*October Bumpkins*2014* 43 Babies Born!

[La Mere]

La mere, it is hard work getting ready for baby isn't it. I'm not doing the whole home birth thing but I just feel like I have no mental capacity right now. I have so many things on my mind it's tiring. Dh has been making dinner for me this week because I'm too exhausted to even go out to dinner. Working all day and then sitting down to watch tv is exhausting. I don't know how people who have toddlers do it.

It really is! Haha, with two toddlers.. no mental capacity whatsoever! I've luckily gotten back into the habit of making multiple lists of things I need to do and need to get so that makes it a bit easier sometimes.

Since my DH works all day, I get to make dinner and sometimes I just do not feel like making it. The tiredness is actually starting to get on my nerves! I still have so much to do and it's making it almost impossible!

 

[Loopy Laura]

Thanks for the kind messages about my friend. La mere - that is an awful time to lose your father (not that there is a good time) so that must have been really hard.

Sprite - I finish work on Friday and can't wait. I really am ready to finish now! There is no way I could work up to the due date and hate the thought of going into labour at work! Having said that at least you would have more time with baby by delaying it.
I also don't know how you 2nd/3rd/4th time mums are doing it as I'm exhausted at the end of a working day!

So I had my appointment at the hospital today. My urine was clear today and my blood pressure was still high but lower than yesterday. Ankles and feet still really swollen and sore. They sent me home again and said the next check could be next Friday unless I have vision disturbances or severe headaches. So good news I hopefully have another week and a bit and hopefully not pre-eclampsia after all although I know this could still be the case. Thanks for all the encouraging messages.

 

[GeralynB]

That's great news loopy Laura!

 

[vickyandchick]

Thanks for the kind messages about my friend. La mere - that is an awful time to lose your father (not that there is a good time) so that must have been really hard.

Sprite - I finish work on Friday and can't wait. I really am ready to finish now! There is no way I could work up to the due date and hate the thought of going into labour at work! Having said that at least you would have more time with baby by delaying it.
I also don't know how you 2nd/3rd/4th time mums are doing it as I'm exhausted at the end of a working day!

So I had my appointment at the hospital today. My urine was clear today and my blood pressure was still high but lower than yesterday. Ankles and feet still really swollen and sore. They sent me home again and said the next check could be next Friday unless I have vision disturbances or severe headaches. So good news I hopefully have another week and a bit and hopefully not pre-eclampsia after all although I know this could still be the case. Thanks for all the encouraging messages.

That's fab news! x

 

[RcdM]

La mere, it is hard work getting ready for baby isn't it. I'm not doing the whole home birth thing but I just feel like I have no mental capacity right now. I have so many things on my mind it's tiring. Dh has been making dinner for me this week because I'm too exhausted to even go out to dinner. Working all day and then sitting down to watch tv is exhausting. I don't know how people who have toddlers do it.

I was trying to make it until oct8th to go out on maternity leave but I seriously don't think I'll make it that long. Just the exhaustion alone is hard. When is everyone else going out on maternity leave? I'd go out today but it seems like everyone I know IRL worked straight up until they went into labor....silly people I tell you.

I will tell you, this is the one thing I think that has been hardest this entire pregnancy that I never anticipated - taking care of a toddler while pregnant is seriously SO hard! No one warned me of this LOL, and I don't know why it never occurred to me when TTC. Not that it would have changed my mind or anything, but normally I am very prepared and somehow I never thought of how hard it would be to chase after a two year old and deal with just toddler antics while pregnant. The only thing I thought of was how I would deal with 2 kids once the second was here! When pregnant with my dd I napped all the time and would sometimes go to bed the instant I got home from work... now, that is literally impossible.

The first tri was probably the hardest, I was so nauseous and absolutely exhausted. But now that I'm almost full term it's much more difficult in a different way, getting her in and out of the car is so much work, let alone trying to take her grocery shopping with me...or anywhere really. I work full time so by the time we're home I'm a zombie. Somehow I still manage to keep the house slightly clean, cook dinners maybe half the week, and play and do fun stuff with my daughter. But on the days I just can't take it, we get take out for dinner and I don't even think twice about it! And there are nights I am so exhausted that I let my dd just watch nursery rhyme videos on the iPad, she loves it and it keeps her busy for a long time. I think it's about balancing your sanity with "what's best".

