Christmas babies thread 4!

[Rnic1x]

Seen as though it's nearly full... I've started thread 4. I wonder how many threads we get up to ❤️

I've been thinking of getting one (have had a lot of friends who have them and praise them) but would be using it for downstairs and supervised, either while the baby is awake or has short naps, not for overnight sleeping.

Hi ladies. I've had my 20 weeks scan at the beginning of the week and all is well with the baby. They measured me 6 days ahead of the date they set on the 12 weeks scan though. Has this happened to anyone else? I know a couple of days back or forward would be normal but 6 days seems a lot. I'm now guiding myself with the new date which means I'm due on the 15th 😁

Sorry for the off topic interruption ladies buuuut

can anyone recommend a brand of baby carrier/ slings? Pros and cons also?
Preferably the harness type ones as I don't think I could trust myself to do the wrap style ones very securely 😩

@elsaCC at my scan baby measured 3 days ahead on femur length and 5 days ahead on head circumference, but they said it wouldn't change my actual due date. I presume by this point babies already start to vary in terms of size? Slightly scared of pushing out a massive head though 😳

@catnip99 I was gifted one from chicco. I tried it one to see how it works and seems very straightforward, I also wouldn't trust myself with the wraparound ones!
@Helski123 I'm also a bit worried about the head size! But I guess the head it the first thing to get to final size and then the body keeps growing to suit the head if that makes sense. Not that this is much reassurance 😅
I see everyone is starting to do the baby shopping now. I've used my furlough time to do all this and I'm pretty much ready for the baby now 🤭🤭 good luck with the shopping it can be a bit overwhelming

@ElsaCC that’s great you’re doing organised! Quite right to use that time productively!

I was a bit anxious to start actually buying until 20w scan but now that’s out the way I feel I can relax a bit. I’ve also started feeling wee movements the past couple of days. They’re really sporadic but it’s such a nice feeling 🥰

Sorry to be gross ladies but has anyone had green discharge? I have the last few days

@viixie I haven't had this but at my 8 week booking appointment the midwife said to give them a call if there was anything unusual with discharge during the pregnancy. Have you tried giving them a ring?

@viixie I’ve not had it either but there’s something ringing in my head that it could be a sign of bacterial vaginosis maybe. I think you can buy a test for that from the pharmacy

Evening girls,

Trying to decide when to start mat leave, anyone given it any thought as to how much before due date they want to go?

My maternity pay is quite decent I get 20 weeks full pay followed by statutory. I am aware that there is 13 weeks at the end without pay if I decide to take the full year but I can use my 7 weeks holiday to cover half of that.

Morning! @Katbaby I'm planning at the moment to take 2 weeks before my due date, but I'll be using holiday for those as I'm only entitled to statutory pay! However I'm saving 3 weeks of annual leave in case once I get closer I want a bit more time off! What are you thinking?

Morning @calipoppy 😊😊

Well because I had a lot of leave earlier in the year - I was in Thailand in January and then had leave I wasnt allowed to cancel for the rest of the year over lockdown I haven't got holidays left for this year, so as soon as I leave it will be mat leave.

I was thinking the 18th December - I'm due 28th,but starting to think it's a little late but I guess it will depend on how I'm feeling. I'm considering now going the week before - so I'll finish on the 11th? I can't decide! Feel like Christmas week is usually busy so might want more rest time...

I will only get statutory maternity pay too. I'm thinking of starting my maternity leave on the 14th (due on 24th) but using some of my holiday to drop to a 3 day week for the month before that. Can't decide whether I would prefer it that way or to work full time and then start my mat leave earlier.

Hello lovely ladies!
I've been thinking about it a lot too! I get the same maternity leave as you @Katbaby but have also got some annual leave saved up! I can't decide what to do, I'm WFH and there is no chance of my office going back in before next year, so part of me thinks that would make it easier to work until my due date and that I should just get paid for my remaining annual leave. Or I could take all of my annual leave before my due date and finish mid November, which sounds amazing because I massively cba with work, but I'm worried that I'll get bored quickly with nothing to do and potentially no one to see, especially if baby ends up coming late!

