Due June 08: A few eggs have hatched, we wish the rest would GET CRACKING!!!

[systemsaddict]

Let's hope the rest of the eggs get cracking very soon!

Hijack - found you ernest! Congratulations from the German Corner!

amberc it is a miracle cure .. it is well known

libralady -are you nicole kidman in disguise? I'm guessing that you had a tough time early on ?

Allnew - If your lO comes early i think your mat leave automatically starts from that date. If you're paid monthly, I don't think it'll make any difference....let me think about it tho, seriously I used to check these calcs for my team and have hit a pregnancy blank today!

Poppy - Hippo describes me pretty well! I thought of Penguin as a name due to waddling, I'd have put elephant if I'd known how big I was really gonna get!

Going43 - In 3 weeks, that's amazing!

LL - 1lb!? Ok everyone - it's time to stop talking to Libralady! Lucky you! Unless it was down to awful morning sickness, in which case poor you! Have you still got a big bump?

I'm guessing that I'm nearer the 4 stone mark , but also have not weighed myself. I was planning to do so when I went into labour so that I can see if I've lost anything by the time I'm out of hospital...

I knew I shouldn't have said anything!

I am measuring perfect for my dates according to my midwife and consultant and apparently I have a neat bump. From head on I look small (bump that is), nothing from behind but sideways I look huge.

I am overweight, 5'7" with a BMI of 27. The weight just fell off me in the early stages despite eating. MS kicked in at 12 weeks and I ate little and often. I have very low iron levels so am on iron supplements and folic acid despite eating loads of kale and broccoli, although I do mainly eat chicken and not red meat.

Even when having DS, I only put on 3lb above my pre-pregnancy weight. I came home the day after he was born and immediately got into my pre-pregnancy jeans (size 18). By the time I'd got rid of my baby bulge (not flabby tummy though - I'll always have that) and had a severe case of flu where I didn't eat a thing for 3 weeks (just copius amounts of coke - only thing I could stomach) I've managed to slim down to a 12/14.

As a result, none of my previous pregnancy clothes fitted me and I had to buy others.

I still have thunder thighs though.

I work in HR and used to work in payroll infact. As far as I am aware, MP is paid in weeks based on the number of Saturdays in the month. Therefore the Maternity Pay Period will always start on a Sunday through to the follwing Saturday which will be classed as 1 week for a maximum of 39 weeks paid.
Our MPPs start on a Sunday but invariably the Maternity leave period can start any day of the week (usually the following day), although you may lose pay (salary/wage) if you elect to start it mid week unless of course you are using paid holidays.
Hope this makes sense.

Libralady, as a fellow HR person I concur! I think this may be changing at some point, but organisations can stick to the Sun-Sat week thing.

PP you made me LOL with the should have been Elephant comment!
Ive had a very social day, knackered and feel a bit sick now, think I've overdone it.
Got pretty (and clean for the first time in ages as I cant reach em) feet tho due to pedicure.
RE what to wear post birth...last time I just wore jogging style bottoms round the house, I did invest in some nicer ones. Combats are quite comfy for out and about, maybe in a size bigger than norm for comfort. It takes all sorts tho, even if youve not put on much weight It may take a while for tummy to deflate. I was very lucky last time and was back to norm in 5 weeks (annoying I know) but that may not happen this time due to everything being a tad more stretchy.
Big sympathy to ladies with naughty husbands....I would be livid if DP switched phone off. It may be out of batts tho??
Strawbs and icecream on sofa and Eastenders for me now....

Back on maternity pay period's... I think they can already start on any day of the week. See here from the inland revenue.

Gosh I'm tired and grumpy and my brain is a little dead. Hope the link above helps anyone with maternity leave dates issues. Also, just to reinforce what someone said earlier in that if you give birth before the date you booked your maternity leave to start, your maternity leave will automatically start on that date. Important to remember this if you are on 'annual leave' when you give birth - because your maternity leave starts early, you will have some annual leave that you haven't taken and you should speak to your employer to make sure you can carry it over.

Ernest- Adele is absolutely gorgeous , went all warm and tingly at her photo. Doubly can't wait for mine now...

I love tonights guests, 9am breakfast, 1 grilled kipper and 2 boiled eggs.

Sophie - glad you have easy guests tonight. We have guests coming tomorrow, mil and ds1 have the script of what to say to them about the apartment/village etc...if dh and I are in hospital.

bitofadramaqueen - my work are adamant that if my lo arrives early, my mat pay will kick in and I will lose the hols (as they will only let me carry 5 forward, which I have already banked).

Not that I plan on being dishonest , but, would it really matter if the lo arrived early and I didn't tell them?! i.e. I would lose money if I did tell them, so this would seem silly

allnew I can appreciate that sucks. However, my understanding is that the statutory holiday entitlement cant be carried over, so it may not be your company's fault (depending on your annual hol entitlement).

