Due November 2021 - thread 2!

[AlackAlasAlackaday]

Following on from the first thread which is nearly full, here we are with another thread to keep us going through the first trimester and beyond.

Welcome . I'm Alack, currently 8+something with twins, due 2 November but likely to make an early appearance. Also have DD (3).

Currently on the group we mostly seem to be food-averse insomniacs who just want a nap, so here's hoping for some pregnancy glow! And less anxiety as the weeks go on.

Hey ladies, I've been a bit quiet on here as was off for a week and got the chance to see and tell family in person which was lovely!

Hospital seem much more chilled over my genetic testing for the same thing my mum had now so looks like I will be back to being midwife led which makes me happy! A specialist in rare diseases from Glasgow will be on hand to advise me if I have any worries and if I have severe headaches I have to go straight to a and e but apart from that all seems good!

20 week scan isn't til 9th of July for me but I am due late November so makes sense.

Question for the floor, how much time do you all plan to take off before baby arrives? It's my first so no idea what seems a sensible amount, all my friends have said take as much time as I can as they were all shattered but want to know peoples thoughts!

@Aisforharlot a wiggle sounds very exciting! My initial twinges (that I thought were wiggles) have settled but I def notice wiggles when I eat something really yummy! I'm 15 weeks today and know is meant to be too early for proper wiggles.

@ELMcg I'm planning to take from 36 weeks. I've friends who have gone right up to the wire and have been so exhausted. One of them couldn't sit or stand or lay without being uncomfortable. I work in high powered stressful job and I don't really want to deal with d-heads when 39 weeks!

Saying that, I've still not told my employer.....

@Roopers ditto! My job is super deadline driven and I have clients with no boundaries (I've been off for a week and nearly had a work call every single day!) My first trimester was sheer hell trying to get through all my work and survive feeling awful!

I was planning 2 and a bit weeks before due date but maybe that's not enough! I also get pretty much zilch maternity pay (only statutory for me!) so I do have a fair amount of holidays stored up.

We still haven't told family and I'm 17.5 weeks no plans to either. I'm a SAHM so not working but with my first things were up in the air if I had my time again and a smoother life I would take 36 weeks and CHILL

That sounds great and really reassuring elm.

Question for the floor, how much time do you all plan to take off before baby arrives? It's my first so no idea what seems a sensible amount, all my friends have said take as much time as I can as they were all shattered but want to know peoples thoughts!

I think it really depends - for example if you have a physical (or even v demanding) job you’ll likely be wanting to finish earlier, if the opposite later. Some women go at 37/8 weeks and then go stir-crazy waiting for the baby to turn up at 40/1 weeks, too.

With my first I was dictating my out of office message to DH, fully dilated, from the labour ward. It sounds mad but I was only working 2-3 hours a day by the end, none of it time critical, and it kept me sane. This time round I’m already the size of a house and twins tend to come early or be induced by 37 weeks, and I’m in a much more physical job, so I reckon I won’t make it past 32/33 weeks.

@ELMcg I’m hoping to work up until birth but hopefully only working from home which saves a lot of hassle/stress. My maternity package isn’t great so I want to save it and with my first I went off early and then she didn’t appear until I was induced 2weeks1day over due, so I lost 5 weeks of maternity pay waiting impatiently...it’s a tough one. Maybe see how you are nearer the time?

I was on “bed-rest” wfh and then off totally before my first arrived 10 days late - for a total of 10 weeks. I really enjoyed it but the waiting was looooong! I wouldn’t choose to go off that early again.

This time I’m having an early section at 38-39 weeks so I’ll probably go off a week/10 days beforehand. My daughter will be at school by then so I’ll have a good amount of down time in the day and think that will be enough. I hope!

@Randomness12 I think that sounds perfect and a positive to c section that you can plan like this. I'm having a planned section to but will have a 14/15month okd at home so no resting sadly 😂 do you have your section date? I hope I can get out of there like no more then 24 hours after the op x

Thanks guys this is all super helpful! Right now I've booked in to go off 2 weeks before my due date but will keep it fluid until I know what's happening!

Meeting the genetics specialist on Friday so will see what that brings! Crazy the amount of appointments for a rare disease I may or may not have, better to be safe I guess!

