September babies thread #6 - half way!

[easterbuns1]

New thread!

My work's not mentioned a thing about MatB1 yet... Yay NHS.... I think I already have the form in my notes, it just needs filling out. Our maternity pathway has the 25 week appointment with the GP rather than the midwife. Hope that means I can still get the form sorted before the 28 week appointment.

I think my husband has already managed to sort his paternity leave with his work without the form, so I think we're ok with him.

The Govt website says that you have to tell your employer 15 weeks before due date for maternity leave. For SMP, you have to give your employer at least 28 days’ notice prior to when you want SMP to start and give them the MatB1 form within 21 days of your SMP start date.

If any employer is saying the MatB1 form has to be in by 25 weeks, that is rubbish and legally incorrect. Just point them to the Govt site www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/how-to-claim.

A whole load of links here:
Bought this the other day
mamas and papas
mamas and papas, might be a bit boyish
Asda
Asda basic little zip up, but cute
Asda, maybe too boyish?
Not sure if this link will work, but all clearance Next items in my basket. I have the mustard cardigan, but I might order a couple of bits more!
Slogan, but pants are adorable
The sleepsuits at boots are fab, and there's a better selection in store. I've got the bright stripe one, and I think one with cacti on thats not here
La redoute- these have very regular offers on for 25-50% off, and while it's not massively bright and in your face, there are some summery colours and some of the prints are great, rainbows, cacti, foxes, etc Try looking at the boys sweatshirts if you're happy with seperates, there are some cool ones
Some cute seperates in the sale section
Uniqlo, some good basic striped vests and occasionally gets cute prints in
Love this, it's £20 for one but could be a hospital outfit Check out the clearance section too, the leaf print stuff is cute, and the dino romper in the rompers and dungarees section is fab!
Cool independant store, and I think you were looking for spots?
There are some REALLY cute ones here, but about £20 for a babygrow I might get the magic dragon one for hospital! Someone told me the other day that Frugi have folded over cuffs on the arms and legs that grow with your baby, so they can last for up to 6 months. They also sell on really well afterwards. That might solve your problem on what size to get?

Second 20 week scan complete! Baby was still very lazy but after 45 minutes they managed to get the measurements they needed and he is looking healthy and currently growing on track. Now the shopping can start

The bicornuate uterus was mentioned again and I'll need to see a consultant to discuss what it means for me regarding carrying full term and labour etc along with growth scans from 28weeks. I know seeing baby again more often will be lovely but now I can't help but worry.

Thank you for the advice re matb1 to all those who have given it! I'm going to chat to my manager today and make sure they know it's not a legal requirement for them to have it my 25 weeks.

Sorry that was for @Stroan
I aven't touched on H&M, which is where I've got lots from- not sleepsuits, but seperates and dungarees. M&S are also quite colorful this year, and they have some very reasonable cardigans in lovely colours- I bought a turquoise one.
Also go to Zara Mini, and look at the accessories section for sleepsuits, I don't know if you're a leggings person, but they have some absolutely awesome ones- I might get the ones with bees on the knees, and the giraffe dungarees.
Lindex- does some very cute sleepsuits in the pyjamas section, and separates, sometimes seem to have a 3 for 2 on

And as to whether to buy different things for a boy or a girl- it's your baby, noone will tell you off if you do that! But what I've found is that if you mix and match enough, the boys sleepsuits are often better, but the girls have brighter cardigans, so you can get a good mix that way. I've also bought a couple of bits that are really boyish, but I know that Zara usually sell the most adorable peter pan collar bodysuits that look good under dungarees/ rompers, so I'll buy them when the time comes to make them a bit more feminine if I want to.

Then you’ll prob get one at that appt unlesss you can get seen earlier 🤔

Just watch out that if anyone is lucky enough to have an enhanced maternity package from their employer, you must comply with the terms - so if it says you need to submit your matb1 by a certain date, do it! Or you risk not getting the enhanced pay

@CatG85 I'm 7th September too

@TwittleBee I'm pretty sure your gp can give you one too - make an appointment and when they ask why you're wasting a go appointment explain that the midwife refused to do it by 25 weeks. It definitely should be available to you between 20 and 25 weeks.

@KnobJockey I know what I'm going to be doing this afternoon- thanks for all the links!

Thanks @knobjockey there's some shops there I hadn't tried yet and some lovely bits. I'll have a good hunt at lunchtime.

It's literally just 3-4 sleepsuits for the first week or so that I need. If I have a girl, I have a full wardrobe ready (and it's lovely if I do say so myself!). If it's a boy, I'll just do some speedy online shopping or send DH to Next!