Unfortunately I do think it would matter if you didn't tell them if LO arrived early(not that you wouldn't of course ) SMP is claimed back from the Inland Revenue so you would be defrauding the tax man - never something to be recommended! Government departments (including the inland revenue) will also have information on the correct date of birth from other sources (child benefit, tax credits etc) so potential to get very messy.

Libralady how is the sickness now? Hope you are feeling much better. It does just go to show you that we are all different. With my sickness I had to eat (be it just toast and water) to keep the sicky feelings at bay. I was like that until 20 weeks but am still being sick in the mornings (just the once though) the rest of the time I eat like a horse!

I have a huge bump but am told by my consultant that I am carrying loads of fluid.

To all those who are suffering with swollen hands/feet - I had a reflexology session this afternoon and hands and feet already look and feel a bit better . Pelvic discomfort still the same though .

Goodnight all. Good luck to all those experiencing "symptoms".

Oh, and I am not "allowed" a homebirth apparently because I didn't have a "normal" delivery last time (baby got distressed and was delivered by forceps, also haemorraged). So will be in hospital after all.

Night night

DQ, that's a worrying point you've raised as I know we do allow people to carry over stat hol entitlement in "exceptional circumstances" - but I'm not there now so I don't care! (Trying to keep up with the ever changing legislation is why I left pensions...now it's hitting very other employee benefit too!)

Allnew - Would your company consider paying you the money for your untaken holiday rather than you losing it? It's dubious point because we don't allow anyone to do this other than women on mat leave (which means this could be sex discrim again!).

Alternatively, why not treat yourself and take some holiday before your mat leave to avoid any problems?

Bun2 - I'm hoping that most of the weight I am carrying is fluid . My feet must have put on 7lbs each in water retention alone!

Sorry to keep asking questions of the already Mums, just one more for today: How long does it take for the swollen feet and hands to return to normal size?

PP - I don't remember with my hands, but I know I couldn't fit my slippers on in hospital - maybe a week.

PP - I reckon about a week as well. With DS1 I had quite bad water retention and for the first week or so after he was born I had horrible night sweats. I was washing the sheets every day - woke up drenched (in December!). My ring finger is now looking puffy around my wedding ring but I can still move it round a little - so hopefully I'll be able to avoid getting it cut off.

No idea what my weight gain is. When I booked in (at 15 weeks so had already put a bit on, I expect) my BMI was at the top end of normal. I guess pre-pregnancy I could have done with losing a good stone but don't know exactly what I weighed and don't know what I weigh now. I'm also hoping that bfeeding will miraculously disolve all my fat!

Josey - you are all still in my prayers. Hope you are feeling more comfortable today and that you've been able to cuddle Olivia.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/1365/546568
Check out this thread about pushing during childbirth.

Hello, anyone else up? Deb?!

Feeling too excited to sleep- nothing happening body-wise in spite of going on a couple of big walks y-day. Just the now usual low back pain and irritated sacral nerves.

It's my due date by my erm, acurate reckoning today. Although scan said in 2 more days... I don't think punctuality runs in my genes though. I suppose I'll celebrate with a pineapple etc etc and by booking a reflexology session. Feet are painful on top with the swelling. like after a long low-pressure flight.

I made a big long list of DD's usual routine and got fave clothes/ books/ toys together in case a friend needs to take her when it all starts.

Come on baby!

Hi guys, just got back from the hospital. My waters broke at 2.30am - the hospital want me back by 8am Saturday if nothing has happened but they (and me!) are hoping that labour will progress naturally.

Bit stunned that I'm going to be early with my first but v excited - as is dh. Luckily I went out yesterday and bought him a Father's Day pressie cos he'll be a dad by Sunday!

Good luck to everyone else!

Morning,

Very exciting news Spongebrain good luck!

I didn't post at all yesterday and no-one noticed , having a neglected needahand moment

Anyway, I haven't hatched, it's just that I got pre-occupied trying to do some baking, NCT lunch, cooking dinner, rounded off by Kirsty + Phil and the Apprentice. Before I knew it, it was bedtime.

I am now 41+5, have MW this afternoon. I should get a sweep and possibly a date for an induction. Only concern with a sweep today is that tomorrow is Friday 13th, and we live in Guildford. Have visions of jokes about Damien and "the Omen" if LO arrives tomorrow! Managed not to make this comment to NCT friend who is being induced today though.

No real twinges, although walking past a secondary school yesterday on the way to lunch my shooting thigh pain was quite strong and I was struggling to keep walking, but didn't want to double over in front of a bunch of 15 year old boys!

Essie has DH switched his phone back on yet? Hope you manage to put him in his place make up before you go into labour.