*** August mummies 2019 ***

[Nikkibiscuit]

Nikkibiscuit I keep meaning to say I think I saw your post that you’re originally from London and now in the sunny North East? I’m a migrant from London to Newcastle too!
I saw news about digitally available maternity notes, is there already an app you’ve downloaded following your booking appt? Fantastic that you can access it all so easily now!

I am indeed....born and raised in Middlesex....studied at Leeds uni where I met my hubby and now live in Gateshead.
Yeah the midwife gave me the access info for either the website or the app which I downloaded following booking appt. It's super clever. Has all the info on from my booking appt and they just add info each time. So it's instead of carrying around a physical maternity notes file. Xx

 

[EmmaN27]

Lovely news whippetmum!

Ladies I’m 6 weeks today, last night pains on right side woke me up for quite a while, is it normal to have pains at this point? Seems to have eased off now. X

 

[Nikkibiscuit]

Lovely news whippetmum!

Ladies I’m 6 weeks today, last night pains on right side woke me up for quite a while, is it normal to have pains at this point? Seems to have eased off now. X

Yes Emma perfectly normal. I had cramps from 4dpo up until about 6/7 weeks then they eased off. I think it's just things settling in x

 

[Kitana]

I ended up being *rushed* into hospital from work with back/side pain, waited 8 hours in agony in A&E and the doctor basically told me it's growing pain, this coming from a doctor who was too awkward and uncomfortable to say vagina. Work refuse to do a risk assessment still I get confirmation from doctors, got midwife appointment 14th January. Why is it all so complicated.

You had to wait 8 hours?! I know the uk has one of the best health care systems but this is ridiculous!
I hope you get your answers soon hun! From a capable doctor!x

 

[Katiepie]

Well it looks a little like my hand’s being forced at work. Because I was going through ivf, I told them and arranged that during treatment I would be office based and not mauling it outside doing field work. They were actually (and surprisingly) very helpful and understanding.

Treatment officially finished in December, and I have just not said anything to them. Obviously now they want me to go back to field duties.

I can’t see how I can to be honest, I’m struggling sitting in the office I’m so tired, not to mention I’m spending so much time in the work bathroom I’m considering bringing in some home furnishings to make it more comfortable. The thought of 4+ hour drives and being on my feet for 12 hours a day, plus overnight stays, makes me feel a bit (more) sick.

I can’t see any way to explain to them that I don’t want to be doing field work, other than telling them I’m up the duff, which I didn’t really want to do until I was 12 weeks (I’m 9 now).

Think I’m just going to have to bite the bullet and speak confidentially to hr.

 

[Anna@work]

Emma, i woke up last night with bad cramping pain too it’s the third time over the last 4 weeks !!

Katie our, just be honest, that’s the best way to protect yourself they have to do your risk assessments as soon as they know you’re pregnant. And make any adjustments necessary.

I work as a nurse and have been off sick for a week today. I am lucky enough to work in clinics but am fetching so often I can’t imagine coping with an over an hour consultation ! I think my patient won’t feel very safe if I was fetching trying to get bloods etc!

Work has done my risk assessments as soon as I told them about the pregnancy which was 5,5 weeks.

 

[Katiepie]

Poxiepoxie, you were in pain for 8 solid hours?! That’s horrendous. Can you make a same day appointment to see your GP in order to get a confirmation for work so they’ll have to do a risk assessment? If you ring and speak to your GP you may be able to get in and see a nurse who should be able to do something too.

I hate this kind of nonsense, who do they think is going in and falsely claiming they’re pregnant to make them do risk assessments.

 

[Katiepie]

Oh god Anna I’m a woose at giving bloods and the mental image of that made me smile

My problem at work is more that it’s a small company full of raging misogynists they recently hired a second female to do field work as a summer graduate, and I got the joy of listening to a load of body building men discuss whether women were actually capable of working outside, or whether it would be too much for their feeble bodies. Fortunately they were short conversations. They have to stop at regular intervals to inhale protein powders.

The only other women they really employ are in office admin roles. There was another lady working field when I joined the company who left on maternity leave and she was treated pretty crappily. The joys of an open plan office mean that we also got to enjoy the HR lady saying “She doesn’t NEED anything more than stat maternity pay, her husband earns more than mine” fine, but the men are being paid 100% paternity leave.

 

[Dinkydizzy]

Anyone UK based NHS had booking appt. I've got the maternity notes app with all my notes put on from booking appt. An appt made for you has just appeared for the 21st Jan.....Just says antenatal appt. I'm hoping it's my dating scan...she said letter would come in the post so I'm guessing letter will follow and maybe the app has just updated when they put the appt in x

I got the letter a week after I had the appointment come up on my app, mine says OBS SCAN CLINIC ROOM 3 lol

Fantastic news whippetmum!

I’m freaking out today cuz my boobs arent sore for the first time in 5 weeks! Closer I get to my scan next wednesday the more I’m convincing myself something is gonna go wrong, I’m trying to be positive but I just can’t be lol

 

[Katiepie]

I got the letter a week after I had the appointment come up on my app, mine says OBS SCAN CLINIC ROOM 3 lol

Fantastic news whippetmum!

