Third Trimester - Pull up a chair

[Fallen Angel]

Well, come on over ladies, pull up a comfy beanbag, I'm sure we can help each other up

The tea's on, the chilled music is playing and we're heading towards giving birth and seeing our little diamonds enter the world

I'm excited and counting down already - so thought I'd start our own third trimester thread.

Come and share how are you feeling today

 

[Kiki09]

Am not quite there yet but can't wait to join you!

 

[CatherineK]

Not sure how chilled I can be right now, but I'll join the party! With full time work, school, a two year old, and a husband working opposite shifts, its more like rock music going on in my head

 

[Fallen Angel]

Sounds like you've certainly got your hands full Catherine - you need to pop in here to chill.

I'm a bit like that at the moment, working full time, running my own business and rennovating our house at the moment - hoping all the major key things are going to be finished in time for Banana's arrival - but trying not to stress - happy thoughs -

Went for my GTT blood tests yesterday, have to call around lunchtime for the results, here's hoping they're all good ray:

Starting to feel a little more tired again just now and hoping and praying it doesn't get quite as bad as first trimester as I've just got sooooo much to do! lol

Come on ladies, must be many more of you in third trimester!?

 

[jcg0506]

I'll be there in another week. Can you stockpile sleep? Because if you can, I think its what my body is trying to do.

 

[CatherineK]

I don't envy you and your house renovations! That's always stressful for me.

I had my one hour glucose test today as well. I should get the results tomorrow. I hope I passes. I failed the one hour with my son, and had to take the three hour. A pain in the A$$!
At 10 am tomorrow, I am off work for vacation until the 11th! I can't wait!
As for sleep, last pregnancy I could sleep 12 hours straight every night if I had the chance. This time I have insomnia, and am lucky to get a few hours a night...odd how its so different.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Not finding the renovations too stressful to be honest, I can just hear the clock ticking down to Banana's arrival every day and thinking, wow, are we going to be even nearly ready - my poor hubby is working so hard on it though.

Fingers crossed for your glucose test - are you in the UK? The reason I ask is that here in the UK they do a 2 hour one as standard. I got my results yesterday and all were normal

Woohoo for your vacation too - are you going anywhere nice?

As for the insomnia - I can soooo relate to that, before being pregnant I could sleep anywhere at any time, not any more! lol

Hey JCG - see you in here for regular updates in a weeks time, but feel free to pop in now as you're almost there - how exciting??

 

[XKatX]

Hi, I'm 36 and 32 weeks pregnant. I have my last day of work on Thursday! I'm utterly shattered like the rest of you - working and a 2 year old!

 

[CatherineK]

Congrats on finishing up with work! I'm going to work until close to my due date with this one...to save up some extra so my husband cant take more time off. I'd like him to take a couple months off this time, too. He can take up to three months, he just only gets paid for two weeks.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Hey XKatX, congrats on finishing work, 8 weeks before due date too - bliss, absolute bliss, but a situation I can only dream of lol.

I'm the same as you Catherine, going to work until close to my due date as I can, to bring in a bit more £££ hubby and I both have our own businesses, so when we're off, we get no £££. I'll be happy if I can get hubby at home for 2 weeks solid when Banana comes - that'll do for starters

 

[Kiki09]

Well I can now join here as now in 3 Tri..woo hoo!

I am the same re working right till birth as I have my own businesses and so no work = no pay, but I love what I do so can't complain!

How are you all feeling in 3rd Tri? I am hoping it whizzes by as I cannot wait to hold my long awaited for little man!

 

[mrsaligee]

Me too! am 27 weeks today!

I have less than 10 weeks left in work and although I enjoy what I do am looking forward to it. This time there will be maternity cover for me for six months. Eek! Will then do a better job than me?

