Pregnant runners' club

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  • thought working in an office, should be able to manage to work up to 2 weeks before baby due. Travelling does take a lot of energy especially to London and trains are packed in the morning. Managing just now but avoiding undergrounds now!!

    Got 6 months leave with full pay- advantage being a civil servant eh!! Only planning that as can't afford 6 months no pay after!!

    Will be 36 weeks pregs so only 2 weeks to go now before maternity leave!! Hoping full-term birth as only a small person!!
  • on my rant above - i do understand that it's very hard for small companies and the self employed. i'm talking here about working for medium/large size employers and the general perception that exists that we get money flung at us when we are on maternity leave!

    and i do understand that it's my choice to have a family and i shouldn't have specialist treatment just because i choose to have a baby.

    BUT i'd love to point out to people that i am not raking it in while on maternity leave, and that people who are off sick for several weeks a year actually get a far better deal out of their employer than i do when i'm on maternity leave. (not that maternity leave is sickness; and most people's sickness is genuine etc etc).

    >desperately trying to temper my rant before it upsets someone!<
  • I'm with you decaff! And if you factor in the people that have 6-10 fag breaks a day, or take half an hour extra for lunch and don't make up the time, we're really going to start a rant.....

    Like you, I understand the problem for small businesses and the self employed. My sister runs her own business, and could only take 3 months off, as that's all she could afford. Not so much for herself, but the comapny wouldn't have survived. But big companies can well aford it - especially as in the UK we work the longest hours in Europe anyway!
  • I agree wholeheartedly! My last company Micorsoft were very progressive and offered 6 months full pay, flexible working, home working.

    I get frustrated by the amount of female talent that are badly treated after years of dedicated service. I have seen many end up leaving jobs as their new needs cannot be accomodated. The key is a more flexible working pattern for all.

    At MS Flexible working was open to all employees but of course mum's benefited too.

    I will work as close to the birth as possible so I can plan to have more time off after. I can work alot from home on this assignment, although I am using the tube 2 or 3 days a week. So I can sympathise Manicman. When there are no seats, why is it mainly young women who suddenly pretend to be asleep not see you!!!?? I just ask now!

    The beauty of being self employed is that I can dictate my own timetable - as long as I have squirreled enough away before hand. The down side is I then need to ramp things up again rather than slip back into my old role.
  • I'm losing track of everyone again as there are quite a few new folks, how about we start a wee list of when we are all due or how many kids you have already,

    Mrs O - EDD 09/10/06 (first baby)
  • Mrs O - EDD 09/10/06 (first baby)
    MitchieMoo EDD 22/11/06 -3to6 wks (1st -twins!)

    Am with you on maternity leave/pay some of you are so lucky. I'm not sure I can afford to come back to work with twins, given the cost of childcare and how much I earn. I don't want to work full-time as seems a waste of having a child to then not see them. We'll see but going back after 6 months will not feasible that much I have worked out!

    Like others I never have time off sick except for the last 2 months on/off but much of that was working at home instead.
  • Mrs O - EDD 09/10/06 (first baby)
    MitchieMoo EDD 22/11/06 -3to6 wks (1st -twins!)
    Hegs - 1yr old son

    Agree with you too - does seem outrageous the way some companies still treat pregnant ladies - I realise more and more how lucky I have been, but then I work for an investment bank and on the whole benefits are very good across the board. I do work full time but that is a case of financial need - until very recently I was earning more than my husband and with an ambitious mortgage and other committments it has been essential. I am very fortunate in that I work flexible hours (7.30am to 4pm) so I still get to spend from 5pm-7.30pm with my son every day and I work from home when I can too.

    Mitchie moo - you may well find that you get a discount on childcare with twins: certainly you do at the nursery my son attends....

  • Mrs O - EDD 09/10/06 (first baby)
    MitchieMoo EDD 22/11/06 -3to6 wks (1st -twins!)
    Hegs - 1yr old son
    Austrorunner EDD 03/01/07 (first)


    Hey u lot, concentrate! Have you no work to do?! I don't check the thread for an hour or so and I now have a novel to read:-)

    CM - shame you didn't enjoy Wiener Neustadt. You probably would have been happier in Vienna with its larger mix of people/student life. I did a year in Freiburg, Germany but chose to go to the university there rather than teach. Had a wonderful time. Didn't meet many natives, though....
  • Mrs O - EDD 09/10/06 (first baby)
    MitchieMoo EDD 22/11/06 -3to6 wks (1st -twins!)
    Hegs - 1yr old son
    Austrorunner EDD 03/01/07 (first)
    LozF EDD 19/12/06 (first - happy Xmas...)
  • I got the baby on board badge and it hardly worked on the underground. How is it with you all, any experiences of people standing up to give a seat for you. The badge is good but you need to have a few on for people to notice. Have a few nice people but now I'm over 8 months, I get a seat all the time on the buses or just embarrass someone which is fun!!

