Due May 2009 - our bellies are getting as big as Santa's

[FiKelly]

It'll be an alternative merry Christmas for us this year ;)

Welcome Lazzer

Well, I've had a really intense first day back at work (still there, but killing time until my next train) interviewing some potential suppliers which I wasn't expecting to have to do and has taken up pretty much the whole day. If I wasn't pregnant I'd be pouring myself a huge glass of wine when I get in!

I've just got all the bumpf through from HR about maternity leave etc. I'd forgotten about needing to get the MAT1B form in by 25 weeks - I have an appt with the midwife next week but I'm going to have to cancel because of work so I'll have to try to fit it in this week.

Re paternity leave - DH has his own business and it's just him, so I doubt he'll be able to take much time off. He has a couple of friends he can call on for casual cover though, so I'm hoping he'll be able to take a week and then maybe odd days after that. I don't think I'll be able to get much help from family either, though I've asked step-mum (who's an ace cook) to do some healthy bung-in-the-oven meals for us.

Re movement - I'm getting it several times a day now (23+1) & for the past few weeks but since Christmas have also had a few proper kicks that I can feel from the outside which is very exciting

Oops better go and catch my train!

loobey you don't need to say whether or not you are returning to work, your employers must assume that you'll return after 1 year. If you want to go back sooner you need to give the appropriate notice.

Hi all

Useful discussion about maternity leave as although I have already informed work about my plans, I had forgotten about getting the MATB1 and as I'm on holiday in my 24th week, had better book an appointment with midwife next week and of course next week would be the only one where I don't have a working from home day so will involve some juggling and travelling back from London in the middle of the day

Because I'm expecting twins, my maternity leave plans are quite different than I thought they would be when I first found out I was pg! I'm stopping work at 28 weeks (so only 7 weeks to go, 6 working weeks when you take the holiday into account - yay!) and I don't think it'll be a moment too soon. I'm already huge, tired and breathless - today one of the babies is kicking my diaphragm which is very strange! I've told work I'm taking the full 52 weeks but I don't expect to go back. I've not said that officially of course, but I have had a quiet chat with my line manager about it as I expect there to be some redundancies in our department while I am away and I wanted to say that I'd be interested in taking a lump sum and going as it would be a good deal for us. We had always thought I would take 12 months then go back to work and try for a second baby during that time, then take another 12 months. Now that they are both coming together I really want to take the opportunity to spend time at home with them both.

Re paternity leave, DH will be able to take 2 weeks, but as the incidence of c-section is higher with twins we've talked about trying to just take 1/2 days holiday when they arrive, then going back to work until I'm out of hospital and starting 2 weeks then. Then probably my mum will come for 2 weeks, then as DandyLioness says, it will be summer so hopefully there will be a few weeks here and there with both of us at home.

Sorry, v long post - suddenly got lots to say!

RE Paternity leave DH is a contractor so no work equals no pay and may to july is the busiest time for him so I don't hold much hope that he will be able to take much time off but my Mum, Dad and Aunty are coming for 6 weeks from NZ. They are doing a few trips around but will be here to help with DD and LO.

Hi! I'm a director of own compnay along with DH who also works FT in another job. So when I go off on maternity leave we had someone lined up to step in, but now we've got a fab expansion oppirtunity he'll be manning the new premisses. Don't know yet what to do, but I do want to do something for a few hours each week - I think boredom at home with baby was a BIG factor in me getting PND, so this time round I need something else to do - mind you I'll let you knwo if it turns out that way in June!!!!

Was off today and got a lot of house work done. Our place is on the market and haven;t had a viewer since it went up in Oct 07!!! But spotted someone cruising past the other day - so need to get the place looking better! Very pleased with what I got done, but now knackered, so away to ahve a soak inthe bath!

I've told DH that he is not to book any trips away from April on. Last time, (ok I was induced 3 weeks early) I was in hosp for a rest and DH was on his way to UK - I phoned him at airport and told him 'you're going to be a dad today, so you might want to stay!' He spent the day catching up on sleep (had been on nights) and I went through stage 1 labour all day alone without him and he arrived to see/hear my last contraction b4 the epidural kicked in. DS was born 2 hours later! This time DH will be there through it ALL!!!

Anyone else's DH/DP not finding pregnancy sexy? DH never does, but it's hard giving him a BJ when he's not turned on by the way I look... I don't mind really cos last time I HATED it when he insisted doing it, and the only way was doggy style.

I'm planning on leaving at 36 weeks to have some time at home and take 9/10 months off, depending on what we can afford. I'd like to go back 3 or 4 days a week but am leaving that until after the baby is here to decide. My lovely DH has been busy with a spreadsheet and worked out all eventualities even including if I don't want to go back at all which I thought was really nice. I think its helping him feel a bit involved too (plus he knows I'm rubbish at that kind of stuff!)

DH will have 2 weeks pat leave which is cool. We're planning a week away with friends at the end of August... camping. Are we mad?!

divedaisy We haven't been up to much in that dept either, not helped by the fact I have had really bad bouts of thrush (sorry tmi) over the last few weeks when I've started feeling a bit more, ahem, frisky.

divedaisy can't say DH finds my bump appealing but he's definitely a fan of pg boobs!

