby is 2 weeks late, for example, then I’d be home alone for 6 weeks!

So might try to ease my time off eg work from home a bit more through winter, work half days or shorter weeks if that helps, as it will mean I have something to do but not having to work full days / weeks 🤔

@Since2016 - yes, fingers crossed! Mine's 23/11 so just a month to go! I didn't have a section with my first but really didn't have a great time, (Long story short - induction, forceps, massive episiotomy, a lot of blood lost, stitches without pain relief, infection and physio!) genuinely think a section would be a safer option for baby and me! X

@yakadee here’s hoping! That sounds grim. I didn’t progress - at all. Didn’t dilate past 2cm over several days. Induction failed, baby ended up in distress and in NICU. I can’t risk a repeat of that situation!

I'm self-employed and work from home, so I'm going on 'official' maternity leave, as in claiming MA, from the week before my due date. I plan to pretty much just spend January tidying up my accounts and admin and squaring away anything outstanding.

@Since2016 - that's exactly how I feel. Someone at work made a comment, 'too posh to push' - if only they knew! X

@twiglet thats what iv done i have2weeks off for xmas and then I have holiday to use up so from 11jan i have holiday and my maternity doesnt start till due date on 12th feb

I didn't plan very well as we're away over Christmas so I'm off until 9th January to then go back to work until I have mat leave. Of which I'm thinking of working up until the week before my due date....

Mad?

@baby160p I don't think I can make it that long! I think a little bit of sorting time pre baby would be a good idea. Depends a lot on work. I'm booked up around 4 weeks in advance and would rather leave early making sure everything is tied up nicely as much as possible. Don't want to stress about unfinished paperwork and cancelled appointments if she comes a little bit early.

My maternity leave starts on 26th Nov so only 4 weeks left!! Looking forward to having lots of time with DS doing fun festive stuff in the lead up to Christmas and then spend January sorting and nesting! My c section will probably be the last week of January. Taking at least a year career break after mat leave.

@Baby160P I had originally planned for 1st Feb finish with due date 7th Feb but moved it forward a week as my hips are painful with commuting.

My work has a rule of any pregnancy related illness in the last 4 weeks then maternity leave automatically starts I think it's quite a common rule so you could see if you can have a similar agreement.
I definitely prefer more time the other side but it's personal choice

@maxiflump1 - that sounds amazing! X

@Baby160P I don't think that's mad if you feel up to it. I finished at 38 weeks last time and drove myself crazy with the three weeks of free time. Depending on your job, the lead up to mat leave can sometimes be a bit more chilled too because you can't really start anything new. I'm planning on working until 39 weeks this time.
@maxiflump1 now I'm envious! That sounds like a lovely way to spend your maternity leave, especially with a career break to give you much more time after the baby arrives.

Ive been on sick leave since June. So my maternity leave automatically kicks in 1st week in Dec.

I am so excited for a christmas off work.
Retail means usually 60hr weeks all dec and jan for the jan sales and getting in the buying window before lunar new year.

So this is going to be the 1st time since I was 16 with some time off over the holidays.

To say I am excited is an understatement!!

Got my 32w scan week before christmas too. So who knows what that will say also.

I just don’t want to go back after Christmas and my commute is hellish! I’m also planning on doing lots of things with my toddler before baby arrives and enjoying the 2 days she’ll still be in nursery for me time!

I do hope my c section is agreed as it’ll be first week of Feb rather than my due date which is middle of! I get 33 days of annual leave a year (pro rataed to 4 days a week) but it’s so generous it means I can take the full year! Although with DD I was bored by 10 months so we’ll see...

Ps. It entirely depends how you feel - I don’t want to spend Christmas knowing I’m going back and it won’t really make that much difference leave wise. I went to 35 weeks last time and I was exhausted, stressed and swollen. I want to enjoy the run up this time!

My two kids were born 14 and then 12 days overdue, so I’m planning on working till as close to my due date as possible really. It’s boring to just sit and wait! Knowing my luck this one will come on time or early 🤷🏻‍♀️

Id rather have the time at the end of my mat leave though.. so hopefully it’ll work out.

Got my baby box today (the one where you had to watch videos and pay postage) it’s cute! Box with mattress, sheet, pack of nappies, pack of wipes, some samples, etc. No lid though, I’d read it came with a lid 😕

Does anyone know what the baby box is like in Northumberland? It sounds like it's different in different parts of England and I don't want to pay postage if it's not worth it in that area. I can't go to the children's centre to get it as it would be my MIL's address and I don't want to have to send her either.

@lanalawr @twiglet @emalady

I'm a nanny for 5 children who all are at school so my hours are 7-7 in the holidays And 7-9 2-6pm term time.

My theory is all of these mummies who have children wouldn't just leave their children and not do the school run so I can do it!?

There are no holidays between January return to school and my due date so I have daytimes to do baby bits and clean!

I think I'm trying to justify my madness hahaha