September 2020 5

[ChipsAreLife]

Hello 👋👋👋

@Margo34 that all sounds just awful. I really you and your hubby are ok and I'm sure you will get through this stressful time. Thinking of you.

@LatteLover12 wow nice pic!! Lovely way to spend the afternoon.

For those of you that haven't washed baby clothes yet!! I washed my NB, up to 1 month, up to 3 months and all the extra bits like blankets, sheets, towels, etc I was folding it all away and I am literally covered head to toe in white fluff!!! Musty be off of the new soft clothes!!! Sneezing a bit now 😩

I got fab grey clothes storage boxes off amazon, they are grey with a window and they are fab!! I'v just separated the sizes and stacked the boxes. Starting to feel organised :)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07BSPYDBP?psc=1&ref=ppxpoppmobbbasin_title

@Margo34 check out pregnantthenscrewed.com

They offer free support for women who have faced maternity or pregnancy discrimination, including free legal advice and a mentorship scheme.

So sorry @Margo34 you're going through that, how stressful! Poor you, I hope you and your DH will work something out. Big virtual hugs xx

@Margo34 that sounds awful! Sending you and your DH lots of positive thoughts!!!

I'm starting mat leave at 38+3, going back to work for a few days in September (teacher) but now I'm not sure if I should! I'm due on 15th so my last day would be 4th and I have been wfh since March with the 6 weeks holiday now, so I just don't know!

I've just been organising baby's clothes, having washed a whole bundle this week, and I feel like I need some more newborn and up to one month vests. Any recommendations of where to get some nice ones? They don't have to cost a fortune as I know that she won't be in them 5 minutes!

Hi all, can I join?

Due with my first baby (a girl) on 21 September - so tired.

Planning on taking a full year off between me and DH but how much is me and how much is him will depend on how his company's shared parental leave actually works.

@Lazydaisydaydream My DH is also a bit worried about the baby being an August baby. He's already super focused on her education (I know, ridiculously early) and thinks it'll be harder for her if she's younger than the others. But I'm an August baby and I love it! Your birthday is always in the summer so you can spend the whole day having fun rather than needing to go to school, plus you effectively finish school a year early so you have a year more of "adult life" after education.

@Margo34 I'm so sorry to hear that you're having such an awful time - I can't imagine how stressful this is for you. I am a lawyer, not employment unfortunately, but if you need someone to talk things through with I'm happy to help.

@Margo34 this sounds so stressful. Are you part of a union? They would also be able to give you some advice.
Have you looked at your current contract? Does it say anything about maternity leave? If you work in a school, check if they use the Burgundy Book for their guidelines (it states my school does in my contract) as that will also give you some general advice. The Burgundy Book can be found online if you google it.

@Chanel05 I'm also a teacher and I'm not going to go back in September, although my due date is 9th so a little earlier than yours. My union have advised me that I can return to work on the first day of the summer holidays next year and have full pay again. I'm planning to do this at the moment. For me, given the current guidelines for schools it will be quite stressful to go back for a few days.

@Chanel05 I'm due to go back for a week 24-28 Aug (FE college), I had a meeting with HR and and my line manager 2 weeks ago and they both said for me not to return and to WFH that week and start maternity as planned on the 2nd Sep.

Our HR department are conducting risk assessments with all vulnerable staff, I was pleased they proposed the idea and asked if I was okay with it and stressed that I didn't need to start maternity leave early.

@BeccaE its nice to meet someone else planning on doing shared parental leave. I don't know anyone in real life who has done it.

@Emmy2020 I’ve also been off since March and they are keeping me off till Mat leave. It’s been nice cos I’m constantly knackered but doing nowt 😂

Back in hospital yesterday. Hoping to be released tomorrow. Blood pressure is still high however they have given in and medicated me so as long as it stabilises for a few hours I get to leave!

It’s so boring and weird in here. Me and 3 other beds, so many different women coming in and having contractions or getting induced and then going labour ward. The noise they make is scary. Not making me look forward to it at all lol

@BeccaE I'm an August birthday and hate it... But I bet if I was a September birthday I'd hate that too, can't win haha 🤣. I wonder why our husbands are so obsessed with education when the babies aren't even born yet haha!! I'm feeling much calmer about the baby will come when it comes and I'll see the positive in either month .

Plus I saw the midwife this week and she said the baby is head down and right down in my pelvis... Exciting as my son never really settled in my pelvis.

