'Due in the new year the next generation - who ate all the pies'

[Bettymamma]

I hope you all find this. I'll write a proper message once I see it works!xx

Damn you all and your holidays!! We can't go on holiday at the moment as DH has used up most of his holiday allowance already! I get a bit more than him anyway, and I get to use 1 year's allowance in 6 months as I'll be on mat leave for the second half of the holiday year.

We're going to Jersey in September to visit the in-laws (oh the fun) but it should still be a nice holiday for a few days Other than that we're just waiting for the weather to improve so we can go for a couple of weekends to Whitby and the Lake District.

When are people here planning on going on maternity leave? I'm going to be finishing work at the beginning of December when I'll be 36 weeks. Well that's the plan at the moment! What about everyone else?

Welcome as well Weblette and Jellyjem - it can be a bit of a madhouse here sometimes, although it seems rather sedate at the moment!

Sabinar - great to hear everything's going well - unfortunately I'm with you on the pot-belly front, baby is getting bigger but my bump is just relocated belly flab! I've also got a lump of scar tissue under my skin just above my belly button which sticks out and just looks really odd tbh! Can't wait for the bump to start sticking out - for a start it might give me a bit more room in my abdomen which is rather crowded at the moment!

hello all newies - Hope everyone is ok?? Enjoying this fine weather

Talking about 'every little helps'...Somebody at work gave me the Sure Start Maternity Grant Phone number 08456088649 and mentioned it's worth phoning up to find out if you qualify for a £500 lump sum for pregnant women.

M/L - thinking of working as much as I can - due on 30th Dec, so hoping to leave first week of Dec (37 weeks) and savind my A/L to use for two weeks after, so formally start my M/L last week Dec. Saying that - I might get fed up and leave earlier than planned!

morning all.
I planning on leaving on the last day of term which is the 21st December. Do we get 9 months off paid now ?
I cannot get enough of super sour sweets. Bought 3 bags on Tuesday and nearly finished them.
Anyone looked at the chinese birth charts yet ? They were right for my two dc's and say a girl this time although i fee it's a boy ?
www.ovulation-calculator.com/ttc-tools/chinese-conception-chart.htm

Morning..

Naetha- Im thinking of starting my maternity leave at the beginning of dec, but will depend on how i feel....I have to get up at 5...so depends on whether they allow me to come in later or not....got a feeling the travelling will get to me! Yes we get 9 months of stat pay Lillyloo x

hmm if it's 9 months i just realised i could maybe finish much earlier then as it will run into the summer holidays. I coulf finish mid November then and put my return to work date as the beginning of the summer hols and then i could get full pay for them Will have to look into that , thanks Beller.
Anyone had a 'fake bake' tan whilst pg / I want one for a wedding next week when i wear my (whispers) 'white dress' (the bride said it was fine, she in ivory anyway.) When i spoke to the salon they said to come in for a patch test as it could go patchy due to hormones.

hi all - not posted in abit as been feeling very sorry for myself am now 13 and half weks and still feeling rubbush, still being sick and very tired, feel like i am a hermit. ANd whats worse had big row with DH last night over nothing so tears from me whilst he was snoring typical.

Also have to tell work today - really not looking forward to it.

I am planning to go on maternity leave just before christmas - i have a murder case running up until then but when that finishes then that will be it for me i will be 34-36 weeks so should be ok.

Sorry for rant feel fed up - want to feel better bored of it.

OK, going cross-eyed reading all postss o hello to everyone and hope you are well.

Re free stuff - Tesco website Tesco has a Baby Club - when you buy a baby pack of Huggies nappies you get some freebies, or Boots Parenting Club has an offer where you get a free changing bag with a pack of Huggies nappies boots. Huggies themselves were pretty poor for vouchers - Pampers sent them pretty regularly.

Afternoon ladies how are we all?

Welcome JellyJem and congratulations!

Hello Sabinar ? I love those updates don?t you? I send them on to DH and he does actually read them because they are quite short. I am a week (well, 5 days to be exact) behind you and DH wanted to try out the torch on the tummy trick to see if Beanie moved about! my bump seems to have really popped out the last few days, I now looks like a baby bump and not too many pies we have told close family and a few friends but I want to wait until my anomaly scan, just to be on the safe side, I have some medical issues and won?t feel ?safe? until 20 weeks. That said, people I see a lot of have sussed it now. Take care of you

Hey Spud1 interesting about the healthy start vouchers.

