December Snowflakes 2015! Come join me 74 ladies, 10 angels, two sets of twins!

[K8te]

Welcome and congratulations Fliss!

Oh i cannot wait to start my Xmas shopping. I've made DH have a day off work at the beginning of November so we can go and get everything. My aim is to have it all done in a day. I may need a lot of luck and patience for it but at least it will be out of the way and then as soon as the decorations are down from the loft I can wrap. I'm pretty sure I was organised last year and got all my paper in the sale.

X

 

[joeliza24]

It's sad that I can tell which of you are in the US just by reading how much mat leave (or lack thereof) that you'll get. We really are backwards in some ways, aren't we Knees? Smdh.
Welcome, Fliss! I too am team after having a little boy.

I'm also in the US, but I'm definitely not the norm, but sadly the exception.

 

[ElmaWG]

I'm definitely jealous of everyone. I plan to work up until the last minute as long as I'm able, considering I only get 6 weeks unpaid maternity leave. I do have quite a bit of sick time and vacation time that I've been trying to save, so at least I should be able to cover those 6 weeks and still get a paycheck. I'd ultimately like to extend it to 8 but will have to play that by ear.

Thanks for all the well wishes. I have an appointment with my regular doctor today, so hopefully we can discuss the ultrasound findings further for more clarification.

Blinker, if you've worked at your job for a year you're elegible for at least 12 weeks (unpaid) maternity leave through FMLA. There are a few situations where exclusions apply, like if your company is very small, and some others that I forget. Granted it's unpaid, but if you are wanting to extend your leave beyond 6 weeks, you should look into it.

 

[Ameli]

I'm definitely jealous of everyone. I plan to work up until the last minute as long as I'm able, considering I only get 6 weeks unpaid maternity leave. I do have quite a bit of sick time and vacation time that I've been trying to save, so at least I should be able to cover those 6 weeks and still get a paycheck. I'd ultimately like to extend it to 8 but will have to play that by ear.

Thanks for all the well wishes. I have an appointment with my regular doctor today, so hopefully we can discuss the ultrasound findings further for more clarification.

Blinker, if you've worked at your job for a year you're elegible for at least 12 weeks (unpaid) maternity leave through FMLA. There are a few situations where exclusions apply, like if your company is very small, and some others that I forget. Granted it's unpaid, but if you are wanting to extend your leave beyond 6 weeks, you should look into it.

Yeah, your company has to have at least 50 employees to qualify for FMLA. Unfortunately, my company is just under that.

 

[ElmaWG]

Oh, that really sucks, Ameli!

 

[Fliss]

I read all of these stories and I'm so grateful.

I'm in the UK and I'm getting 6 months full pay and 3 months on statutory. If I could afford it I could also have 3 months no pay - but that I can't do.

But I can tag my accrued annual leave to the end so I'm off for over 10 months.

My DH is getting 4 weeks paternity leave as well as he's working a different job to last time and I feel so lucky.

to you all.

 

[Fliss]

I read all of these stories and I'm so grateful.

I'm in the UK and I'm getting 6 months full pay and 3 months on statutory. If I could afford it I could also have 3 months no pay - but that I can't do.

But I can tag my accrued annual leave to the end so I'm off for over 10 months.

My DH is getting 4 weeks paternity leave as well as he's working a different job to last time and I feel so lucky.

to you all.

 

[Rileys.Mammy]

I read all of these stories and I'm so grateful.

I'm in the UK and I'm getting 6 months full pay and 3 months on statutory. If I could afford it I could also have 3 months no pay - but that I can't do.

But I can tag my accrued annual leave to the end so I'm off for over 10 months.

My DH is getting 4 weeks paternity leave as well as he's working a different job to last time and I feel so lucky.

to you all.

I feel the same. I really feel for the US ladies. I'm getting 6 months of 9/10 pay and then it drops down to 1/4 pay which I can't survive on. However I'm lucky with the timing and the fact that I work in a school because I'll start my maternity leave at the end of November and then 6 months will take me up to Whitsun Half Term Holiday and then I'll have 6 & 1/2 weeks in work until the Summer Holidays xx

 

[laurac1988]

I feel very blessed to be having over a year off. We get 3 months full pay - 3 months half pay + SMP - 3 months SMP and then 3 months unpaid. Then I've tagged 3 weeks of leave on the end as well

 

[PocoHR]

The US is really awful when it comes to being good to pregnant women/new mothers. I am lucky to have 3 months paid leave, but I will have to use some of that before he is born. Also, personally, I can't imagine leaving a 2.5 month old baby in daycare for 8-9 hours a day. Thankfully we can get by for a little while without me working, so I will likely not go back to work after my maternity leave runs out. But, it still stinks. If had say, six months, I would go back to work, but he will be so little I just wouldn't want to leave him unless I absolutely had to.

 

[blinker86]

I'm definitely jealous of everyone. I plan to work up until the last minute as long as I'm able, considering I only get 6 weeks unpaid maternity leave. I do have quite a bit of sick time and vacation time that I've been trying to save, so at least I should be able to cover those 6 weeks and still get a paycheck. I'd ultimately like to extend it to 8 but will have to play that by ear.

Thanks for all the well wishes. I have an appointment with my regular doctor today, so hopefully we can discuss the ultrasound findings further for more clarification.