I’m freaking out today cuz my boobs arent sore for the first time in 5 weeks! Closer I get to my scan next wednesday the more I’m convincing myself something is gonna go wrong, I’m trying to be positive but I just can’t be lol

I’m sure you’ll be fine dinky, it’s such a strange sensation though isn’t it, when you’ve been putting up with it, the sudden absence

I had the first decent nights sleep in weeks last night. I’ve been really struggling with anxiety, and keep finding I wake up with heartburn or morning sickness and then panic to myself over nothing. And of course the more tired I’ve got the worse it’s got. This morning I felt like the world had been lifted off my shoulders for a few hours. Practically skipped into work. It’s worn off now

 

[EmmaN27]

Thanks ladies, glad to hear pains are normal x

 

[Kitana]

Stop worrying about symptoms ladies, it's a vicious circle and only gets worse if you focus on every little thing!
Enjoy your pregnancy!
I know it can be rough on some days but in 7 months, we will be laughing so hard at our current little discomforts when we will be barely able to turn around in our beds, when we will barely be able to hold our wee when we sneeze, when we will get contractions whenever we get a scare!
Enjoy the days where your boobs stop hurting, enjoy the days your morning sickness decides to give you a breather, you're lucky!

 

[Katiepie]

So I spoke to HR, much congratulations. Then the bombshell that they were considering docking my pay as afterall, my not wishing to do field work was really more of an opinion than a fact wasn’t it. After all! Jo did field work until she was 6 months. They’d have to discuss whether it was worth doing a new risk assessment, the one they did for jo two years ago is probably still fine...

I took this with good grace and hr has assured me she is going to look into the “legalities”

Fun fun

 

[Krazy Kitten]

So I spoke to HR, much congratulations. Then the bombshell that they were considering docking my pay as afterall, my not wishing to do field work was really more of an opinion than a fact wasn’t it. After all! Jo did field work until she was 6 months. They’d have to discuss whether it was worth doing a new risk assessment, the one they did for jo two years ago is probably still fine...

I took this with good grace and hr has assured me she is going to look into the “legalities”

Fun fun

Hey I'm just thread hopping (July 2019 mum) when I saw this. Was looking up legalities of things like this as my promotion is due to be made official soon, but worried as work know I'm pregnant (job requires lifting).

Pretty much they can't dock pay ect. or punish you in anyway for being pregnant (if you are in the UK) .

Pregnancy and maternity are protected statuses and you can start a civil suite if you are discriminated against for it.

Pregnancy and maternity discrimination - Acas Mobile

That is the site the government website links to talking more about workplace discrimination.

Hope that helps!

 

[Katiepie]

Hey I'm just thread hopping (July 2019 mum) when I saw this. Was looking up legalities of things like this as my promotion is due to be made official soon, but worried as work know I'm pregnant (job requires lifting).

Pretty much they can't dock pay ect. or punish you in anyway for being pregnant (if you are in the UK) .

Pregnancy and maternity are protected statuses and you can start a civil suite if you are discriminated against for it.

Pregnancy and maternity discrimination - Acas Mobile

That is the site the government website links to talking more about workplace discrimination.

Hope that helps!

Thank you

What they legally can do and what they think they can do don’t always match

I have a midwives appointment on the 13th and I’ll speak to them, but I’ll also go and see the GP if necessary for a letter I can give them to say I shouldn’t be in the field. That way they can’t try and screw me over with an in house risk assessment done by macho Keith the South African who once told me “a friend had a baby through ivf. Damaged. Guess people should learn not to mess with nature”

 

[Anna@work]

So I spoke to HR, much congratulations. Then the bombshell that they were considering docking my pay as afterall, my not wishing to do field work was really more of an opinion than a fact wasn’t it. After all! Jo did field work until she was 6 months. They’d have to discuss whether it was worth doing a new risk assessment, the one they did for jo two years ago is probably still fine...

I took this with good grace and hr has assured me she is going to look into the “legalities”

Fun fun

As said juste before me you are super protected by the law in the UK!
So the best thing I would do is get any form of consolation from a doctor and then they’ll be stuck and forced to protect you.

If you feel field isn’t safe for you, because of heavy lifting etc, ask them to go through the risk assessment files before you agree to go back and maybe try and contact occupation health if you can ?

Can’t imagine how it lush feel to work with a bunch of protein powder sniffers

 

[Hearyoume]

Had my midwife appointment yesterday, all went well. Starting to get a bit more excited but not totally - I think that will come once I’ve had my scan.
Amazing news is I got my letter today! And I’m booked in for the 22nd. Can’t wait!

Felt absolutely rough last night and this morning but It is what it is and I’m happy with it.

Hope everyone is doing well, sorry to those who have lost. Our hearts are always with you

 

[Katiepie]

As said juste before me you are super protected by the law in the UK!
So the best thing I would do is get any form of consolation from a doctor and then they’ll be stuck and forced to protect you.

If you feel field isn’t safe for you, because of heavy lifting etc, ask them to go through the risk assessment files before you agree to go back and maybe try and contact occupation health if you can ?

Can’t imagine how it lush feel to work with a bunch of protein powder sniffers

Equal parts deeply infuriating and hilarious Anna.

I sent an email after the meeting, to make sure I had written evidence of notification more than anything, but noted that although I didn’t think I was currently suitable for a lot of field duties, lift work preferably with no overnight stays should be ok.

They are now discussing whether or not to send me down a manhole into a subterranean waterway to do a km of scanning in London for two days next week.

 

[Carly89]

Stop worrying about symptoms ladies, it's a vicious circle and only gets worse if you focus on every little thing!
Enjoy your pregnancy!
I know it can be rough on some days but in 7 months, we will be laughing so hard at our current little discomforts when we will be barely able to turn around in our beds, when we will barely be able to hold our wee when we sneeze, when we will get contractions whenever we get a scare!
Enjoy the days where your boobs stop hurting, enjoy the days your morning sickness decides to give you a breather, you're lucky!

It's definitely different during a second pregnancy knowing what's coming I think I preferred it the first time around being blissfully unaware lol x

 

[Kitana]

It's definitely different during a second pregnancy knowing what's coming I think I preferred it the first time around being blissfully unaware lol x

Yes true! Near the end for me was endless suffering last time.. swollen legs, ankles, feet, SPD knocking me down constantly, the return of the tiredness... Why did I want another one?!