Summer '20 Grads Part III

[SmileyT]

@Dipsy77 ❤️❤️ 15th September
@Mococo1 ❤️ 16th September EDD 27th March
@zippityzip ❤️ 18th September EDD 29th March
@mrsmummy1111 ❤️ 21st September EDD 3rd April
@Sausage1990 ❤️28th September EDD 20th April
@smileyT 💚 2nd October 🧡 26th October EDD 15th March
@mrsI2020 💚 2nd October EDD 22nd May
@cocoblue22 💚 3rd October EDD 12th March
@littleRa 🧡 14th October EDD 8th March

@noble89 EDD 25th March
@fairylights2 EDD 1st April
@eloise27 EDD 8th April
@Lettie365 - EDD 11th April
@Ltay2 EDD 11th April
@Madz123 - EDD 13th April
@blodyn91 - EDD 14th April
@samilicious EDD 16th April
@Mustbemad82 EDD 20th April
@MrsEmilyB EDD 30th April
@Catherinettc EDD 19th May
@Blondi3 EDD 25th May
@Sophi123 EDD 25th May

💚 extra scans ❤️ 12w scans 🧡 20w scans

@zippityzip She was absolutely lovely about it, I asked- I just said “is it ok to record the heartbeat for my partner?” and she said yes. I said “I know you’re not mean to record scans and stuff”. After I’d got a good recording she said “did you get that?”

@zippityzip I filled in the form for maternity exemption form then had letter back saying they no longer issue physical cards, and just to mark “maternity exemption” when collecting prescriptions etc and it’s on the system that I’m eligible.

@zippityzip

@zippityzip I wasn't prescribed any just told to get some in boots or supermarket was only 40p per box for 32 tablets and they are 300mg dissolvable ones so need splitting in half so will last me 64 days which isn't bad for 40p 😂 my excemption certificate was sent on email straight after my booking appointment!

@Ltay2 glad you worked out what the appt was for before you drove all that way 😩

@Cocoblue22 ooh think I'll have another look at pregnancy pillows 👌🏾

@LittleRa Glad you had a nice 16w appt and got the HB recorded, your trust seems much more efficient than mine with your f2f appts and OH being allowed to attend scans. I asked for my mat exemption certificate at 8weeks and 7weeks later I'm still waiting 😴 the midwife from booking said I had to go though my GP called them the next day and after two visits there they said they'd sent it off but received a letter 3days later saying it had been sent without my DOB so needed to submit another one 😤 ....

@Bl0ndi3 yay to the 3+ but rubbish about the work news, definitely good to have time to prepare if that is to happen though... really look into what you're entitled to either way xx

@Sophi123 totally understand you switching off but please come back to update us how you get on and come here for support in the meantime if you need it xx

@zippityzip I'm also wanting to get some dental work but no mat exemption certificate, if i hadn't asked them it would've never come, did you sign yours? x

For those that haven't had your 12week scan I heard the HB there, I did ask DP if he wanted me to record it but he politely declined so I didn't ask but might be worth trying your luck 👍

Girls i feel ill. Like really bad 🤮🤮 im not coping well with it today 😭😭 xx

@SmileyT last time I was pregnant I went to the dentist at 5 weeks and because I told them I was pregnant they gave it me for free then told me to get an exemption from my gp

Awww @cathertinettc are you okay? I'm sorry you're having a rough day. Hope you're feeling a little bit better this evening 🤞🏻 rough days are the worst 😔

@Sausage1990 im feeling so sorry for myself 🤣 this is my 4th child and my last 3 pregnancies put together never felt this rough 🤮 im wearing sickness bandaand they are literally just taking the edge off. I wish I would actually vomit cos I think it would make me feel better. The dizziness isn't nice either 😪😪
Thanks for listening to me moaning lol xx

@cathertinettc oh bless you. I feel you. The 24/7 nausea is relentless, the lack of respite is the worst. I've not had any vomiting either and I feel it would probably make me feel better but it rarely feels like it's going to happen. I feel your pain lovely. I find the bands do help, I mean they never get rid of it but they take the edge off... Although some days bearly 😩

How many weeks are you now? I'm 10+2 and it all started for me about 5 weeks ish. I'm hoping the end is in sight but you knever know. Has anything made you feel better today or on previous bad days? Xx

Morning ladies.. so the combination of me needing to get up in the night to wee and the worry about the job situation means that I've been awake since 5:00.