Blinker, if you've worked at your job for a year you're elegible for at least 12 weeks (unpaid) maternity leave through FMLA. There are a few situations where exclusions apply, like if your company is very small, and some others that I forget. Granted it's unpaid, but if you are wanting to extend your leave beyond 6 weeks, you should look into it.

Yeah, your company has to have at least 50 employees to qualify for FMLA. Unfortunately, my company is just under that.

I'm in the same boat. Been at my job for 5 years, but we only have 9 employees. I could technically take my 6 weeks unpaid + use my vacation/sick time in addition to that, but I'll have to make that decision when the time comes.

 

[Kallie3000]

Yeah... I'm definitely never, ever going to complain about Canadian maternity leave policies. Never have before, and this conversation definitely makes me know never to start. I will be off a year, at 55% of my salary, plus some other small government payments, and plus my employer has a 4 1/2 month top up program. But now I feel like I'm bragging, sorry

You guys should definitely move here for your next baby! Welcome to Canada, eh!

 

[Willow82]

I feel very blessed to be having over a year off. We get 3 months full pay - 3 months half pay + SMP - 3 months SMP and then 3 months unpaid. Then I've tagged 3 weeks of leave on the end as well

Yeah, that's what I get although I will probably return to work after 9 months due to finances. I still feel very lucky though. I can't believe how awful the U.S maternity leave is. 6 weeks is nothing. It's almost as if no value is placed on giving birth and nurturing a little person throughout the earliest stages of their life. It must make extended breast feeding difficult as well.

 

[tuesdaysbaby]

Hi all

I haven't posted for ages but keep up with reading where everyone is at

I don't know how you do it over there, in New Zealand we get 16 weeks paid leave if you've worked at the same organisation for 6 months I believe, and a year's leave in total from the workplace (so the rest of the time unpaid). There's a bill going through parliament at the moment to increase PPL to 26 weeks! I don't qualify for it because I left my full-time job at the end of last year to focus on IVF but that's OK! I'll probably never get any as I'll not be going back to work!

 

[blinker86]

Yeah... I'm definitely never, ever going to complain about Canadian maternity leave policies. Never have before, and this conversation definitely makes me know never to start. I will be off a year, at 55% of my salary, plus some other small government payments, and plus my employer has a 4 1/2 month top up program. But now I feel like I'm bragging, sorry

You guys should definitely move here for your next baby! Welcome to Canada, eh!

Canada definitely sounds more appealing!!

 

[tuesdaysbaby]

Move to New Zealand! We are the Canada of the Southern Hemisphere!

 

[jumpingo]

i don't currently work but i was shocked to hear the air force maternity leave policy since getting married. my husband's coworker is pregnant (she's about to go into labor any day now!) and active duty get 6 weeks maternity leave. then you can tack on your own personal leave days if you have any on the end of that, but that has to be approved by leadership like any other paid leave.

active duty spouses get 10 days of paternity leave after their baby is born, but the way they count it is 10 consecutive days, so saturdays and sundays would count "against" your 10 days. the only "nice" thing is they can take it any time within the first year (i think!) so i'm hoping my husband can just take regular paid leave for the first week in december, my parents are coming for about 10 days in mid december, and then my husband will be off for the week of new years. hopefully we can save the paternity leave for later maybe?

financially, i need to get a job, so the only nice thing about the air force's policies is that it means it IS possible to get childcare for a 6 week old. i don't imagine i will be ready to get a full time job at 6 weeks, but something part time, knowing i can get childcare might work. it's still a huge question mark, but i don't think we can survive much longer on one paycheck. i worked in tokyo for 4.5 years but quit when we got married because i had to move on base and it's too far away to commute. i have been able to help with my savings until now, but after baby comes, we'll have to reassess the cost benefits of being a SAHM or working/childcare.

 

[stacey&bump]

Hi girls I haven't been on this in donkeys ages hope u are all keeping well ! Just wondering if any of u have ever experienced this , had to go to fetal assessment last nite my bump feels reli bruised and only at certain points its reli sore to touch around my belly button and too the right it's reli tender and can only describe it as bruise like ? It's stronger when I bend or sit or go to stand etc ? Baby's perfectly fine my bloods are fine they think it could be muscular ? It reli scared me as it was uncomfortable to even walk ? Any suggestions or anyone in the same boat ? Thanks so much x

 

[ElmaWG]

His Stacey. I've seen posts on this same topic in the second or third trimester forums. But I don't remember if there was a conclusive answer, sorry. But I do remember a number of women had experienced a "bruising" feeling near belly button, and They were reassured it was nothing to worry to much about. You might try posting there? Also "donkey ages" lol. I've never heard that!

Well, I'm one week from 3rd tri, and my husband and hi have just started seriously thinking about moving. Soon. We'd be staying in the same town....but still, feels kind of crazy. Would need to find a house, ,pack, move, unpack, all before baby comes.

 

[Leann83]

Hi Stacey! I had one really sore point from Monday until about yesterday. Just under left side of my bump. Hurt to press and was a lot sharper when standing up/moving after sitting down for a while. I had routine appt on Monday and apparently that's where the baby's head is so I'm assuming it's from that! Can only imagine what it's gonna be like when baby is so much bigger in a few weeks!