I'm working up until the day before my section. Mostly because here we only get 12 weeks of leave max and I would rather use it when my baby is here. If I was elsewhere where you lucky ducks get a year of leave, I sure would take leave a few weeks before I was due!! But my work consists of sitting at a desk 90% of the time, so it's not too bad. The worst part is just walking in and out everyday and hauling my laptop along with me.

 

[cntrygrl]

I had a question. How are the rest of you ladies doing your maternity leave. In the US we get 12 weeks, but disability will only pay for 6 weeks (natural birth) and 8 weeks c-section. How are you handling the rest of the unpaid time?

 

[Loopy Laura]

Wow you're like super-mum RCdM! I can't believe you're working full time until the day before your section and looking after toddler and house!

12 weeks is a short time so yes, I would definitely wait as long as possible before going on maternity leave in that situation. We are indeed very lucky in the UK with time off work. I didn't realise it was so different in the US.

 

[Loopy Laura]

I had a question. How are the rest of you ladies doing your maternity leave. In the US we get 12 weeks, but disability will only pay for 6 weeks (natural birth) and 8 weeks c-section. How are you handling the rest of the unpaid time?

I can't comment on the US maternity leave but I'm banking on the fact we just won't be spending as much as we usually do during maternity leave (not going out for dinner, not buying lunch at work, and no travel costs to work etc) and hoping this will mean we're able to cope financially during the unpaid period. It will be a struggle though and we've stupidly used up all our savings on the house extension!

 

[ljo1984]

I don't know how you ladies do it with only 12 weeks
I work for the nhs and have to say the maternity we get is really good. My mat leave started this week. I'm taking a year this time, for the first 6 month I'm pretty much on full pay, 3 months statutory so works as if I was getting just under half pay then last 3 month is nothing, but I will get the summer holidays off with my eldest who just started school, I'll never get the chance to have full school holidays off again so it's worth it
I Also put my pension on hold which means I get that money I'd be putting in normally in my wage now and I pay a salary sacrifice for my youngests nursery fees and they can't take it off me when on mat so the nhs pay the nursery and claim it back off the government. So I love my maternity package. 12 weeks really isn't long enough though

 

[cntrygrl]

What stinks is disability only pays you a total of $170. It's not even close to what your full pay would be.

 

[zephyr]

RcdM - hehe I never considered having toddlers while pregnant either really! I mean I did a little but I never really gave it much thought. It's hard work for sure!! I physically can't leave the house with the twins on my own now so I've been stuck at home with them for over a month. We go out on hubbys days off. I cant wait to be able to go out with them again its just so hard to wrestle with one then have to do it all over again and then if they run in opposite directions im kinda stuffed lol

As for work, I'm thankful my husband works and I can stay at home with the children. By the time we have paid for childcare its pointless me working and we manage fine on just the one wage so I'll be at home and if I want to pick up work I'll do something part time a couple of evenings a week once hubby is home.

I really don't know how you ladies do it with such little leave

 

[sprite30]

Omg rcdm, you make my situation look like a cake walk. I'm in for a seriously rude awakening when baby comes and I have to go back to work. I better get some sleep now. Whenever I got tired I'm just gonna think well rcdm is doing it, gotta push thru because I really do want all 12 weeks with her here.

12 weeks is seriously not enough though. And my job was even giving me a hassle about that. They originally denied my request and I had to fight them for it but it will only be6/8 weeks paid. The rest is unpaid but as long as I keep my same position and same pay when I return I'll deal with no pay for 4/6 weeks. We have set funds aside for all the extras which include, diapers, formula, loss of pay, etc. but like loopy Laura said I should be driving the car less, and eating home much more so it'll all balance out I'm sure. And like ljo said it's the only time I'll be able to do it so I have to take advantage of that now.

I just put a meal in the crock pot for tonight's dinner so at least dh doesn't have to cook and I've planned out meals for Thursday and Friday as well that are "easy" meals ...this is going to take much more planning then I expected tho

 

[rbourre]

I don't know how people do it with only 12 weeks. My daughter spent almost 9 weeks in the hospital so I'd have barely had any time with her once she came home. In Canada, we get a year paid and your job is safe when you return. I haven't worked so I don't get maternity leave though.