I just keep going over it in my head; what are my chances of staying considering I'm the youngest in my area (and they've confirmed it's going to be 1 from each area). What will I do if it is me? I've applied for another job already I'd seen it the other night and started the application so just had to finish and press send. Realistically if I get another job before end of the year I'd be fine, I'd lose the maternity package I get and won't quality for SMP but I'd have a redundancy pay out to keep me going over Mat leave and could get maternity allowance too. That said, it's a good job I have, it pays well, I get a company car, work from home and can work flexible hours if needed so it's not really something I wanna lose on somebody else's terms! I dunno.

Sorry I'm just rambling, needed to vent.
Trying to stay positive and be practical about it and I know no matter what I'll be fine but it still sucks and it's terrible timing with the pregnancy and it's stress worry and anxiety I just don't need at a time I'm already anxious after the miscarriage 😞

Self pity party over.

Hope everybody is okay ❤️

@Catherinettc If I didn't have the mantra "this is temporary, this is temporary" with my second baby I think I would have had a breakdown. I was really ill for around 20 weeks and it does take its toll on you.
Get DH and the kids to help. If you can't chill and get looked after when you're growing an entire human being then when can you.
Hope you're feeling better xx

@Bl0ndi3 it's not a self pity party it's genuine concern! Being made redundant is serious business not making lunch plans.

The worst part for you is not knowing - and looking for a job whilst pregnant isn't exactly easy.

This could be a life changing opportunity for you. You could find something incredible, or they may keep you.
I can understand the worry, it would give me sleepless nights. Our mortgage is so massive if one of us went without a payday for two months we would probably lose the house.

Are mortgage/rent holiday an option for you if it came to it down the line?

Just try and have a plan for every eventuality. And no harm in applying for jobs - you can always turn them down!

@Bl0ndi3 I'm so sorry hear that! I really really hope everything works out for you. Sending you loads of positive vibes and praying you get exactly what you want ❤️

@Catherinettc Hope you feel better soon x

I think I've got a UTI 😭😭

Last baby I had such constant UTIs they caused contractions at 27 weeks and I spent two weeks in hospital. I realllllllly don't wana go through that again.

@zippityzip thanks lovely!

I think because of the redundancy payment We would be okay on the mortgage for a while it's not a huge mortgage or anything so I'm not too worried about that. Family would help, Plus OH would be able to cover most of it if needs be but we would really struggle if it became a long term thing. I'd take a job doing anything though to avoid that and just reevaluate my life after the baby haha

My main concern is maternity leave because I wanted a year off with baby and was starting saving to ensure I could do that but that was on the basis of me having several months at full pay before going on SMP but again the redundancy pay would help and could still get maternity allowance. I just hate the unknown and that we have to wait til 2nd November!

It's also scary the thought of applying for jobs whilst pregnant because what if I do get it and then I'm like oh and btw I'm pregnant. I'd start a new job when I'm around 20 weeks pregnant and don't you have to work from home from 28 weeks cause of covid atm or something? It's just a fucking mess.

My ideal would be that I stay just for the security that brings if nothing else.

@FairyLights2 need all the positive vibes I can get ❤️ haha xxx

@zippityzip ah that sucks! I used to get UTIs and I swear this was my holy grail: D-Mannose Powder (available on Amazon). Check with your midwife if you can take it during pregnancy - if so, I highly recommend it x

@FairyLights2 Googling as we speak!! Thanks for the heads up. Fucking hate these bastard things.