    I think people need to have 2 badges as one need to be on the back as from my back you would not be able to guess that I am pregs!!

    How are people coping in the heat now? Am lucky got air condition at work so avoiding all the heat.
  • Its quite obvious I am now pregnant and yet on a very hot bus from the airport to the car park on sunday when I was feeling quite faint noone offered a seat although plenty stared at me. Hubbie was cross. I wonder what would have happened if I had fainted!
  • Mrs O - EDD 09/10/06 (first baby)
    MitchieMoo EDD 22/11/06 -3to6 wks (1st -twins!)
    Hegs - 1yr old son
    Austrorunner EDD 03/01/07 (first)
    LozF EDD 19/12/06 (first - happy Xmas...)
    Mrs T EDD 28/08/06(first baby)

    I've noticed even in work(large I.T co) when I go to meetings in small cramped rooms with not enough seats..my fellow team members(90% male !) leave me standing up for the entire meeting..grrrr
    I just cant believe it's actually happened...these people are my friends for goodness sake !!!!!!!If it happens again am going to say something in front of everyone!

    I'm only going to get the statutory pay as i'm contracting at the mo..so can only afford to take 4 mths leave. Wish I could take more. :-(
    The baby was a surprise so havent been saving either.. I think we'll be living on bread and water for a while !
  • Mrs O - EDD 09/10/06 (first baby)
    MitchieMoo EDD 22/11/06 -3to6 wks (1st -twins!)
    Hegs - 1yr old son
    Austrorunner EDD 03/01/07 (first)
    LozF EDD 19/12/06
    ManicMan EDD 14/6/06 (first) hopefully not too early for the 6/6/06!!!
  • Mrs O - EDD 09/10/06 (first baby)
    MitchieMoo EDD 22/11/06 -3to6 wks (1st -twins!)
    Hegs - 1yr old son
    Austrorunner EDD 03/01/07 (first)
    LozF EDD 19/12/06 (first - happy Xmas...)
    Mrs T EDD 28/08/06(first baby)
    ManicMan EDD 14/6/06 (first) hopefully not too early for the 6/6/06!!!

    Manic Man looks like our posts crossed..I've added your name above
  • Mrs O - EDD 09/10/06 (first baby)
    MitchieMoo EDD 22/11/06 -3to6 wks (1st -twins!)
    Hegs - 1yr old son
    Austrorunner EDD 03/01/07 (first)
    LozF EDD 19/12/06
    ManicMan EDD 14/6/06 (first) hopefully not too early for the 6/6/06!!!
    ClareDyer - Sadie 2 years 3 months EDD 31/08/06

    Manicman - I am coping ok with the heat but there were delays in the district line today and it was packed. I ended up asking for a seat as I could not move! I will be at my biggest July & Aug (peak summer) this time!

    Mrs T - You will be surprised how little you can survive on. We are very skint with my 1st and you find most new mums are. Lots of walks, parks and coffees and wines at each others houses. Babies demand very little in terms of cash. Sadie alwyas found general household items much more fascinating than toys!!

    Mitchie Moo - I am the main breadwinner too and what with London house prices, being a lady of leisure is out of the question. I always knew I would be back fulltime, so I think I was able to preapre myself for it.

    Being self employed has helped as I can work really hard for 6 months and then take some time out. Finding the working hard bit diffcult now though. Very easily distracted - needing to create losts of plans & milestones!

  • Clare our due dates are practically the same.. so you and I are defo going to be suffering in july and august in the heat together.

    I think you're right about surviving on not a lot. Its gotta be done. and its not like I'm going to be able to have a social life anyway.
    Once I can find a few quid for the odd trip home to ireland I'll be fine. I've only been living in uk for past 10mths so I'm still in the "lonely for my friends & family" stage as havent got many friends over here yet.

