Mid June and July Firecrackers Group Due June/July 2017!

[Betty.Rubble]

All this talk makes me feel so lucky - I'm taking 9 months off and I will get at least half my wages all the way through :/ Very lucky in the UK.

 

[Thejoie]

Maternity leave in the US is embarrassing when you compare it with ANY other country.
We are moving to a different town so I just signed up for a new Mom group on FB and have started asking around for daycares. It's a great area with lots of young families and it seems that there are tons of options around so I don't think it will be a struggle to find one. Just want to find something that people have been happy with.. I love personal recommendations and reviews. Lil Bug will be in daycare 3-4 days a week... I'm gonna see if my mom wants to babysit one day but am not expecting her to by any means....

 

[PrettyInInk42]

That's great you have that option pretty. Is that with pay?

It's not with pay from my company, but the government pays you a certain amount every week, based on your income before mat leave. Plus, you get a monthly child care benefit cheque. My friend (who's already gone through this with her first) said: "If you make around 24-30k/year after taxes, you will probably get around $250/week for your mat leave, and around $300/month for child benefit. So you're likely working with at least $1200/month if not closer to $1500.00"

Gonna need to get that confirmed, but that sounds about right.

That is about right.
Before I started leave I made around $20k a year and my mat leave EI was about $200/week. Then child tax is based off your household income. We were about $55k and currently get $400/month for our son.

Nice.

I make about $25k/year. Now, is the household income what the entire house actually makes or what the married couple makes? Cuz I'm not in any kind of committed relationship and my mom is retired, so she's only getting $1000+/month.

 

[Girly922]

Childcare around here isn't cheap, but luckily DD will be starting school about 6 months after I go back to work so that will bring our fees back down to what we're used to paying for DD anyway.

I got a call from the antenatal clinic on Friday. I've got to go in for extra scans during 3rd tri due to low papp-a levels that put baby at risk of iugr. I wish my 20wk scan was sooner, feeling like I could do with some reassurance!

 

[Weebles]

Congrats gag!

Weebles - I think it is up to your employer, but most have them run concurrently. Don't quote me. I could be wrong.

I spent some time looking into it last night and unfortunately you're correct. When I had my son I was allowed to use disability before FMLA but I guess I was just very lucky. Now I'm worried about having to go off of work before I deliver as FMLA will start right then and there. And I thought 12 weeks didn't sound like enough.

On another note, I'm getting worried about my weight. At first I was worried about how much I had gained in the first tri but that was worry just for my own vanity. I haven't gained anything in several weeks now and it has me worried about my baby. I would never diet or restrict calories during pregnancy so I don't why I'm not gaining. I don't have a real appointment until 2/7 but I'm going in for my progesterone injection on Friday.. I think I'll ask the nurse if she wouldn't mind using the Doppler for just a quick second.

 

[lesondemavie]

Definitely ask weebles. There's no harm in getting some reassurance or voicing your concerns. After everything I went through to get this baby, I fully believe that we know our bodies best and must advocate for ourselves. Doctors are running off of stats to treat a population. You have to help them individualize your care.

 

[second.time]

Congrats gag!

Weebles - I think it is up to your employer, but most have them run concurrently. Don't quote me. I could be wrong.

I spent some time looking into it last night and unfortunately you're correct. When I had my son I was allowed to use disability before FMLA but I guess I was just very lucky. Now I'm worried about having to go off of work before I deliver as FMLA will start right then and there. And I thought 12 weeks didn't sound like enough.

On another note, I'm getting worried about my weight. At first I was worried about how much I had gained in the first tri but that was worry just for my own vanity. I haven't gained anything in several weeks now and it has me worried about my baby. I would never diet or restrict calories during pregnancy so I don't why I'm not gaining. I don't have a real appointment until 2/7 but I'm going in for my progesterone injection on Friday.. I think I'll ask the nurse if she wouldn't mind using the Doppler for just a quick second.

Definitely ask for peace of mind, but I don't think that sounds like anything to worry about. I feel like pregnancy weight gain tends to come in spurts rather than slowly and gradually. I've heard so many women who would gain a lot during one week or one month and then not gain anything else for a while. That's been happening with me too ... I gained in a big bump after my MS went away and now it's been holding steady, some days even dropping a little, even though I'm eating well.

AFM, I got a cold from my son and it didn't seem too bad until it hit my ear! I was in terrible pain from it last night and today my hearing is kind of muffled. I'm going to call the doctor first thing tomorrow, but a lot of what I read says cold-related ear congestion is a just-wait-it-out situation. I have to travel this upcoming weekend too!

 

[thexfadingpat]

That's great you have that option pretty. Is that with pay?

It's not with pay from my company, but the government pays you a certain amount every week, based on your income before mat leave. Plus, you get a monthly child care benefit cheque. My friend (who's already gone through this with her first) said: "If you make around 24-30k/year after taxes, you will probably get around $250/week for your mat leave, and around $300/month for child benefit. So you're likely working with at least $1200/month if not closer to $1500.00"

Gonna need to get that confirmed, but that sounds about right.

That is about right.
Before I started leave I made around $20k a year and my mat leave EI was about $200/week. Then child tax is based off your household income. We were about $55k and currently get $400/month for our son.

Nice.

I make about $25k/year. Now, is the household income what the entire house actually makes or what the married couple makes? Cuz I'm not in any kind of committed relationship and my mom is retired, so she's only getting $1000+/month.

I believe it's what the entire house makes.

 

[lesondemavie]

Second - You too? I came down with this cold on Friday. Friday night my throats was horribly sore, but I woke up Saturday morning feeling like it was all drying up. By yesterday afternoon I had a horrible sinus headache and my ears wouldn't pop. I went to sleep like that last night and woke up to a milder version of it. Hoping it gets better and not worse today!