Hi ladies,
How do I join the fb group, is there a link please?

gratef I'm not quite sure how to invite you but it's called The Tea Room and has a picture of a small white dog on a sofa as a cover photo - see if you can find it that way?

@AlackAlasAlackaday I’ve found it, thank you!

Had my 16 week appt on tuesday and she did use the doppler (though warned me its early to find a heartbeat) and found the HB :)
Today I spent an hour outside swimming with ds and napped 1.5 hours after! The sun really got to me.

Can I ask a question about skin moisturisers please. What do you use? I'm feeling like my
normal Dove one just isn't cutting it any more with the slow expansion taking place.

I'm looking for a heavy duty cream that soaks in fully, I can apply head to toe and won't make me feel like an oiled sausage trying to get into my clothes.
Any recommendations? Thank you all.

Ps - anyone else enjoying the sunny spell at the moment but wished they had a large glass of Rose to accompany it?!

@Roopers I use this one. From neck to toe 🤣

@ELMcg I have a pretty stressful, intense job but it’s not physical (which I think makes a difference). With my first DC, I felt really well in the last month or six weeks of pregnancy and from 37 weeks my boss agreed to me working mostly from home. I found cutting out the commute (train and a couple of miles’ walk) made a big difference. I took a week’s holiday at 39 weeks and officially started mat leave on my due date. I was keen to keep as much of the leave as possible for after the baby was born and was physically well, but everyone is different. My DC was pretty late, so I ended up having quite a lot of time off before birth anyway. So was very glad I wasn’t off any earlier. Not sure what I’ll do this time - probably something similar, although weirdly I was always convinced my first DC would be late, but I feel like this one might be more timely (maybe 5 days late, rather than 10!).

Hello ladies, I'm joining from the other Nov thread. I'm 18 weeks, FTM due 3rd Nov. Counting down the days to my 20 week scan on 21st, keeping the sex a surprise. Been feeling some kicks for the past two weeks (think I'm lucky feeling so early?)

I'm really hoping to work until the very end but I have saved some holiday and my job is good in that I'll be able to flex my hours and work from home so I'm just going with the flow.

Is anyone here planning to do shared parental leave? My partner can take up to 5 months full pay but we've agreed 3 so he'll have 3.5 months off at the start (including his paternity) with us but means I lose 3 months mat leave and will go back at 9 months. When do you all think you'll go back to work?

Also sorry I realise that's really depressing talking about returning to work before the baby has even arrived!!!

Hey @Knock123, welcome!

We're doing SPL - DH wanted to anyway but when it transpired we were having twins I was like, yeah, all yours matey . It's different in our situation because I'm self-employed and he's the higher earner but basically I expect I'll get back to work very gently (a few hours here and there) from a few months, and he'll be off fully for eight months. But our setup is a bit of an odd one.

@Elmcg good question about when to stop working and hope all is OK with your genetic tests
I'm a FTM too and have a semi active job working in a laboratory, but probably spend more than 50% of my time WFH and desk work

My situation is complicated, as my DP and I are looking to get a new house closer to family support and his job. Possibly I will leave my job during maternity leave, or hopefully move into a role that I can do remotely. Bit daunting the idea of moving before baby arrives, but hoping to do NCT classes in the new area and meet other parents,. So ideally want to move a good bit before baby arrives, but don't want to take a ton of maternity leave before arrival.

@knock123 welcome - I think I'm feeling little movements and coming up to 17 weeks, but not really sure.

Have peoples nausea or sickness stopped? Mine has.... weird going back to feeling like I'm not pregnant (except bump).

Hi ladies 👋
Can I come & join you?
I am due 15/11 with baby no.4. My others are 11, 5 & 4. All going well so far besides being an old bird (40) and rounder than I would like after lockdown 😬

@pineapple2021 nausea stopped but I am utterly exhausted and only 18 weeks

Hi @sparklyblue81 x

@pineapple2021 I’ve not hardly any nausea this pregnancy- it’s so weird. If it weren’t for scan I still wouldn’t really believe I was pg🤣midwife found a heartbeat last week at my 16week appointment so all good but I will feel so much better once I’m getting proper movements. I didn’t feel them until nearly 20 weeks with my others though.