    I'm finding it v hard to concentrate at work at mo..especially when a certain little someone is using my insides for a trapeze! This whole creating a whole new living thing just amazes me every day. We are so so lucky to be experiencing it.
  • Mrs O - EDD 09/10/06 (first baby)
    MitchieMoo EDD 22/11/06 -3to6 wks (1st -twins!)
    Hegs - 1yr old son
    Austrorunner EDD 03/01/07 (first)
    LozF EDD 19/12/06 (first - happy Xmas...)
    Mrs T EDD 28/08/06(first baby)
    ManicMan EDD 14/6/06 (first) hopefully not too early for the 6/6/06!!!
    ClareDyer - Sadie 2 years 3 months EDD 31/08/06
    DCM - EDD 08/07/06 (first baby)

    (added clare back in)

    i was down in london at the weekend and no-one offered me a seat on the tube either. my husband was outraged, and asked really loudly if i was ok standing since we had a long way to go on that line. it had no effect, obviously!

    actually, i do feel fine, so it's not a problem standing at all, but there are very few upsides to actually being pregnant and getting a seat on public transport should be one of them!

    i'm glad my rant didn't offend anyone. i don't mind anyone getting fantastic maternity pay terms - i think it's great and wish i worked for a company that did that, but none of the companies i've worked for have ever done much more than the statutory minimum! but it just narks me that everyone assumes you are fleecing the company/state for loads of money. even my mum thought i'd be getting loads of pay and benefits, and actually we qualify for nothing apart from child allowance. (again - not complaining about that, just that people assume you are getting lots of free stuff all the time!)
  • Caramel, I think this is your place to rant :-)

    Mrs O - EDD 09/10/06 (first baby)
    MitchieMoo EDD 22/11/06 -3to6 wks (1st -twins!)
    Hegs - 1yr old son
    Austrorunner EDD 03/01/07 (first)
    LozF EDD 19/12/06 (first - happy Xmas...)
    Mrs T EDD 28/08/06(first baby)
    ManicMan EDD 14/6/06 (first) hopefully not too early for the 6/6/06!!!
    ClareDyer - Sadie 2 years 3 months EDD 31/08/06
    DCM - EDD 08/07/06 (first baby)
    SianH - 3yr old son
  • hiya sian - how did you get on in FLM? did you manage to run in the end because you were having ??foot problems (i think?)
  • err yes I did run but not half as well as Hegs. Took me 5:49 which is really slow but close to my Cardiff time of 5:41 and given I'd not done much running for 5/6 weeks beforehand I should be quite pleased. Foot is still niggly so back to physio next week :-(
  • Mrs T - So we are!! When are you planning to finish work? What is your commute like?

    I am sure you will meet lots of people at the post natal coffee mornings. I meet a great bunch of mum's at mine that I am still in touch with now. And you will always have us to have a rant too ;-)

  • Mrs O - EDD 09/10/06 (first baby)
    MitchieMoo EDD 22/11/06 -3to6 wks (1st -twins!)
    Hegs - 1yr old son
    Austrorunner EDD 03/01/07 (first)
    LozF EDD 19/12/06 (first - happy Xmas...)
    Mrs T EDD 28/08/06(first baby)
    ManicMan EDD 14/6/06 (first) hopefully not too early for the 6/6/06!!!
    ClareDyer - Sadie 2 years 3 months EDD 31/08/06
    DCM - EDD 08/07/06 (first baby)
    SianH - 3yr old son
    Tonia - Jonathan 2 yrs 3 mths EDD 23/09/06

    Hi All

    Have only posted once but really enjoy reading all your posts. Just a couple of general replies to some of the earlier posts

    Maternity Wear:- I think most shops must think you lose your site when you are pregnant :-) I have managed to find comfortable jeans in Next and manageable work trousers in Mothercare. I've found most of the tops to be really badly made/fitting, but on a trip to Dubai last month I found a really nice shop called Jenny Rose that had some really nice tops.

    On people being nice to Preggie Mums :- I work in the male dominated IT area and think most men are embarassed or not sure what to do/say to pregnant female collegues. As for seats on the tube or bus I think that's just London for you.

    Anyway, hope everyone's well and those like me who are going to be heavy in the summer have got there fans ready.
  • boing for meekie - hope you find us ok.

    that's good going sian, given the problems you had. i hope you managed to enjoy the day anyway! my plan for next year's FLM is just to get round it. i did a 4.24 marathon (with a stinking cold and horrible cough) in budapest about 2 weeks before i got pregnant and hated just about every minute of it because i felt so rotten and it rained the whole way round! so i want to do FLM and enjoy it, however long it takes me (and it will take me a lot longer than 4.24, i expect, as i will be going back to work just as i should be upping my mileage, and my husband also runs and is a lot better than me, so we will both be wanting to get out at the weekends!)

    tonia - nice to hear from you again. hope all is going well.

    agree with you on next clothes. my most comfortable and 'normal looking' things actually come from next. i've got a great pair of work trousers which i wear all the time, which i got in the sale. they look normal (no dodgy side panels or anything) and are very stretchy without being at all baggy. in fact, i wish i'd got a few more pairs so i could wear them post-natally as well, because they have fitted me throughout, even from before i actually really had a bump! amazing!!

    i also got a pair of cropped trousers from next recently (not in sale but only 14.99 which i didn't think was too bad), and they are very comfy as well. and they actually *look* nice which is a bonus! i found a linen short-sleeved shirt in my husband's wardrobe which he never wears last night. teamed with the cropped trousers, i actually have a 'stylish' look! wow!!
  • Sorry to all full-time Mums. I don't earn anywhere near my hubbies salary and never will at this company. I switched to 4 days last year after my miscarriages as I wanted to reduce all potential causes. My job is pretty stressful with a lot of project timelines. So I will never go back to full time now, we have a hefty mortgage too but we're coping so I'd rather be less stressed.