 

[Mummafrog]

Sorry for those of you getting sick! Stupid evil time of year hope it passes soon.

Gag - I'm pleased you don't have that hanging over your head anymore The one hour one seems a bit silly in my humble opinion

Girly - Oh sorry to hear you have been given something to worry about! Remember they are always extra cautious to be on the safe side, your baby is growing totally fine right now, just keep eating plenty of good things and try to not think about it too much I have to have growth scans because of my weight, they do them for lots of reasons x

Weebles - I don't think you should worry too much about weight either, not everyone gains, I lost two stone in my last pregnancy because I was able to eat very healthily (not this time!) and am already big but the scans showed perfect growth so there was no concern about weight loss. You should always ask for reassurance though

AFM I'm struggling quite badly with SPD already.. it's really scaring me, I can't have time off my course so I'll just have to power through, I just hope I can. Otherwise nausea/sickness is verrryy slowly getting better.. but I have bad days. I've been doing something weird where I notice I'm tensing my stomach up.. but I don't mean to at all and I have to focus to relax it? Quite odd

 

[youngmamttc]

I've been so quiet and absent from baby and bump this pregnancy. I'm getting close to the time in the last pregnancy I lost my daughter so I'm a wreck and just trying to get past that point and I'll pop in here more! I have a scan tomorrow just to reassure me and I'm so nervous

 

[blessedmomma]

All the figuring out pay and how long you have sounds so stressful! I hope you're all able to get what you would like and it works out awesome! I used to be a psychologist and I remember being so stressed out about being pregnant with my 3rd and possibly having to put him in daycare at a young age. And the cost is a nightmare! Of course I ended up quitting my career and becoming a sahm which I've done since then and absolutely adore. I'm grateful money isn't a concern and I don't have to figure anything out.

Gagrl- I'm so happy for you!!!!! That's fantastic news!

Mummafrog- that sounds horrible. I hope it doesn't get too bad for you. I had it with my 7th baby and my hips would slip in and out of socket it got so bad! My hips and pelvis were so sore and achey all the time. They said it would be worse with each pregnancy, but my next one I was fine. So weird. I hope I don't get it this time.

So sorry to hear some of you are sick. Such a hard time on top of pregnancy

 

[Catalyst]

Here you get 3 months, daddy 3 months and together 3.. but most women takr the extra three both because they bf amd also most men have higher income. Now if you are working the state pays you 80% od your monthly income (there is a roof of how high income you can have but most averege pay falls under that) some opt for taking half maternity and stay home 12 months and get 40% of their pay and I have done that twize and it weny well.
If you dont work or like me are a student (im finishing my masters) you get some form of grant or not sure what the english word is. It aint realy much but is maby 30-40% higher then when I was just having 40% of my pay last time. Also we get 3 more months cause we are having twins. But.. cause I am a student I cant take 9 months over 12 like the working moms do 6 over 12.. dont know why. So i guess im taking 9 months this time.. would like 12 though.

 

[Girly922]

Thanks mummafrog. I spoke to my midwife today and she said for the majority she has seen come back low 9 out of 10 have healthy weight babies and that there is still hope for my home birth yet.

I still haven't got my energy back yet. Definitely preparing me for the loss of sleep with a newborn! Lol.

 

[Gagrlinpitt]

Thanks for all the support ladies.. I'm very thankful!!

 

[808malia]

I plan on taking as much time off as possible which will likely be about 12 weeks due to Hawaii's tdi and family leave programs. But I live and work in the same building, and both of my parents are retired (And have volunteered to babysit) so they will be just down the hall watching my baby and if they need anything I am only about 1 minute away... So not too bad Wish I had the funds to be a stay at home mom, but this should work out ok...

 

[PrettyInInk42]

I've been having some pretty bad lower back pain since yesterday. I went on two 40-min walks and now it almost feels like someone's tasing me when I'm simply walking or bending over certain ways. One friend said it was probably cuz I was carrying my purse and a few groceries on my walks and another said it's cuz my "pelvis is out of whack" right now. I guess my body's just getting used to the changes cuz this is my first.

I was able to go to the gym with almost no problem today though. It still hurt to walk at times, but I was able to jog for 5 mins at 5mph and do 30 mins on an elliptical with no pain, but doing a few stretches afterward hurt.

Anyone dealt with this before? And any advice on treatment?

 

[Mummafrog]

Girly - that's good! Hopefully we'll be waiting on our home births together in six months I've got my gtt at 28 weeks.. always nervous something will come up. I wouldn't have a home birth unsafely but I really want one

Pretty - you need to rest hunny. Everything gets looser in pregnancy, including your joints and it makes it easier to pull things and get sore. It doesn't mean you can't exercise, but it means if something gets sore you need to take a couple of days to rest it and then when it's feeling better you can do more again. That way you get stronger/stay strong but don't injure yourself xx

 

[lesondemavie]

I always have lower back pain because I have a 32% curve in my spine. They start treating at 30%, but they didn't catch mine until I was almost done growing, so they decided to just leave it be. In pregnancy, my lower left back throbs on and off. It really worries me sometimes, but baby is always fine. I think how I sleep matters, and also gentle yoga has been great for it.

 

[blessedmomma]

Pretty- I agree you need to rest a little. My lower back doesn't hurt in pregnancy until the end, but if I overdo it I can have pain. But it could be you have a pinched nerve or like your friend said your pelvis is out of whack. When I was pregnant with my 7th my hips ached really early on which doesn't happen until I'm huge normally. By the end they were popping in and out of socket. You have a hormone called relaxin while pregnant that loosens joints preparing your body to make room for baby and also for delivery. My dr said I was making more of it during that pregnancy.