 

[Fallen Angel]

Welcome (officially) MrsAligee and Kiki

I'm feeling pretty good in third tri, if it weren't for my hips and pelvic problems I'd say I'm feeling great

Hey Kiki - being a business woman yourself, can you help shed any light on this thread perchance? https://www.babyandbump.com/work-finance/669702-any-company-directors-uk-out-there.html

 

[Kiki09]

Hi, this is what I found, you might get Maternity Allowance (MA) if you:

•are employed
•are self-employed and pay Class 2 National Insurance (NI) contributions
•have a Small Earnings Exception certificate
•are not employed but have worked close to or during your pregnancy
The conditions are that you:

•have been employed or self-employed for at least 26 of the 66 weeks before the week your baby was due (a part week counts as a full week)
•earned an average of £30 over any 13 of those 66 weeks
The standard rate of MA is £123.06 or 90 per cent of your average weekly earnings, whichever is less. MA is paid for up to 39 weeks; it is not liable to Income Tax or NI contributions.

If this does not apply then there is something called Employment and support allowance (SEA) instead.

I keep meaning to sort this out but as yet keep thinking I have ages to go lol but time is flying by so I best get on to this I think I will come under the SEA part, if any.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Thanks Kiki, should be all sorted now though, got my accountant on the case yesterday and he has discovered that HMRC have told me the wrong information.

As a Director, I am entitled to SMP if paid as a salary (not dividends) over the minimum threshold, which I am, there is apparently no separate clause or payment terms for SMP for Directors, in fact, my accountant found from research that frequently, HMRC advise people in similar situation to apply for Maternity Allowance, but the JobCentre who run the Maternity Allowance say they don't qualify as they earn too much and they end up going back to HMRC and being sent round in circles.


As a small business (I think that quantifies if you pay less than £45k in NI per annum) HMRC will also pay your company the SMP in a lump sum, up from to the company, to fund the SMP plus 5%, so not all doom and gloom by the sounds of it.

For once in my life I feel like I'm actually getting something back from HMRC after 20 years of working full time and never having anything from them - feels quite good

I hope you have a good outcome also

 

[Kiki09]

I need to get my backside into gear! Will speak to my accountant later today, he is awesome, the best investment I ever made in taking my books to him! fingers crossed I will have a happy outcome too!

Being nosey, what business do you do? I have a recruitment agency and a professional dog training equiptment shop, we supply to MOD and Police etc, as well as deal with behavioural issues. Love it.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Yeah, we're lucky in that department, our account is equally fantastic. Always on top of HMRC changing legislation, tax issues, etc., etc.

Oooh, how interesting your businesses sound

I have a consultancy business and work on a contract basis with various clients setting up Project Management Offices. After baby comes I'm hoping to expand a bit into providing smaller businesses with satellite support.

Hubby has a plumbing business, but deals with lots of property management stuff such as painting and decorating and domestic electrical installations too.

I have a few buzzy ideas in my head which will hopefully mean once Banana's arrived, I can focus on setting these new business ventures up and spend a bit more time with Banana - that's the idea, but well, we'll see what happens eh? lol

 

[Kiki09]

Ooh pm's that is what I used to do lol do you supply pm contractors? I am looking for one to work for a client in Bristol but it's a perm position.

I am the same re new ideas, my brain never seems to want to stop lol but at the same time I want to slow down and enjoy the little one as I have waited a long time for him!

 

[Fallen Angel]

Funny that, as I used to be a recruitment consultant back in 1999 - fancy that.

I don't supply contractors - at the moment - that's an area of expansion I'm looking to get into also. Bristol is only 30 miles from me, I'll have a think about contacts and friends I have though, may be one or two actively looking at the moment.

I know what you mean about slowing down, I've even considered finding a perm role after Banana is born, but realistically, I don't think that's going to happen. I'm too much of a control freak and get bored too easy

 

[mrsaligee]

Hi

Got excited yesterday that there were two people applying for my mat cover but apparently that is another post we have on the go. I really hope that they get someone in.

I feel like I could do with a holiday but need to keep some days back as I seem to have used so many this year with DD being kept back from nursery because she's ill. Just been down today as she had a high temp and am waiting to hear if it has come down. She was crying when I left.

Hope you're having a good day today, ladies