    I think with twins there is no chance of me going back after 6 months, I won't be organised enough I don't think, and given this will probably be my only pregnancy all things going well, I want to make the most of it. I will also have to start my maternity leave at 29 weeks, so would lose a lot out of 6 months. Hopefully they will let me take some of that as sick leave or work at home or some way to get round it. Anyway enough rambling.

    Really struggled to find something to wear today that fitted. I think some internet shopping has to be done this weekend. I live in the sticks so no chance of Oxford Street this weekend.
  • Hi Clare.
    Am planning to finish on 14th Aug... I'd finish earlier if I knew more people around here. My sister is coming over to keep me company for a week so that should be great.
    Must book my ante-natal classes actually..I'm sure I'll meet people there.

    My commute isnt bad actually..I'm one of the lucky ones I think !I drive to work through mostly country roads to portsmouth..it only takes 25 mins.My route doesnt suffer badly with traffic trouble thank goodness.

    How bout you..when are you planning to finish up? I'd say it's going to be hard on you in july and august with a small child to look after aswell..

    DCM how was your journey to work this morning?
  • During my pregnancy I did the district and jubilee line commute every day and never got offered a seat until my last week at work! Even when I fainted twice I only got a seat the second time and that was because someone got off the train.... It was awful and the thing that I dread most about doing it all again.
    I also work in IT but found that my (all male) colleagues were actually very nice and considerate to me. Most likely because I am their boss ;o) But I think it helped that I looked completely rough most of the time and they were afraid I might keel over!!

    To put a positive spin on things I am assuming that with the focus on clothing and commuting, most of you ladies are feeling better (healthwise) at the moment??

    Hegs x
  • Roughly better Hegs, haven't actually been sick for a week, but nearly was last night, was ambitious cooking chicken casserole I think!

    My commute is very nice through country lanes and takes 20 mins-ish. I was considering cycling it this summer around 11 miles and have run it in the past, but that won't be happening now!

    I really sympathesise for you girlie having to commute on the tube, I couldn't do it, but I guess maybe you get used to it?
  • commuting on the tube is horrible, especially in the summer, and even worse when you are pregnant. i'm VERY glad i don't have to do it, and i really pity those of you who do!

    mrst - thanks for asking. my commute was ok this morning. am in reading again and left at 6.20 so it was fairly plain sailing. will be nipping away early this afternoon to do the drive before rush hour because i have a 4.30pm conf call and i am NOT waiting until that finishes before i head home or it will be another 9pm finish for me! also i've arranged to meet some of the girls from my antenatal class in a local pub tonight so i need to get home for that!

    next week is a nightmare because they've changed our meetings from reading to birmingham due to room availability, which means being in birmingham every day. i'm going to have to stay over because i can't face the 3 hour daily drive each way, but it's my contractual location, which, because of inland revenue regulations (i'm home based but they make you give a company office location for your contractual base and mine just happens to be birmingham even though it's miles from where i live!), means that i cannot claim expenses for my hotel etc. so i will have to pay out of my own money to stay over! i've found a cheapy place close to the office, but it's still 30 quid a night... ARGH! it's not fair!!!
  • ((Caramel)) at least the end is in sight for you now. Do make sure you enjoy whatever time you have at home before the little chap arrives - try and get some rest and relaxation!!

    I guess I shouldn't mention the fact that I finished work on a Friday and went in to hospital the following Tuesday.... Didn't actually have the baby for another 3 weeks though!

    Are you all prepared now? Got everything bought and set up?

    Hegs x
  • thanks hegs!

    i'm going on holiday (only to west wales) for a week when i finish work, so i really hope nothing happens for at least that week!

    i then have 4 weeks before my EDD (and as it's a boy that will probably turn into 6 weeks as he will be late!), so i am worried about being very very bored. am planning to go swimming each day if i can still and do lots of gentle walks around where we live. and sleep... and generally relax and take it easy. but i do hope he turns up at about 38 weeks because i think i will be very bored otherwise!

    we are fairly organised so far. we have probably just enough stuff to cope if he did turn up early, although we are v. short on bedding and toiletries (those things can be easily remedied!). at least we have a car seat and a cot (although the latter is still in its box!)...
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