I'm soooo exhausted today. My 2 year old was in a very bad mood this morning. I took her to the park and she was being miserable so we came home. She climbed up on the couch and went to sleep, which ruined her nap time and I didn't get my relaxing/nap time. I lay down during her nap every day and watch tv or nap. Since it didn't happen today, I am really feeling it. I don't want to cook dinner or do anything, just sit here.

 

[Mushymilkfor2]

I have such a new found respect for women that work through their pregnancy. I used to think it was no big deal, and it really couldn't be that hard. I'm SO glad I never told any one that, cause damn I would have been such an ass if I did! I thankfully haven't had to work this pregnancy, and I can barely handle it. I'm so tired all the time, and keeping up the house or cooking for my husband. And here's RcdM over here being a super mom! I'm with sprite on this one, I'm going to use you as motivation!

I also don't know how women in America manage with only 12 weeks, and from what I understand a lot of women can't even afford to take the whole 12 weeks so it ends up being shorter. I am very thankful that my husband makes enough to allow me to stay home!

Laura I'm glad things are looking better, and I hope it stays good for as long as baby needs to.

My husband got me sick! It's just started today and it's only going to get worse. I already don't want to do anything, and now I don't want to do anything 100% more!

 

[La Mere]

Thanks for the kind messages about my friend. La mere - that is an awful time to lose your father (not that there is a good time) so that must have been really hard.

Sprite - I finish work on Friday and can't wait. I really am ready to finish now! There is no way I could work up to the due date and hate the thought of going into labour at work! Having said that at least you would have more time with baby by delaying it.
I also don't know how you 2nd/3rd/4th time mums are doing it as I'm exhausted at the end of a working day!

So I had my appointment at the hospital today. My urine was clear today and my blood pressure was still high but lower than yesterday. Ankles and feet still really swollen and sore. They sent me home again and said the next check could be next Friday unless I have vision disturbances or severe headaches. So good news I hopefully have another week and a bit and hopefully not pre-eclampsia after all although I know this could still be the case. Thanks for all the encouraging messages.

Thank you It was hard, I was really close with my dad. He's the one who stayed home and raised me while my mom worked.

I just noticed this afternoon that my feet and ankles are quite swollen. I have sausage feet, lol. I've noticed some swelling at different times, but this kinda surprised me. Nothing else is swollen, though..

 

[newlywed2013]

I am swollen big time too, I hate it. It's starting to get cool here and I can only wear flip flops. Does swelling go away immediately?


anyone know how mamamac and the twins are doing? I wasn't sure if maybe I've missed a post somewhere..

 

[Loopy Laura]

I'm with you on the swelling - I ripped my shoe the other day trying to put them on haha! So I just have to wear sandals now. I'm hoping they will go down pretty quickly after baby is born.

Mushymilk - hope you feel better soon.

 

[sprite30]

Mushy milk, hope you get better soon. I had a cold a couple weeks ago and then a nagging cough for days after. I'm finally just getting rid of it. But this tiredness makes me feel like I could get sick any moment again.

Sorry for those who have some swelling now. I couldn't resist a pickle today before dinner and I feel like my feet are slightly puffy I probably had a little too much salt between the pickle and the Alfredo sauce I had for dinner. Drinking a bottle of water now, wishing the swelling down. I had no choice but to come to bed already and leave dh to do the dishes. I'm exhausted today.

Sucks your daughter was in a bad mood today Rbourre, hopefully tomorrow is better and you can rest at her nap time.


I'm still enjoying my pregnancy and not wishing it over too soon just yet but today was a rough day. I made it threw the work day and cooked dinner (thanks god I did the meat I'm the crockpot) now I just need to shower and start it all over again tomorrow. I'm gonna plan for a 20 min power nap tomorrow I think so hopefully it doesn't effect me too much.

 

[Jcliff]

Started my maternity today. I love my job so it was kind of sad! I'm hoping to spend the next week with some one on one with my daughter until baby comes. I'm already starting to have anxiety about having two.

 

[ljo1984]

Not really had swollen feet to the point I've been in pain or my ankle none disappears (I did on flight back from New Zealand last year when not pregnant, was so painful so really thankful I've not ever had it) but i get swollen done there which is a bit yuck so don't know how fast it normally goes form after birth cause is be swollen from birthing baby anyway lol.