I’ve just filled in my form and I’m going to start Mat leave officially on my due date but I have 2 weeks annual leave to take first.

I’ve also heard that some women are being suspended in full pay from 28w pregnant if their employer can’t provide alternative work if you work in a customer facing role. I haven’t been told this officially but informally have been told I will work from home. I’m in a local authority job.

I am starting mat leave from 36 weeks as that was always my plan, however because of my job and covid I will be on medical suspension from 28 weeks. So I only actually have 6 weeks left at work. Has made me realise how unorganised I am and I haven't bought a single thing!!

@Nic2908 when you put it like that it does sound like time is marching on 😱😱 don’t worry, I haven’t bought anything either!

Hi everyone,

@Katbaby I'm taking mine from 27th Nov have 2 weeks holiday then maternity leave starts on 14th Dec I'm due on 19th so gives me a few weeks to get sorted first.

Have anyone's first trimester symptoms reappeared? All of a sudden I feel shattered again this week 🙈 I could just sleep all day long- wishful thinking I'm working 9 hours today haha!

Hope everyone is doing well dx

Wow @Nic2908 I wish I only had 6 weeks of work left!! I'm finding it really hard to care about work recently, it feels like the clock is properly counting down now we're past half way!

Anyone else finding the baby's movement is getting so much stronger? I feel like I can even tell the difference day to day!

DH felt her move for the first time tonight and is so excited 💖

Hi everyone, yes agreed finding it hard to get as excited about work and projects I know I'm not going to see to the end. Also we're mid house move so struggling to fit everything in so can't work the extra hours that I normally would when work is as busy as it is.

@Rnic1x Yes some symptoms have started again, been feeling a bit sick in the mornings and also exhausted, but not as bad as those first weeks!

@Katbaby and @Marshmallow1102 what sectors are you guys in? That's a nice maternity package you've got there!

Morning. I'm thinking I'm gonna finish earlier than I said, maybe around 4th December at 36+4. I'm planning on going back beginning of December next year do might as well have the full year! Gives me chance to get my Christmas shopping done along with resting up and chilling before baby.

One of the girls I work with is due 31st August and she was soooo uncomfortable at work yesterday and ended up going home early with exhaustion and I'm thinking why should I push myself and it will be worse with dark mornings dark nights as well I think!

@LoveSunshine01 I work in a bank so it's just the enhanced package they offer. It used to be 16 weeks full pay and they increased it in July much to my happiness!

Morning all!
Is anyone else struggling with sleep? It's not just this heat, it's been happening to me on and off for the past two months, I keep waking up at 3am and struggling to fall back to sleep for hours. I found myself preparing cloth nappies for washing at 4.30am last night hoping it would make me feel sleepy again!

@Katbaby in my sleep deprived, baby brain state I managed to read that as "going back packing December next year" and was very impressed imagining you with a baby strapped to your back trekking around Asia!

@LoveSunshine01 Finance sector also! I'm very aware of how lucky I am to have such good maternity pay, it's made it very easy to decide to take the full year (the longer I can get with baby the better!), but I still need to decide whether to take my annual leave before my due date or not! I've not had any talks with my line manager about maternity leave at all, I don't know if I should be mentioning it to him or not? He's very hands off anyway but WFH (so not physically seeing each other around the office) means we're in contact even less, so I'm worried that he's just forgetting about things that I/we need to be doing as part of the process!

I haven’t spoken to my manager about my pregnancy since I told them! They don’t seem too bothered but neither am I! I have spoken only to HR about the technicalities around leave etc. I know I need my MATB1 form in by 25wks and that’ll be the next contact I have with my manager about it. I’m still set on officially starting Mat leave on due date as I have to use my holidays first anyway because of the way our holiday year runs (xmas to xmas) so can really only carry over 5 absolute max! Looks like I might also go back early December next year. Yeah was hoping to get 2 christmases off but I doubt that’s realistic and I really want it because it’s Christmas!

@Marshmallow1102 Yes to the lack of sleep. Without fail, between 3 and 4 am every single night and then I struggle to go back to sleep. The heat is making it absolutely unbearable on top of that. I've been tempted to start sorting what will be the nursery but I think that would wake DH.