Ringing in the New Year & 2nd trimester - July 2019!

[wombatron]

New home and new thread to start 2019.

@AIDE2424 @cravingmilkshake @HchyScott @ReginaPhalange89 - will tag more when I go back to remember.

Bring on the fake Prosecco and bed by 10pm tonight!

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1y-XaVbeNQM-bCGlrUxXxcBBNGUfIVQY4htZRUpbbw

@BecyButterfly what an amazing pic! So clear ❤️

Speaking of work, how long before EDD is everyone going to finish? Any experience to share for the first timers? I was thinking a couple of weeks??

@StargazyDrifter I have the same dilemma with leave too. We've got a huge project going live mid-April and all leave has been banned for March and April. Any appointments I have will obviously be allowed but I've got 30 days or so to take between now and mid-June and I don't think my boss has realised that...! Think HR might have some thoughts on what they want me to do vs what my boss will. Either way I get the days off or the money so I don't mind but it will be an interesting back and forth...!

Jxtina86 I know what you mean! I'm leaning towards days off probably being more valuable than their financial equivalent at that stage in pregnancy, but this is my first time and I could be completely wrong. Could you carry them over for when you're back too?

Was thinking of going 4 weeks before due date. Some people seem to say they were bored, but I think it'd be nice to have a separation between work and the baby and to properly prepare. Still thinking it over and would be interested in others' views!

Amazing scan pic @beckybutterfly!

@reginaphalange89 not long to go now for us!!!

I’m not sure when I’m going to finish either. I’ve got some AL booked in to give me some breaks between now and finishing though. I’m thinking maybe finish 3wks before EDD? End of June/beg of July is a tough time for my work so I think I’ll be ready for it!!!

I’ve got 32 days AL to take between 31st March and going on maternity, I’ve put it all in so I’m hardly at work April May June! My last working day is June 25th but I’m AL so not actually beginning maternity leave till July 20th Praying my annual leave hurry’s up ready for some time off, on the way to my scan downing the water!x

@StargazyDrifter my DH reckons they might pay me the statutory amount I.e 20 days and then I take the remaining days as leave which I'll happily tag on the beginning of my mat leave. I was planning to work up to 37 weeks but I'm not sure how I'll cope with the commute at that stage so if I can finish at 35 with leave to begin with I think that would be a good compromise! However fully aware I may go a bit stir crazy...! But it's either that or spend 2 extra weeks being squashed on trains and tube...

I've agreed that I'll carry my annual leave over so I can tag it on the end of maternity, or use it to create a phased return to leave.

I am thinking of working until 37/38 weeks. I can also work from home, so it might be that I stay wfh towards the end of the pregnancy.

I've been trying to work this all out too. I need to ask what happens if you take annual leave just before EDD and end up having the baby in that time so mat leave kicks in. Hoping they would tack it on to the end of mat leave instead of losing it.

Does mat leave have to start the day baby is born? I thought it did but my manager says not? X

Our policy is that annual leave for the current cycle should be taken before mat leave where at all possible but you can carry a week over to the next cycle if you want. Our holiday year begins at the start of October so I have 3 weeks left for this year (I already have a week booked in April which I have accounted for) so I'm going to start mat leave 1 week before due date and take the two weeks prior to that as holiday so I actually finish 3 weeks before due date. I'll then carry a week over. I can't afford to take a full year off so whatever I can add on at the end makes a difference to me as I also need to keep some of next year's holidays for coping with ds's school holidays as he starts primary in September.
I finished 3 weeks before with ds and that was just about right.
I don't have a bad commute to deal with though, it's about 45 minutes but dh and I drive in together so he can do most all of the driving near the end.
My work's policy is that if I have baby early then my mat leave starts early too but as long as it's no more than 3 weeks early then I'll just swap mat leave for holiday iyswim so my total leave and planned dates etc won't change

Mat leave has to start the day your baby is born , so if you're on annual leave and have the baby it would start that day, I'm not sure what happens to the rest of the leave !

With both of my previous pregnancies I finished up about 36.5 weeks, 2 weeks annual leave then mat leave started . With my second I planned to work later but honestly I was so fed up by the end, and ended up asking to go off early. I think it depends how physical your job is too . My second was overdue and people said I'd be bored but I wasn't at all. I couldn't focus on anything at work either, my head was in the clouds .