We'll get loads of gifts but I'd really like a few days to ourselves so won't get them immediately if you see what I mean?

I feel so, so detached from this pregnancy and I'm fixating on nice clothes to the point of obsession really. Trying to somehow bond with the baby by buying them nice things!

Hema: I’ve got some awesome unisex stuff

@stroan totally agree with bonding etc that’s why I found out the sex; to try and get excited/feel maternal. Still feeling 85% dread: is that bad? I feel guilty.

@moraxella It's not bad, don't feel guilty. Having a baby is the biggest unknown thing you can do and genuinely, nothing can prepare you for the emotions and reality of it. And how you feel now is no indication at all of how you will feel once baby is in your arms. And everyone is so different, we all have different priorities and the things that help one person wouldn't help another.

For me, I felt very bonded with DD all the way through. I couldn't understand why people said they needed to know the sex to bond because I felt so close to this tiny little thing kicking away. This time I just feel numb I guess? I feel relief that the 20 week scan was positive, but it's relief that I don't have to feel guilty about anything.

I can't decide about finding out the sex, it was SO important to me to have a surprise last time and I worry that I'd be worse if I did find out!

I'm waiting on a perinatal referral decision but the midwife thinks it will be declined as I'm not on anti depressants. I'm not on them because I don't want to feel even more numb and the doctor agrees, but everyone is still worried about me not bonding. I don't even know what to think anymore!

Hiii bit late to the thread but woooo September babies! We are due September 1st, on our first, a DD so we have been told by the midwife. Just finishing out my second year of nursing too and I can't wait until the end of May when l can focus solely on pregnancy
Out of curiosity, anybody been told they are HUGE for being 5 and a half months pregnant? A lot of older ladies feeling the need to tell me how massive I've gotten in the last few weeks

@duffya93 welcome!

You've experienced that weird thing where people think that being pregnant gives them the right to comment on your appearance! People are rude!

I've had it, but I actually am huge! Second baby, and the first was big so it's no major surprise. I'd recommend practicing the smile and nod, whilst internally wishing it was a smile and punch ...

twittlebee yes try your GP as Google says midwife or doctor can give the form to you. Don't understand why the midwife is being awkward about it though, what difference does it make to her day just signing and stamping a form, whether she does it now or in a few weeks time!

Hi ladies, waiting for my scan now!. I’m so excited. You’ve all been so busy on this thread, @KnobJockey thank you for all the links, I’ll be looking through that in a bit

@Stroan
Thanks so much glad to be here!
Hahaha oh i smiled and smiled and smiled. And then I told her I wasn't aware that I could pick my bump size I think pregnant or not, nobody should comment on anybody's weight, especially if you don't know them all that well!

Anyway.. we are currently looking at nursery colours, people are asking what to get us and I feel as if it may be a bit early like, this is going to sound very strange, but I feel as if until the baby is very nearly here and we know all is okay, I don't have any right to be sorting everything out? Without meaning to sound horrible, does anybody understand what I mean?

@Duffya93 I think a lot of people feel like that, lots of people don’t buy pranks until late in their pregnancy as it’s ‘bad luck’ to do so early on. I think it’s completely normal to feel that way.

@barberstreisand
Thanks for the reply, yep that's me, my friends say it's superstition and I suppose it is a bit. I try not to think about it too much because I want to enjoy this as much as possible!

@Duffya93 What colours are you looking at for the nursery?. DS’s was grey and then we added cushions and decor with colours to jazz it up a bit, this LO will sleep in our room and then will share a room without DS when they get a bit older, so we can’t really do a nursery.

Ooo I have gotten a few tester pots made up @barberstreisand I will try to post a pic to show you! Grey is my favourite colour.

@barberstreisand these are the four we picked to just test on the wall, it's quite a small room and darker than the back of the house so I want to make sure the colour doesn't make it look smaller.

That applies to me @Farmmama, would be eligible for paid time off (actually think it's a huge chuck of the mat leave) if I had my baby any time over 25wks so they want that matB form asap ideally at 20weeks, but it's for my benefit. Mw will leave mine on reception for me if I text her.

Hi to everyone new on the thread. I've not been on for the past few weeks but due September 11th with a girl.
@Moraxella are you in the Netherlands if you're buying from Hema?
I recommend buying as much 2nd hand as possible as babies are in clothes for such a short amount of time that there is an immense and barely worn collection of clothes out there to be found.
@Duffya93 lovely colours there. What will be your deciding factor? We will keep the baby in our room probably for a good year or 2 so we won't do a full baby room but her section of the room I was thinking of a very soft wheaty-pink with a lace canopy over the cot and I have this gold vintage wallpaper in my head that I would love to source eventually.
What are others baby room themes?