March Monkeys 2016: 21 boys and 15 girls born

[Buttercup84]

Oh yes I've had all the 'lovely' comments about how huge I am here too :-/ always amazes me how pregnancy seems to give others license to comment on your size when they wouldn't otherwise!

 

[DaisyDreamer]

Wow some people can be so insensitive! Bumps are gonna be more prominent the second+ time around and even first-timers can get big bumps because of big babies and different body sizes/types. Maybe they just don't understand how much room a baby takes???? Anyone whose encounter a pregnant woman close enough should know how completely rude it all sounds
for everyone.

I feel like I look just like a tubby gal, because I used to be really petite pre-pregnancy. So in comparison I have QUITE the bump but it can still pass as the average pot belly. I want the big bump! Love being pregnant and I want to show the whole world what I'm doing right now

Figured it was colostrum coming out there, but I didn't realize it would come in this early. Yes it's pretty amazing that our bodies even are nesting for the baby! Preparing itself for the eminent birth and subsequent nourishment and comfort we will have to provide. Although the symptoms are uncomfortable, I love every one of them! It's just a reminder of the wonderful thing that is happening right in my belly.

 

[BellaRosa8302]

Daisy - Yes! Definitely colostrum, & I've been feeling the burning-like feeling of let-downs very recently too (which I remember well from DD, but haven't felt in ages despite the fact that I'm still breastfeeding her).

Bombshell - YES! I was asked by some coworkers about a month ago if I would be gone on maternity leave after December break (starting December 24th). I was like "no.... I'm not due until mid-March" & they looked shocked! I also had a coworker tell me a couple of weeks ago "Oh my goodness! I just heard your news! Here I was thinking you were just getting chubby! hahahaha" & I kinda giggled with her... but was really thinking "REALLY?!?!" I mean... if I thought someone was just getting chubby, I wouldn't go TELL them that! Jeez!!!

NDH - Thank you! You're always answering my questions, both here and on FB! I really appreciate it ) For me, I had my first really really mild cramp at 6 PM & delivered at 11:54 PM.

I'm kind of nervous I'm going to be "that girl" who delivers in the car on the way to the hospital, since my first was SO fast. Not that I want a long, drawn out labor, but I'd like to make it to the hospital!!!!

 

[Dawnlouise30]

So hubby has just come home and told me he only gets statutory paternity pay. It's great he gets that don't get me wrong but he is the only earner in the house as I stay home with Isaac and Hubby earns quite a lot. I think we will be down about £1,100 for the two weeks he has off. Geeeeee that's a lot. As hubby says we can't get those first two weeks with baby back and I know from when I had Isaac I will need him around (he worked for another company when we had Isaac and fortunately got full pay during his paternity leave), but yes we should definitely start planning for that drop. I'm glad he found out now and not in march. Xxx

 

[Buttercup84]

Dawn, mine is taking annual leave I think... He doesn't qualify for paternity pay as he's only been in his job since November. His old job gave him 2 weeks full pay for paternity which was great but quite a rarity I think.

 

[Dawnlouise30]

Ah it's a shame he doesn't qualify for paternity pay at all we were very spoilt with hubby's last job, I guess I didn't realise that till now.
Taking annual leave could be an option for hubby, I hadn't considered that.
Xx

Dawn, mine is taking annual leave I think... He doesn't qualify for paternity pay as he's only been in his job since November. His old job gave him 2 weeks full pay for paternity which was great but quite a rarity I think.

 

[Fezzle]

We might end up having our new kitchen installed now when I have the baby! We've got the plan finalised with Ikea now, but can't schedule the appointment until we have the 'pre-installation' meeting and they've said we might not be able to schedule that until after Christmas- then it will take another 7 weeks or so, basically giving us an estimated date for installation in early March. That's is going to be really cutting it close and if I go into labour early, we're in trouble! But- there's not really anything else we can do, so hopefully the worst case scenario is we'll be home with a newborn all day with workmen in the kitchen and eating lots of takeaways.

 

[NDH]

In Australia every dad is entitled to 2 weeks paternity leave and the government will pay minimum wage (approx $600/week?) If the employer doesn't. However I have no idea if DH plans to or will be able to take any time off... He's one of only two employees at his work and the owner is moving interstate in January so they're going to be really busy setting up a remote office and I dont know if they'll have another employee trained by then...

Fezzle I hope they get the kitchen in before bub is born!

 

[littlelily]

Dh gets rubbish pay for paternity leave so he is going to take 2 wks annual leave instead.

Buttercup, thanks for all the tips and everyone else too.

Have got a really bad cough and feeling rough but happy to have midwife appointment tmrw morning which means a lie in and a lovely check up on baby. Good luck with yours tmrw too Dawn.

