Anyone else around 5 weeks?

[hopingforapeainapod]

Hi all - am 5 weeks today with baby number 1, and just wondered if anyone else was around the same boat and fancied joining and sharing their experiences and / or a metaphorical hand hold!

@hopingforapeainapod i didn’t even think about the control line looking faint and you’re the second person to say that to me this evening. I’ve since looked at the same brand of test pics which I used with my son (who’s now 2.5yrs) and there is a clearer difference between control and test. Maybe it’s the tests 🤷🏼‍♀️ hoping that the blood tests will clear it all up for me one way or another 😊 xx

Also a teacher due my second end of October:) very surprised I’m preggo now as last time I used Ava for a year and did ovulation tests religiously, this time I’ve not used Ava and only did ovulation tests for 1 cycle. Im nervous but won’t be telling work til after Easter. I’m currently covering a mat leave who isn’t due back till Jan.

look into shared parental leave- you can get paid for Easter and summer but not come back until October! Legally they can’t stop you doing it, and can’t force you to come in during hols unless everyone has too otherwise it’s discriminatory. My school (private) tried everything to get but of it (a colleague sent a letter from a lawyer eventually) but legally they have to allow it. Others will be doing it!

@AnnaCBi this is so interesting! I also work at a private school and I need to look into the schools maternity / shared parental leave policies but I hadn’t really clicked this was an option. Just had a quick google and this looks really informative: https://www.teachersspl.co.uk/how-it-works

out of interest, when did you tell the school you were pregnant with your first child? And how are you finding / how did you find being pregnant and teaching?

@hopingforapeainapod I did this with baby 1, who has just turned one and I've just found out I'm pregnant again. The SPL made loads of difference money wise - it is something like an extra 12 weeks pay so I was thrilled I did the paperwork and leg work. Also a teacher in a private school btw. The school didn't really comment at all tbh and I've told lots of teacher friends about it and they've all done it too.

@FlyOnTheWall89 congratulations! Out of interest do you know when you might tell the school you’re pregnant again? I was planning on waiting til the 12 week scan / when I got back from the Easter holidays but first baby so I’m not sure - this is all very new!

@hopingforapeainapod I actually decided not to go back and to be a mumma for a while. I told them when I was 18 weeks with baby 1 as that landed after summer hols and I wasn't 12 weeks before. Also depends if you get quite bad sickness.... my friend told our head at 9 weeks as she was too wiped out for standing up lunch duty etc.

@FlyOnTheWall89 yeah I’ve managed to cope okay at school so far but I feel absolutely wiped out in the evenings - I’m going to wait and see how I get on, I may end up cracking before Easter holidays if I feel rubbish - it’s a very fast paced, demanding school and I have GCSE and A-level subjects in a core subject this year so this half term is extremely full on…

Also I don’t know how everyone else is feeling but I just found out my midwife appointment is 5 weeks today (when I will be 10.5 weeks) and my ultrasound scan is 6 weeks today (when I will be 11.5 weeks). I should be really happy, and in a way I am super excited, but I’m also feeling rather overwhelmed because it seems like such a long way away… it’s hard to explain but it feels like I’m at the bottom of a very big hill that is the first trimester and time is already going unbelievably slowly because it’s all I can think about! Any ideas for healthy distraction / how to enjoy the time and not wish it away?! Work keeps my mind off things a bit but that’s about it…

@hopingforapeainapod if you can afford to, I'd really recommend a scan at around 7 weeks. Baby will look like a bumblebee and you'll see a heartbeat. Makes it all real and it's so lovely - breaks up the time x

@FlyOnTheWall89 I do actually have an early reassurance scan next week already booked in when I will be exactly 7 weeks - I think because I’m on progesterone the clinic wanted to monitor me more so they suggested it. I cannot wait and hopefully, all going well, it will help my anxiety 🤞🤞🤞 it just feels like I’m stuck in the two week wait all over again! X

Snap on the age gap. I'm 9 weeks with a 17 month old son. The toddler tantrums started just as we found out we were expecting number 2, I'm glad we fell pregnant as I'm not sure we would have been as keen after the last month of back to back illness, food fussiness and tantrums :)

For my first I used to call the restaurant ahead or go to the 'loo' and stop by the bar and ask them to tactfully bring over non alcoholic cocktails for me.

I'm pregnant with no.2 and it's only going to be a 24 month age gap, so I've only been back 6 months and due in 7 months and really don't want people to know. I now just order a glass of red with dinner and pretend to drink it. I do take some sips but there's no harm having half a glass with food, I also last time even take a big mouthful and went to loo and spit it out.

Remember our parents drank throughout pregnancies and we are all fine, not a lot but they were advised 1 glass a night was fine and even up until 15 years ago 1 glass a week was fine.

I think the no alcohol in pregnancy is so there are no blurred lines, as people always push the envelope. I didn't touch a drop first time but I'm more relaxed this time, have had 2 glasses over 2 different meals 1 month apart. Both work meals.