I was really worried that one of us would go off s*x and the other one wouldn't but so far we seem to be fairly compatible apart from the weeks when I seemed to be feeling sick all the time. Probably seeing action a little less often than before pg though. DH says tummy is sexy but I don't find it comfortable enough to be really fun - got to keep trying new positions I suppose. I'd rather do that than BJs

My DH keeps cuddling my bump when we're in bed - really sweet. Altho I think it's usually because he wants some action, lol. He def prefers my boobs tho.

He's gone to bed with that cold bug thing so he'll be fidgeting all night tonight but at least he won't expect much. Good thing cos I'm knackered, first day back at work getting up at 6am will take some getting used to again.

I must admit I don't feel very sexy at the moment, even tho DH says he finds me sexy.

I don't feel sexy either. Dh doesn't seem to mind, and is loving my huge boobs which seem to have a life of their own at the mo. DH says I look like I've had implants (yuck). Dread to think what they'll look like after the 3rd round of B/Feeding - I'll be able to tuck them into my waist band by the end I should think! (oh how gross, sorry)

Hi folks....I've just got back from labour ward!

I've had a headache all day, and had some flashing spots in front of my eyes, but what made me panic was the fact that my face, hands and feet were swollen. So after posting here earlier I did a quick google, and decided to call my midwife who suggested a trip to labour ward for monitoring. I panicked because my BP was high on Wednesday and they mentioned pre-eclampsia and all sorts of scary stuff.

Anyway, I'm all OK, no problems, but have been told to rest with my feet up. Luckily I'm working from home tomorrow and I've got an appointment with the consultant on Wednesday anyway. So I'll see how things go.

llareggub how scarey, glad you're OK... the labour ward was like my second home during my 1st pregnancy- I worried about everything!

Are we goign to start posting bump picks??? Here you go i'll start the cameras clicking....

www.facebook.com/photo_comments.php?id=786050477#/photo.php?pid=5337984&id=786050477

Hope everybody is feeling ok. I ordered a natal hypnotherapy CD today via the NCT because they were 3 week dispatch with Amazon. I can't wait to get them.

rubysmom, what a great bump! I haven't taken any of this bump, I shall get DH on the case. It was really, really odd being back on labour ward. It felt like no time at all since we were there with DS1. It was really quiet tonight so the midwife even made us a cup of tea.

I now have my feet up on my birthing ball which DS usually uses as a plaything!

llareggub take it easy.

nice bump rubysmom I've been tempted to put my scan pics on facebook but have been too scared that something would go wrong (its the basket case in me )

Well I'm off to join poorly DH in bed.

Will catch up with you all tommorrow.

Hello all! I've been away for a week and there's been loads to catch up on, so apologies for not mentioning all the major pieces of news individually!

llareggub - glad things are ok, and hope the appointment on Wednesday is ok.

On the maternity leave front, I was planning to finish work mid-April, start ML a couple of weeks before the big date and a couple of weeks annual leave. However, our childminder has told us that she's going on holiday for the first two weeks of April whih would leave us with no childcare for DD as we've got no family nearby to help and DH needs to save his holiday really! Messes things up a bit really, but maybe it'd be good to have more than a month off. With DD, I finished work 4 weeks before the due date (the day she arrived!)

Not sure what I'm going to do about going back to work yet. With DD I'd always intended to go back part time after my year of mat leave, but when it came down to it I couldn't go back so I had an extra 6 months off. I'm lucky that as a civil servant I could have a career break. I'll keep my options open again this time, but suspect I won't go back because of the cost of childcare.

llareggub- a cup of tea..........!! I had to wait 45 mins for a cup of tea after I gave birth! Not to shock the 1st time moms on the caring standards of labour wards!

Birthing ball- I may get mine out tmrw as I have an appointment with the pyshio on wed and I am pretty ceratin I am going to be diagnosed with SPD.. struggling to walk, feels like I am being repeatedly kicked in the fanny!

right off to bed but here is a pick of my little Ruby... she is 1 in 2 weeks, how time flies!

www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5337984&id=786050477#/photo.php?pid=4874239&id=786050477

hi hope all are well tonight.
am much, much better and dd's are better too which makes a huge difference.

MsG, I only started feeling movement at 21/22 weeks and even then wasn't sure (and it's my 3rd, shouldn't I know ?). so don't worry too much.

all who are having scans this week, good luck and can't wait to hear how they went.

about bumps, i've defn grown in the past two days even though I've not eaten much with being ill - where do the little beans get the capacity to grow? with each my 3 pregnancies, though, everything i eat seems to go straight to the bump (greedy little thing ). this pregnancy is feeling so much like the other 2 it has to be a girl.

anyone with different sex children, have your pregnancies been different?

am off to bed now but see you tomorrow. sleep well.

She's a real cutie rubysmom - its a fab age isn't it, Lotti is 14 months and very funny

Great bump rubysmum- bigger than mine i think (no photos of my bump on facebook!)

Might send u all a link to photos of my DS and DD (not v good quality as its hard to snap them when they are not on the move or pulling funny faces!)