Any Scottish April 2013 babies out there??

[lj2245]

Yeah, that's SPD. Welcome to my world. Can't sit, can't walk, can't stand and can't lie down. I waddle like I've shit myself and am in constant agony. Have been since about 22 weeks.

The good news is it goes pretty much as soon as you have the baby.

I have also developed a way of rolling in bed that moves my pelvic bone back to it's proper place (as opposed to overlapping the other one). It hurts like hell and makes one hell of a popping noise but it means I can open my legs far enough to get my big pillow in between them

Hoovering and carrying anything just kills. I have asked Stephen to help with the hoovering and carrying washing upstairs over the past 10 weeks. Guess what chores haven't been done in my house very often in the last 10 weeks?

 

[bbymc]

Yeah i stopped hoovering a few weeks ago cos it was killing my hip. No way I would even attempt it now!! I used to lift stuff and put up with a wee bit acheyness but now I know its gona be agony,so I don't do that either. I'm ok in bed after the first few hours and the physio showed me how to stabilise my pelvis to get up so when I do that it's not too bad.

I look like a right idiot though cos one minute im just achey and walking, the next I'm bent double shivering in pain and unable to hold my own weight. It happened in the middle of a shop car park yesterday and I swear a few people must have thought I was in labour or something!! Ryan was there though so he literally held me up until I was able to walk to a nearby seat and sit down. It's made me really quite scared of going out on my own though. Cos I would have just fell over with the pain if Ryan hadn't have been there. I'd just got out the car too so it wasn't like I'd walked far, or been doing too much.

God, 7 weeks of this is gona be hell. I really feel for you having suffered this since 22 weeks!! Do you need to use crutches? X

 

[arlene]

Aww girls! And I thought my spd was bad!! Mine comes and goes in terms of severity but it's usually bad late and night and if I'm sitting for too long

How long for everyone at work now? I finish five weeks tomorrow!! Xx

 

[lj2245]

I have been trying to avoid using the crutches or wheelchair but I think I might have to give in now. I gutted out a cupboard yesterday and hoovered my corner sofa with a handheld Dyson and I'm still in agony now. Got hardly any sleep.

I was hoping to work until 38 weeks with this new job but I'm beginning to doubt I can manage. Plus, as great as they are about my pregnancy they seem to be a bit illegal. Well...a lot illegal actually. They went to a trade fair last week over all of my contracted working days so I didn't work all week or Thursday last week. They also decided to go away for a long weekend so I can't work today either. I won't be getting paid for any of the missed days. They also don't do holiday pay or overtime rates. If I have to take time off for an appointment, I have to make up the hours on another day. They even want me to make up todays hours on Wednesday. They don't give out wage slips and don't tell me what shift or day I am working until the day before.

I'm grateful for the job but there's no way I'll be going back after my maternity leave is done. No holiday pay? Aye right. I don't even want to go back tomorrow. I keep telling myself to suck it up and just be grateful for the job but I am definitely a person who believes in sticking to the law when it comes to employee rights! I worked in management for years.

 

[bbymc]

yikes. That does sound very illegal Laura. Imagine you took that job after baby came. Lol. At least now you have a reason to make a break for it lol. Its good to be grateful and all that but if you're struggling that much i really wouldn't push yourself too hard. This is when you really need to rest. Once Alex is here you won't have that option. Its a tough one tho cos working is money lol. I hate us being skint cos I'm off but I've just had to accept that i wasnt doing myself any favours strugglin on and i certainly wasnt gettin any thanks for it. I suppose if they're asking you not to work sometimes it will be good in that it gives you a rest but surely they should still pay you? How do they expect anyone to work with conditions like that? People need a regular wage. Do other employees not say anything?

I've been signed off now til i go on mat leave arelene. Not at all what I'd wanted but so glad i am. I'm finding it hard even walking around the house atm. I could never get the bus to work and back myself now . Just tryin to make the most of my time off but it is getting very boring and really making time drag!

 

[lj2245]

They only have 1 other employee and she's a uni student and isn't contracted to any hours so she just works as and when. They emailed me today asking me to work 9 til 5 tomorrow to 'make up my hours' as if it were my fault. I should be paid for the days off, not having to work them back on my actual days off because they want to go on a jaunt!