Weblette ? crossed with you last time, welcome and congratulations! Gingeme will be delighted to have another 4th timer on here! Have a great holiday

Naetha ? my holiday entitlement is awful now, before I worked for a Bank and got loads like you though, I have to use the whole entitlement up to April before mat leave in December My plan is to finish up on 21/12 ? I?ll be 36+3 ? I hate working between Xmas and NY (also my birthday is 29/12) so it seems like a good time to me!

Hey MotherofZ ? that Sure Start sounds interesting, do you know what it takes to qualify?

Hello Lilyloo ? we?ll be celebrating together on 21/12 then! hopefully!! I?m addicted to the M&S sour apple sweets! Chinese calendar says mine?s a girl, when I think about Beanie, I think she?s a girl but when I see him on screen, I think it?s a boy ? not because I?m looking at anything ? just a vibe! I?ve been using my old favourite, Lancome fake tan and have had no adverse affects.

Beller ? I know what you mean about getting up early. I get up at 6 and don?t get home again until just before 7pm. I struggle with the length of my day at the moment, especially by the end of the week. It really helps if I can get one day mid week that I can get up later (which often happens as I have an appointment at least once every two weeks at the mo!)

Nicky6 ? sorry to hear that hon I hope you feel better soon. I do feel much better this week than I did last. My MS didn?t start until 9 weeks but apart from the odd day now, it subsided quite a bit when I hit the 14 week mark. Hope it happens for you too.

Housemum ? hello and thanks for the tips ? I shall add them to my list

Hi all
My Emma's Diary bag was a bit disappointing -it had some Ovaltine and a small tube of stretch mark cream.
Keep meaning to pick up the Bounty one from Asda but haven't yet.
Apparently you get a bib that says Persil on it?

it would be nice to be a "tester" for Mamas and Papas wouldn' it?

I got 2 really nice baby baths off Freecycle yesterday! It remains hit and miss though - The oddest things I have seen on there are a bucket of fruit peelings and service of a buck rabbit!

And a £5 voucher for George if you collect your Emma's Diary bag at Asda apparently! My local Freecycle is really disappointing

Mrs McJnr - Don't know what your position needs to be to qualify for Sure Start Maternity grant. Am sure if you give them a ring they will let you know.

ooh by the way that Chinese predictor thing was right for last pregnancy - I had a girl
For this time around it says I am going to have a boy - so we'll see...!!!

I?m planning on starting my maternity leave the second week in December as I know the drop in salary is going to be difficult for us to get used to at first and I?d rather have as much maternity leave as possible once beanie gets here than before. That?s the plan anyway though I might leave earlier if I?m too knackered. I have a 10 minute walk to the station every morning then half an hour on the train and its that more than anything else that tiring me out at the moment.

LillyLoo ? the Chinese chart says I?ll be having a boy but I think I?m having a girl mainly because it follows a family cycle. My uncle (my Mom?s brother) had a son three months I was born. My brother and his wife are expecting a baby boy three months before my babies due so it stands to reason that I?ll have a girl.

Nicky ? hope you feel better soon. My sickness started to disappear after about 14 weeks, I just get the odd sickly day now instead of it being all the time. Still waiting for the ?blooming? stage though.

Hi everyone else, I?m loving chatting on here, so nice to talk to other Mum?s to be. Does anyone know when I?m likely to feel beanie moving around? I?m 17 weeks now and haven?t noticed anything yet, my OH had a good listen to my stomach last night but all he could hear was lots of gurgles from my tummy. I can?t wait to feel that first reassuring kick

Hmm, I'm confusing myself with that Chinese predictor - thought I was on for a girl until I realised that it was based on date of conception rather than last period date so now I think it's a boy.

Nicky6 - hope letting work know went ok. I had butterflies before telling my boss, but he was absolutely fine .

Jellyjem - same as you about the salary thing; we're going to have to have a complete mindset change after years of being 'dinkies'.

I'm not sure what maternity leave I'll get, if anything, as I'm on a short term rolling contract here but all being well I'm planning to give up around the beginning of December.

Ladies, just found this site tiger.direct.gov.uk/cgi-bin/maternity.cgi and found it really interesting. Still confused about something though - anyone know what rate of tax you pay on SMP, I am a higher rate taxpayer, surely I won?t have to pay higher rate tax on £112.75/wk?

MrsMcJ

I think it would depend on your annual earnings for the tax year to April. So you probably would pay higher rate till April 2008 and then if lower rate from then onwards (depending on what other income you would get from work)

Oh no that?s not fair ? why should I get less money on mat leave just because I earnt more beforehand? must look into this ? thanks Mrs Biscuit.

not sure but you may be able to apply for a tax refund if your earnings over 2007-8 then take you back down over the higher rate threshold...?