 

[allforthegirl]

Parental leave in Canada, the father may take as much time as he wants but it will take from the mothers maternity pay. So we get a year, and if the father decides to take a month then mom's pay will cut for that month the father is off. Mother can still take the full year, but will not get paid during the time dad is off.

 

[BellaRosa8302]

Wow. I get 6 weeks (only paid if I have enough sick time to cover it, which I should). I get 12 weeks FMLA in addition (unpaid). That will bring me into my summer break, since I'm a teacher. I think I'll only need 6 weeks of FMLA if I've calculated correctly.

DH gets one week of personal time (paid).

With me taking around 6 weeks of additional unpaid time, that's about 3 of my paychecks we have to live without. I really don't know how we're going to swing it either, but as was already said, it's not time we get back & I'm not willing to leave my newborn & go to work while he's still that young.

 

[Fezzle]

I think I've decided to take a year, but officially my ML will be about 10 months of that year, and the last two months will be using the annual leave and holidays/uni closure days I'll accrue while on ML (I get 35 days of annual leave a year, then another 12-13 days for holidays and the extra days when the uni is closed for Christmas and Easter). I'm not planning on taking any annual leave before my ML starts. It is tempting to do the whole year of ML and then add on an extra two months since that will give me a return date right when the uni summer holiday is starting, but I think a year will be enough and would rather not have three whole unpaid months.

DH gets two weeks of paternity leave (though he does have the option of sharing my leave)- his work tops up the statutory pay. He only has 5 weeks of annual leave and is taking one week at the beginning of the year, but he's also 'bought' himself an extra week for next year.

I'm still considering going back part time- either 3 or 4 days a week, but I am going to wait until I've been home with the baby for awhile to decide that!

 

[Left wonderin]

Ill take 8-9 months ... 6 months ml ... One month al then 1-2 unpaid . Ill be going back 4 day week .

 

[Dawnlouise30]

Such variations in paternity leave and maternity leave. I guess I'm very lucky that I don't actually work any longer so I have as long with baby as i like. I think we have decided that once we have two I will stay home until they are both at school, I appreciate I am very lucky in this.

Mama Fox, I hope your midwife appointment went ok. Mine was ok, bit of protein in urine but nothing to worry about apparantly. Talked over feeling a bit low and we will see how it goes over the next few weeks. Next appointment 4th Jan. I then have a 30 week growth scan the week after that. This pregnancy is flying by.

Xxx

 

[Buttercup84]

Had my anti d today as well as my 28 week bloods. They did an antenatal check whilst I was there and I'm now measuring 5 weeks ahead!! Growth scan is booked for Wednesday so should have a clearer idea of the next steps then. Could be a large baby (not surprising!), increased fluid or both. Or just baby's position skewing the measurement!

 

[littlelily]

Fezzle, I'm planning to take a year to, or 10 months as that's when SMP runs out I think. Also planning to go back and teach part time after.

Dawn, my appointment went well thanks. Bump is measuring 30cm which is 2cm bigger at 28 weeks but still in normal range. My next is on 4th Jan too, we are synced!

Would love a growth scan but don't think I can justify cost of one right now.

 

[Dawnlouise30]

I'm very fortunate I get two growth scans, that's the upside of having a big baby before. Very lucky I get to see baby again though, just hoping it doesn't look as big as Isaac did
Yay for being synced with appointments x

 

[KalonKiki]

I'm a SAHM so I won't be receiving any maternity pay but I also don't have to worry about going back to work since raising my babies is my current job. DH is considering taking the first week off but I don't think he'll be able to take any more time than that. He will get 3 months off for the summer since he's a teacher though so we have that to look forward to. DD will just be about 2 or 3 months old when that starts.

 

[CurlyRose]

I'm also hoping to take a year off, 10 months mat leave and the rest annual leave, but I might take more mat leave and extend it further depending on how we are coping financially. OH has two weeks pat leave at statutory rate, which will hit us hard, he's also planning to use the last two weeks of his annual leave to take off all of March to help me at the start .
I've started to hear back from some of my mental health referrals, have opted out of the stuff provided by my local mental health organisation (who are also my employer, but different area) but have chosen to continue with anything provided by the maternoty and children's services. I am finding it all really hard again atm, and now having a lot of pain and exhaustion from bump, sometimes I've resented it for a bit, then it wiggles and I remember why I'm putting myself through this!

 

[BellaRosa8302]

I think I'm experiencing hiccups for the first time with my little man! I keep getting a light rhythmic pulse in my lower abdomen.

On another note, anyone designing nurseries? Anyone with little boys (or girls!) want to share their ideas?? I'm still stuck.... I just don't like a lot of the popular themes out there and I'm still not sure what I want to do for my little guy. I've been on Pinterest, but nothing really catches my eye. In my case, I need something that will go with cream colored walls (we want to keep the wall color gender-neutral in the nursery), and I prefer to stick with tones of blue (baby blue all the way to navy). Any suggestions are welcome! Thank you!