May mummies and rainbows to be :) the wait is nearly over!

[Rachel82]

Does anyone on here know about taking on work whilst on maternity leave? I only get SMP, so after the first 6 weeks it really drops. I've been a moderator for the last 3 years. I've been offered a contract again, this time as an examiner. It's temporary contract work that doesn't offer any entitlements, just a little extra cash. Does anyone know if I can continue my work as an examiner whilst on maternity? Thanks.

Kabuk, it all depends on when you start working for this 2nd employer. If it's before your qualifying week (15 weeks before your due date) then your 1st employer should continue to pay your SMP. If it's after your qualifying week then your 1st employer should stop your SMP.

 

[Dovekie]

25 weeks

 

[Eryinera]

Lovely bump!!

My boobs keep getting comments on their size from my friends lol. Everyone knew I wanted a boob job before I was pregnant but it was too pricey lol and hubby hates fake boobs! I was a 32b/c I'm now a 34DD/E. I'm usually very pale too like a ghost lol. It's hard to find a matching foundation lol. My nipples have gone darker. I'm sure they didn't with my son. But tmi I actually have pics of before I was pregnant boobs and the difference now is shocking lol

I'm feeling very bump streachy achy today. Think she's been trying to stretch her legs out but i's too shirt on space!

I'm glad your scan went well snowbee. Shame about all the bloods though!

Just woke up after having a dream about solving a crime. It was vivid! Lol I hope it's not true! I know the police officer in charge won't be Brad Pitt so that was my clue it was a dream and not reality hahahaha lol

 

[Eryinera]

Kabuk when I was on mat with my son I took on some self employed work. A few days a week. (I became a mystery shopper) I know back then self employed work was OK. I think it is still OK now

This may help :

https://www.workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/what-work-can-you-do-during-maternity-leave-2/

 

[BettyHoop]

Such a neat bump Dovekie. I'm about ten times as big :/ xx

 

[Eryinera]

Did anyone watch trust me I'm a doctor last night about the levels if arsenic in rice?? Even in baby rice! It's not really recommend children gave rice that hasn't been soaked in water over night before cooking until they are over 4.5yrs old!

 

[nikkix86]

I never knew that ery my kids dont really eat much rice apart from the uncle bens flavoured ones lol

My backs killing me and im just got up its going to be a long day at work. Thinking of leaving next month cant handle being on my feet all day now with the spd. When is everyone else going on maternity?

 

[Eryinera]

My maternity leave starts may 8th x I'm looking forward to it

 

[nikkix86]

I dont know how you are lasting out that long ery im really struggling can hardly walk by the end of work!

 

[Eryinera]

Lol I flop when I get home but I have a chair I can sit on if I need to. I hated the wait time before my son was born so I decided to try not to have any. I can always use holidays if I need to I guess. I'm just hoping she doesn't come early lol!

 

[snowbee]

Thanks Emily, I am making sure my hands are warm and massaging my fingers to try to get more blood flow. Hopefully I'll get use to it.

I've not really got a start date for my maternity. I'm going to hold out as long as possible, so will probably give my due date. I can always stop sooner if I need to. I guess I need to sort some of this paperwork out now eek makes it seem real!

 

[BettyHoop]

I've just given up some of my more physical jobs. I'm self employed so all I have to do is tell my clients what I'm doing and I don't ever have to go back if I don't want to! I have an online shop which gives me a base earning so keeping that going and am hoping to make more stock in the next couple of months too. Eryinera I don't know how you do it!

Snowbee I must have missed something- are you having to test everyday from your finger? I remember my mum doing that when I was young and she got me to do it to my finger, needless to say I only did it once! How long will that last for?

I'm supposed to book my GTT soon but I'm worried if it comes back positive I won't be able to have a home birth. Both sets of parents want to come and stay around the time of birth so I need to politely tell them to give me a couple of days peace after birth before descending! I haven't told them I'm trying for a home birth yet. I'm going to try and book a shopping day with oh soon so we can get essential bits in xx

 

[kabuk1]

Thanks Rachel and Ery. I finally tracked down the info through my teacher's union. Examiner/Moderator work is considered self-employed eventhough it goes through the board's payrol. They don't consider you an employee of the company. So yay! A bit of extra cash.

Bring on the 8th May, Ery! I'm starting then, too. I have 9 weeks of work left from tomorrow!

 

[Eryinera]

Geez it's all getting so close lol

 

[nikkix86]

Yeah i left at 36 weeks with my eldest and ended up having him at 37 weeks so good job i left when i did! Lol nearly had my youngest at 36 weeks but managed to get him to stay put till 39 weeks so going to get everything ready and bags packed by 36 weeks just incase!

 

[Eryinera]

I'm banking on the fact my son was 2 weeks late lol

 

[MrsLM23]

Glad your scan went well snowbee Sorry you're still having to do your bloods though.
I feel like I'm going on maternity so early compared to you ladies. I needed the first 2 weeks of April off to cover M's Easter hols so I decided to add another week of leave to the end then start maternity when I'm 36 weeks so I actually finish work at 33 weeks! To be fair I'll be busy with my little girl for most of my annual leave and she did come at 36+6 so if this baby comes early I'll be glad I went early lol! I think it'll fly by as I'm not back to work until 20th Feb at the earliest if my chair is sorted so then I'll only have 5 weeks left til I go off. Eeekkk!
Had midwife this morning, all good she gave me some tips to help with the sciatica pain but obviously nothing I can do to help with the spd pain until my physio at the end of the month I've so much to do today, ran a load of errands this morning and got some of my hospital bag bits from primark as I happened to be in there and knew I'd forget otherwise lol. Going to relax until M finishes nursery at 3 now as I'm really aching and don't want to make the pain worse x

 

[kabuk1]

I do have 3 weeks off bewteen now and my final 3 weeks of work. Half-term is next week and then 2 weeks for Easter, so I'm hoping that will help. I'm working hard now hoping that I can have everything sorted before the Easter break so I don't have so much to do in my final 3 weeks. I may if they can have the supply teacher they're hiring until July can come in that last week with me, even if for just a few days or half days. I want to make sure everything covered. After Easter it's all revision. Once exams start, which is shorting after I go on mat leave, the year 10s will focus on functional skills, so that will all be planned too. They haven't sorted the maternity cover for Sept-Dec yet. When they do, I'll use a few of my KIT days to come in and sort some things then.

Time is flying now. So much to do as the weeks count down.

 

[BettyHoop]

I'm no longer feeling so impatient for once - time does seem to be starting to move a bit quicker now!

MrsLM23- I have been getting really bad sciatica pain lately, I had it before pregnancy but it's worse now, did you get any good tips? Xx

 

[snowbee]

Betty yes I'm supposed to be testing 4 times a day, ouchy and also very impractical with my job and not being able to get inside and clean. I think if your gtt comes back fail they will be funny about a home birth, with me they have now taken away all my options and said I've got to go to the consultant unit. I'm not thrilled, I wanted to go to the MLU that is next door, I don't see why I can't as it isn't like it is miles away it is down the corridor! I will push more for that at a later date, if my bloods and growth scans are all good I really can't see what the problem is.

I've no idea if I'll be early late or on time! Most people seem to think I'll be late but I've flagged a couple of risk factors for being early so really who knows. I guess I'm really lucky with work as I can just do what I can and if things need to change I can just stop, the perks of working for the husband lol.