I get 18 weeks on full salary at my employers (a university!) before I drop to SMP. Not bad!

Could you please remove me from the list, I can't face doing it myself. www.mumsnet.com/Talk?rn=16721&topicid=1367&threadid=362434&redir=16721

Beller - 28 Dec, first timer
PBirdy - 28 Dec, first timer
Housemum - 29 Dec, 2 DDs 14 & 4
Macdoodle - 30 Dec, DD 5
motherofz - 30 Dec, DD 19 mo
Naetha - 30 Dec, first timer
Awen - 31 Dec, DS 7
Imawurzel - 31 Dec, First Timer
Bettymamma - 31 Dec, DD 22 mo
BWMum - 1 Jan, First timer
Toomanyshoes - 2 Jan, DD 2
LouiseSJ - 2 Jan, First timer
jellyjem - 3 Jan, First timer
KMT - 5 Jan, First timer
lilyloo - 5 Jan, DS 5 & DD 2
ScotsgirlinOz - 7 Jan, 1 DD
mummybear43 - 7 Jan
ledodgy - 9 Jan, DD 4 & DS 18mo
Mum2sons - 9 Jan, 2DSs
Sabinar - 9 Jan
Sarahjct 10 Jan, 1st timer
Angelcake99 - 11 Jan, DS 2
Jenswish - 11 Jan (I think), First timer
Pinkelephant -11 Jan (ish), First timer
BeckyAu - 13 Jan, First timer
Gingeme - 13 Jan, 4DS 13,11,3 & 8mo
weblette - 13 Jan, dd 7, ds1 5, ds2 3
Letsgo - 14 Jan, First timer
AngeChica - 14 Jan
Barristermum - 15 Jan, First timer
GemTubbs - 15 Jan, First timer
MrsMcJnr - 15 Jan, First timer
mum2sam - 16 Jan, DS 2.5
PinkPetal - 18 Jan, First timer
Katyt - 22 Jan DS 1
Cazzybaby - 22 Jan, First timer
PussyCatMomma - 24 Jan, First Timer
Bluebell - 24 Jan, First timer
Fluffymummy - 24 Jan, DS
Mrs Biscuit - 25 Jan, First timer
VP - 25 Jan, First timer
Iwillbe - 27 Jan(doc says 30 but i disagree), First timer
Horsygirl - 27 Jan
Nicky6 - 28 Jan, First timer
Mummyto2littleprincess - 29 Jan, 2 DDs 4 & 2
Fruitful - 30 Jan, DD 5 & DS 2.3
Spud01 - 30 Jan, DD 15 & DS 3
ayrshirelolo - 31 Jan
VictorVictoria - 1 Feb, DS 2
efmc - 2 or 4 feb. First timer (dd was 31st jan)

I have done it for you goingfor3. I am so and at your news of lovely oscar. Please come back and speak to us if you need to, with much love and thoughts to you and dh and your two daughters.
I really thought we were all getting to safety

Evening ladies. First may I offer my condolances to goingfor3. How sad.
Sorry I havnt posted for a while but Ive been so busy trying to keep 4 boys entertained. Not easy when the weather is so wet. Have been feeling sick again just lately though I think it may be stress
Wore some maternity trousers yesterday and spent the whole day pulling them up so have put them back in the wardobe till a later date. Im going to a baptism on Sunday and just hope I dont have to go in tracky bottoms and a t shirt
Weblette Im expecting number 5 and yes it definately wasnt planned either. I have 4 boys so hoping against hope for a girl....how are you finding this pregnancy compared to your others?

About the emma's diary bounty pack from lloyds.. shold i be getting it from Asda then for more freebies?

Bean has been quite active (especially when on the laptop.. a geek in the making? ) Now 17+3 and wriggling around alot.

Thread has been busy. lots of love to you all. xx

lost half of my post then

Had started by saying how I felt hearing goingfor3's news.

Gingeme, totally understand what you mean about this weather. I only have the one ds but in a way i wonder if it would be easier with more to keep eachother amused.

We are off to Wales on Saturday, have bought lots of rainy day stuff (and some suny day stuff, ever hopeful!) First week will be with ds's best friend & his best friends mum, dad and little sister. 2nd week will be on our own.

Awen yes it is easier in a way but its also easier for them to wind each other up and start fighting. I bought lots6 of fairy cake mixes which they all love making. Finger paints are pretty cool too.
Going to go to a park today as its supposed to be sunny. Quite hard to know what to do with such a wide age group.