Anyone else waiting to TTC?

[happytobemrsg]

I thought we could keep each other company while we wait!

Your age/DH age: 29/39
Baby #: This will be #2
When are you TTC: I think we should start in June when DS is 2 but we are so broody it might be sooner
Why are you waiting: We are doing some house renovations at the moment & sorting out some stuff financially. Everything seems a bit up in the air & I can only stress about a couple of things at a time. I'm looking forward to life settling down only to have a newborn mess it all up again
What are you doing to keep busy?: I'm project managing house renovations & enjoying one-on-one time with DS before he (hopefully) becomes a big brother. DH & I are having a huge joint birthday party in September for my 30th & his 40th so I'm enjoying planning that!

@rollerskaterdata oh god! It sounds so hectic but it's a brilliant distraction isn't it! And an exciting few months for you too?! X

Adding myself to the list! This is what I think we've got so far. Next poster feel free to copy and paste and add yourself in!

WTTTC
@rollerskaterdata - WTTTC #2 until August 2018
@cupcakesandglitter - #1, August 2018
@dottydally - #1, May 2019
@NoseringGirl - #3, June 2018
@mussie - #1, July 2018

Currently TTC

@rollerskaterdata - WTTTC #2 until August 2018
@cupcakesandglitter - #1, August 2018
@dottydally - #1, May 2019
@NoseringGirl - #3, June 2018
@mussie - #1, July 2018
@assume- #1, October 2018

Currently TTC

WTTC
@rollerskaterdata - #2 until August 2018
@cupcakesandglitter - #1, August 2018
@dottydally - #1, May 2019
@NoseringGirl - #3, June 2018
@mussie - #1, July 2018
@assume- #1, October 2018
@TheOneWithTheBaby - #1, prob June 2018

Currently TTC

I'm 29 ... partners 36
Baby #2
Morning guys, I'm waiting on my injection running out the end of this month . Then hopefully not take too long . I have only had 2 shots of the injection. I'm sick of waiting already can't sleep feel ill . Probs the injection wearing off . I have heard a few stories of girls faking pregnant straight away . Then there are some that take years . I'm just sooo impatient . Already looking at Baby things like a crazy person and picking names . Help xxxxx

Falling *

@amz I’ve got a list of baby names I love too and can’t stop myself from looking at baby clothes online! Glad I’m not the only one!!

@Amz8898 @AssumeItWasSomethingClever same here - already picked out furniture, names and started looking at clothes.... husband has also started looking at baby clothes now too 😂 we know exactly how we want our nursery - I told my sister this yesterday and she was convinced I'm either pregnant or crazy 😂

A friends just popped by with her baby. THERE IS A BABY IN MY HOUSE. Send help!

@cupcakesandglitter we have the nursery furniture(was mine when I was little) as my parents bought it over when they hired a van one day!!
My Husband also like browsing online and has done several things to the house like change the smoke alarms to better ones all in preparation for a baby or so he says lol!

@Pinkroseuk I'm so jealous I can't lie; that's such a beautiful thing! (My mom had saved my crib but it got thrown out by accident) - such a lovely memorable gift for your children though....

So good that you're preparing, I feel like you can never be too prepared 😂 I keep getting butterflies hoping that this time next year Ish I'll have a mini me xx

We looked into child care and working hours yesterday. It is incredible! No matter what we do, we seem to have barely any money for food and other stuff after our fixed costs come out.

Oh and this is on what I considered fairly good wages. Husband commutes into
The city, im teaching. We already live in the sticks and our mortgage is lower than what we'd have paid in rent.

@cupcakesandglitter yes it is really lovely :)
I love being prepared for things- someone at work with are expecting their first in 3 weeks - we were talking on Friday and he didn't know if they had bought a cot or car seat yet- it would really worry me if I wasn't planned by then!

@TheOneWithTheBaby we have worked out it's way better for me to not work than it is for me to work when we have a little one as crazy as it sounds! Childcare in our area would work out at nearly double of what I earn each year for the time we would need it. We also have a mortgage lower than renting, but we did speak to our mortgage advisor and you can take a few months break from paying it I think when baby comes along.