I think I'm just going to go on Mat leave asap. 9 months of maternity pay sounds awesome lol. Plus I have loads to be doing around the house!

 

[bbymc]

yeah. Sounds like a good plan to me. Then you know where you're at and can plan and get organised. Have you agreed to work 9-5 tomorrow or are you gona say you can't? Hats off to you if you manage a 9-5 shift lol. I doubt i could do that now.

You any further forward with the nursery? I was at babies r us on Saturday and they had the pirate boy themed border for sale for £1.50 a roll. Thats the one you chose eh?

 

[lj2245]

Yes. I paid about £6.50 a roll.

I don't think I can manage a 9-5. I dunno what to say to them though. I'm going to phone the MA people today and find out if I need my employer to fill in any forms to say why they can't pay SSP. If not, I'm just going to jack it in. They won't tell me what shifts I've to work the rest of the week and it's impossible trying to plan anything.

 

[bbymc]

That's ridiculous. Can you nt just ask them to tell you your shifts? I suppose the best outcome would be that you don't need them to fill anything in and you can just tell them you're not going back. It'll probably be a weight off our shoulders once you're out of there!

£6.50 a roll?? Wow! That's expensive!

 

[lj2245]

It was supposed to be £10 a roll but I got those discounts. It was probably nearer £6 but still....I bought 3 rolls!!! I don't want to know if anything else is cheaper!! Lol. Except maybe the moses basket I decided I do want to buy it but my brother's store has no stock! Typical!

Turns out I do need them to fill out a form. Arrgghh!! It's stupid because they say if you are employed in the 15 weeks before your due date your employer needs to fill in this form to say why they aren't paying SMP. It's quite obvious why my employer isn't paying. I started in the 11th week before EDD!!!

 

[lj2245]

And they won't tell me my shifts because they seem to think it's ok to wait and see how many hours they are going to need me. Fair enough they are a 2 man band and can't forecast their orders but it doesn't help me.

 

[bbymc]

hmmm. Unless they employ students tho, i can't see anyone sticking with a job like that. Still, its done you for a while and given you extra cash.

Thats a pest they need to fill in a form. Especially cos you never started til 11 weeks before your EDD. Bit daft really!

Oh i forgot you were wanting that Moses basket. I did see it but i don't think it was on sale. I'll keep an eye out for you lol x

 

[arlene]

Laura that's ridiculous about your job! They can't expect you to make up hours they cancelled cos they went on a jolly at the weekend!! I suppose it's thankful you don't have long til mat leave, then you can look for something else once Alex is up a bit!

I ordered my moses basket from asda, need to go pick it up tomorrow, was only £25! Need to go back on and order the stand though as it was out of stock xx

 

[lj2245]

The one I have was £25 in Asda lol. Bargain!

 

[arlene]

Definitely! The stand is only £16 too.

People in work are driving me nuts today. I keep getting this:

Colleague: So how long til you finish up?
Me: Just five weeks
Colleague: Not that you're counting eh?? Ha ha!

WTF?? Course I'm bloody counting!!!! Why ask me how long if you don't want to hear a number?? Drives me mental!! Lol xx

 

[lj2245]

Ugh people are idiots. I keep getting the 'you look like you're ready to burst'.

Aye...burst you.

 

[bbymc]

I keep getting people asking how long I've got, I say 'only 7 weeks, so not long!' And most say something like ' oh that's still a wee while yet and you'll probably be late too'.

Aye, cheers for that! Lol.

 

[arlene]

I was at my nephew's birthday party on saturday afternoon and I haven't seen my SIL's family in ages, all I got was "not long now!!" grrr!! I know people mean well but it gets boring lol xx

 

[bbymc]

Think I've become addicted to crunching ice lol! Random!

 

[lj2245]

It's one of the most common pregnancy cravings, I craved it like mad with Shaun and have been eating lots this time too.

One thing to be careful of though is it can be an indication of an iron deficiency

I'm now on maternity leave it looks like. Phoned the physio this morning because I literally can't move and they are seeing me on the 27th. She said I've to rest and do absolutely nothing as it sounds like I've misaligned my pelvis and can cause permanent damage. Fab!