@Lorna198 Don’t know how I’d cope if I had to work, it’s tiring doing nothing 😂😂
Hope you’re okay and get to go home soon x

Thanks for your thoughts and words of support. I am in a union and they're already involved, but they won't support me if I seek advice from other sources eg maternity action or pregnantthenscrewed. My contract is covered by burgundy book but there are clauses written into my contract that aren't in line with burgundy book so union says I'm an interesting case. Great🤔

We'll get through it all, somehow, the path just isn't clear at the moment... Trying to stay positive!!!

And here I was looking forward to nesting, sorting, tidying, washing baby clothes and generally prepping for baby over the summer break. This all has taken the shine off everything! Might be a welcome distraction though

My husband is taking 4 months off at the beginning so we’re sharing leave - he is a bit nervous about The impact it will have on his career but we decided to go for it anyway.

Gosh ladies just catching up on everything - sounds like a lot has gone on!

@Margo34 - how awful for you and your husband. Can’t imagine how stressful that must be for you. Hope the union are able to help you out as much as possible!

@LatteLover12 did you get your results in the end? I’m sure no news is good news - when I went in with high bp and protein markers maternity assessment had the results in about 2 hours and rushed me straight upstairs to the ward when they got them so if there was anything to worry about I’m sure they’d be taking action!

@Lorna198 how are you? Are you still in hospital? Hope they get your bp stabilised quickly- my doctors suggested they usually manage to. Think I was a special difficult case. Know what you mean about all the other women coming through in labour and being induced though. Very odd just hanging out in there hoping to go home soon and come back later for baby while everyone else is willing their babies to hurry up and arrive! Fingers crossed all ok for you!

@Lorna198 hope you're OK and that you will be going home soon xx

I still haven't received my nursery furniture and starting to freak out. I've contacted the company but they've just sent back genereric emails about delays being caused by covid. I'll wait until next week and cancel my order. For those who have, where did you get the furniture from?

@Chanel05 do you know what you're having? I usually get my vests from asda, tescos or sainsburys. But there's nothing in gender neutral apart from plain white at the moment

Next have some lovely colourful baby grows that would do either boy or girl.

I have only bought all white things at the moment and agree with there not being too many neutrals left in supermarkets other than white which is abit rubbish!

Hi everyone! Hope you’re all doing well. I’ve had a whirlwind few weeks decorating, and my husband has been on annual leave - I’m exhausted now though!
Has anyone packed their hospital bag yet? I’m just thinking about it, as I’m worried that I’m looking really big and going to go early - I don’t know how many sleepsuits to put in though? I only know I really overpacked last time round 😂

@Lilice I got mine from babyandchildstore.com it seems to say whether what you are buying is in stock now or not so quite good.

@lilice I got mine from kiddies Kingdom. I've had to wait but i knew that when I ordered it and i think it says on the website when things are due and their contact has been good. It's come this week so having a flat pack day today! Though have just discovered water coming through the ceiling from the loft so think the roof may be leaking 🤦‍♀️ so that's another thing that's gonna need looking into.

@margo34 I'm so sorry that sounds so stressful I hope your union can help you. An "interesting case" is never what you want to hear is it.

Anyone else at 34 weeks and still doing everything as normal- washing/ironing etc?
I thought by now it would be full princess mode- feet up with tea and biscuits all day!

@sianyflewog I have mine packed and I know I probably have too much but I'm an excited FTM lol (I have a hold all bag and baby has a small carry on case) I think i have 8x vests and sleepsuits (4 in each upto 1 month and 4 0-3) and then one sleep suit in first size just incase they're small!

@Laura1348 33 weeks here and still doing everything pretty much as normal, I have started to ask DH to carry things up / down the stairs but that's just me milking it I definitely still could do it 😂

@Laura1348 yep! No change here - starting to find looking after toddler absolutely exhausting at times!!!

Thanks @OrDis @MooseWL I'll check those out if still nothing by next week. At least i have my next2me so it's not super urgent but i wanted to have the nursery all set up before baby comes.
@sianyflewog i have bought all the stuff, just need to pack the bags now.
@Laura1348 im asking my husband to do most of the housework, poor him! I do have a sore back and sciatica but wont been see by physio until next month, so i get quite a lot of pain if i try and do too much

I think I’m still so paranoid about gender that I want to be prepared for both regardless 🙈

@Lilice - I had my nursery furniture from Mamas and Papas, 3.5 years ago now but it is solid as anything and has really lasted. We did have a split in the cot leg that we found once it was out of warranty but they decided it was a fault and said they’d replace the cot. The range I had was no longer available so I had a plain white one to match, it was more expensive but they covered the additional cost to say sorry. Couldn’t fault their customer service!