Eeek @Giraffe888 I know ! 2 sleeps! My wee girl already knows and she's dying to tell her friends at school so she's been counting down the sleeps too lol, bless her she's actually managed to keep it a secret

@squiggle that's great it just swaps over if baby comes early, hopefully my work will do similar as I'm planning to take 3 weeks annual leave before due date so that would be a bit risky to lose them if I couldn't do that. I will check with HR.

My plan for holidays is I need a couple of long weekends for weddings etc, a week off for moving house, going to take a week at Easter, keep a couple of "emergency days" just in case to use last minute, then finish up 3 weeks before. Next few months won't be too bad at all when it's broken down like that!

I’m a teacher and so I am hoping to be able to stay at work till the start of the summer hols which is the 19th of July. I am due the 24th!! If I start my mat leave before the summer hols then they will be taken out of my mat leave allowance which means I’ll start getting reduced pay by the end of the hols whereas I would’ve been paid as usual for those 6 weeks. It’ll mean that I’ll have to return to work shortly after the summer hols as I only get 4 weeks full pay then 2 weeks 90% pay. After that it goes down to half pay which I don’t think I’ll be able to afford to live on.

Oh and @StargazyDrifter I also have to have a risk assessment in place which is updated monthly I think.

With my first I finished ten days before edd but then she was two weeks late so ended up with a nice break! probably worth bearing in mind that a lot of first babies (not all obviously) are late. However this time I'm having a planned c-section so will know the date - so was planning on finishing maybe a week before. But to be honest, commuting to London may make that harder, if I can work from home permanently and not go in then I'll try to work till then. Otherwise, we'll see!

Had my scan! All went well, Baby was very awkward and they couldn’t get measurements needed for NT so now I’m just having the test for Down’s syndrome between 15-16 weeks, but this makes me nervous as my brother and his partner have had 2 previous pregnancy’s with chromosome abnormalites, but the midwife didn’t seem concerned! Anyways the scan photo I have is rubbish because baby just had its back to us 😂 so I’ve been in a mood ever since as I had this lovely image of a nice 12 week scan and the whole experience was awful! Xx

Awww I'm sorry it wasn't the best scan @AIDE2424 , but glad the baby is doing well !
Did anything come of your brother's previous pregnancies or did all turn out ok?

Hey AIDE! This happened to me with my last baby. I didn't even get a picture. No measurements, no nuchal test, no due date! They did do another scan a week later though. Sorry yours wasn't as expected :( naughty baby!

Sorry baby wasn't playing ball AIDE2424, but glad it was otherwise good news. Hopefully you'll get to see baby again and get some measurements v soon.

I’ve got a week off in Feb, one in April and one end of may. Hoping I’ve not used too much but I think I’ll need it! I’m on my feet all day at work too so I’ll be shattered. I’m already in agony with my back at work but it’s fine on my days off.

@reginaphalange89 awww bless her! How old are your DC? X

That's a shame the scan wasn't the experience you were hoping for @AIDE2424 but great news baby is looking good!

I need to chat with my manager in regards to A/L and finishing work - not sure if I have to take the whole allowance before going off on mat leave Or if some gets carried over as leave runs jan-Dec so just got new allowance of 31 days! Ideally would like to finish mid-June by taking some A/L so that mat leave starts in July! Hoping to take a year off.

Woke up with hip pain (achey pain) last night which I struggled to sleep with. Hoping it's just a one off and not a sign of things to come!

@AIDE2424 I’m glad overall the scan went well and that baby is ok x

@BirthdayKake they haven’t offered to do a rescan :( I would have been happier if they had not unfortunately not she just said anything of concern will be picked up on the 20 week scan :(

I know I should just be greatful my baby is ok and I am I really am! So very pleased but I’m just nervous now having to wait till my 20 week scan and now only been able to test for Down’s syndrome but what will be will be.

@ReginaPhalange89 unfortunately both my brothers previous pregnancy’s ended up with late miscarriages at 21 weeks and 18 weeks. this is why I’m so nervous, he has had 2 children now both healthy a girl and a boy thankfully xx

Aww that's rubbish AIDE :( I think I got a rescan because they couldn't even measure the baby properly.

That's awful @AIDE2424, I thought they usually did offer a rescan , so harsh making you wait til 20 weeks ! How do they do the downs testing next time if they couldn't get the measurements?

@giraffe888 my girls are 6 and 22 months! Big gap between them , much smaller this time, kind of crapping myself haha the youngest is quite hard work just now, seems to have hit terrible 2s early, tantrums a lot and hates the buggy so going anywhere is a nightmare !