Pink, thanks for your response. We did the maths and stopping to work would be even less doable for us, it would literally not leave us enough money for essentials. I am considering looking into part time weekend work or something though. I wonder whether that would work out better? I don't know. I know I couldn't keep working full time with a baby!

@TheOneWithTheBaby childcare is ridiculously expensive. For a 1 year old nursery is about £80 a day here!

What's your current job role? Is it something you could start up on your own doing?

I'm a primary school teacher so not really. Unless I start tutoring maybe? Not sure how reliable that would be though.
I can't child mind due to where we live, I had considered that though.

@TheOneWithTheBaby hmm okay. What does your husband do? Is there any flexibility in his job?

Or is there any chance that either of your parents would be able to help out with the childcare?

His job is a bit flexible in that he can work from home. Not every day but several people in his office do one day a week or so so that could be an option to cut down on child care.

Both sets of parents live abroad and we have no family.

Not a disaster. We can get by. But it would be EXTREMELY tight. Which makes me sad. We've both worked really hard to get into the jobs we are in and have bought a very small property. A flat, cheaper than our monthly rent was before. We have been on holidays recently I know. But it does feel with two professionals in a small place we hooks be able to afford a child you know? Sorry, I'm basically just whinging about how unfair life is

@TheOneWithTheBaby

Perhaps him working from home one day a week would be a help?

It is unfair when you look at it like that. Is there any way to make small savings on things? Gas/electricity/broadband etc?

Our biggest downfall is food. I spend around £80-90 a week on the grocery shop (including toiletries/cleaning stuff) and that is just for two of us. I know we could shop a lot more cheaply..

@dottydally our biggest downfall is food too😩 we try to stick to Aldi as much as possible now, and try and plan food so we aren't only buying for one meal

@TheOneWithTheBaby I think your Dh working from home is quite sensible - I'm planning on doing the same but I know I'm not going to be able to do this every week which means my DH will have to - it's so difficult trying to figure these things out. I wish it was easier and there was more support for mums financially 😩 (grateful to have what I do but still)

My boss was telling me how childcare cost her around 1k a month for her first 😩 it's tight for us at the minute, never factored childcare in before!

Hi ladies, can I join in? Desperate to talk whilst we wait!

I'm 31 and my husband is 34 and this would be our first baby. We're waiting until Aug/Sep - basically when my current pill prescription runs out! Main reason is because we've just bought our first house and still putting our stamp on it. The more frivolous reason is that husband wants to avoid having yet another winter baby in the family... 🙈 Not quite sure he's got he's head around how you sometimes can't plan these things!

Dotty, our downfall is definitely food, too. We do proper shops but then go for a million top ups, snack shops and so on. It's the area we can change the easiest I think. Insurances and utilities- i will have to look into this! I'd also like to pay off the car. Fingers crossed it will last a long, long time! We bought it used and it's almost ten years now, but it's going strong with no issues in the mosh recent MOT.

Cupcake, how realistic do you think it is to work from home with a baby/toddler? I wonder how DH would cope.

As a teacher, ideally we'd like term time only child care. I wonder whether any childminder would agree to that though?

Welcome @Jxtina86 if I could plan I'd like to have a spring baby as I've heard it can be harder in winter as it is so dark. But I also know it's not as easy as planning!

@cupcakesandglitter @TheOneWithTheBaby food shopping is hard - it's so tempting to say 'let's just get something nice' or 'let's treat ourselves'. I try and do one shop a week but it doesn't always work, though I have decided that we need to be more careful as I'd like to boost our savings over the next year! I have tried aldi but I find it hard work and I struggle that I can't buy everything I want and find meal planning hard as you can't rely on them having things each week (or maybe our aldi is just bad?)

@TheOneWithTheBaby There are lots of childminders here that are term time only. It means your costs will drop drastically in the summer though as the ones I know you pay as you use it (I.e. the costs aren't annualised over 12 months).

I have also recently looked at our utilities. I've taken £15 a month off our broadband and £40 off our gas and electricity. They're all small savings but they will all help. I'm also going to try and cut our food shop to £60 a week. Is this reasonable? How much do you think your food shop costs you?