Morning all - hope you’re all ok

Been reading all the thread and there’s so much to catch up on @Sophi123 boo about the job, like you said you should be able to get something else . Your not obliged to tell your employer about your pregnancy and they aren’t allowed to ask

I work for the nhs and I’ve been looking- our May pay seems crap- 6 weeks full and the half pay ? Not sure how I’ll survive that !

Lovely scan pics for all that have and well done on hearing herstbeats

I have another scan this evening as part of the ongoing bleeding thing should be 10 exactly today so will see. I hate going for scans - they give me HUGE HUGE worry. !!

Funnily enough @Catherinettc my sickness has been ten times worse the last five days- been rewarding some research that suggests it served a purpose and drips mum eating potentially harmful foods around critical organ development- I told myslef it was good for baby- that didn’t help a bit but I tried!

I had this vision of being a pregnancy yogi1 of eating healthy stir Fries and kale shakes and flax seed smoothies. Truth is I’m living on crisps and anything beige
It sucks

@Mustbemad82 still better than my 6 weeks at 90% pay and thats it 😫 I keep telling OH how worried I am but he says he can pay the mortgage, and I try and save as much over the next 6 months. Ill also only take 8-10 weeks maternity probably, only planning on BF for 8 weeks of I can.

@Bl0ndi3 worth chatting to your boss about being anxious after mc at all? see if you can get an earlier answer? Play the pregnancy card!

@Mustbemad82 I work for the NHS too and my understanding was that mat pay was 6months full pay, 3 month half pay, then no pay for 3 months BUT you can average out your pay over 12 months so it's a consistent income through the year (if you want to take a year which I do). My friend & colleague told me this when she was on mat leave recently... I'm going to have to check this because I'm worried I've got it wrong 😬

@Sausage1990 it’s 8 weeks full, 18 at half and then you can have a further 12 or 24 weeks with SMP (132 a week)
I thought the scheme would be better to be honest

@Sausage1990 there’s a link here if you want to look www.nhsemployers.org/pay-pensions-and-reward/agenda-for-change/nhs-terms-and-conditions-of-service-handbook/parents-and-carers/maternity-leave-and-pay-section-15

Oh god @Bl0ndi3 what a shit situation. You just need to keep reminding yourself that everything will work itself out eventually, it always does. I'm not a nutter honestly, but I think if I didn't follow the mantra - everything happens for a reason - id have had a breakdown by now.

My husband & I own a business where I worked before falling pregnant with DS. The end of my pregnancy was complicated so I stopped work a while before I had him, but I was told I would qualify for maternity allowance if I needed it. I'm incredibly fortunate and a little humbled to admit that I didn't need it, so never applied - but I know that WORST CASE you will be entitled to around £600 a month, even a while before the baby is born, if the worst happens and you don't find anything else. I'm not sure of all the timings etc, but it's a backup which of course is not ideal and wouldn't be your first choice, but it's a far less scary prospect than having nothing.

But it won't come to that, everything will be fine!! 🙌🏼

Also I'm sorry to be a Debbie downer, but I just don't know how long I can sit here waiting for these harmony tests results, I honestly feel like I'm teetering on the edge of a very large cliff. I've not slept since Sunday night, and I genuinely mean I've had about 2 hours sleep each night. I'm trying to prepare for the worst, and hope for the best, but I just can't seem to get to a place where I feel positive. It's really hard to even admit this without feeling such huge guilt, but if I’m being really truthful with you girls, I’m almost feeling like I just want to forget this pregnancy even exists, until I know what the results are. Which is the worst part. I’ve always loved pregnancy and it feels almost like it’s being taken away from me. That’s the bit that’s making me the most upset. I find myself just sitting there looking at my son and crying and I don't know how to snap out of it.

I'm ok with tough love, I can take it even in a fragile state if I know that's what I need. So pls feel free to dish it out. I just really need some advice on how to try and handle it, because I'm struggling.

Sorry for the morbidity this morning, I think I'm exhausted and running on decaf coffee and rich tea biscuits. DS is at nursery today so I'm going to lay in bed and watch Louis Theroux and hope to drift off at some point ❤️