PREGNANCY Q&A UK: ttc story, morning sickness, maternity leave & financial plans? | HomeWithShan

This is my pregnancy Q&A, from all things trying to conceive, what apps I used, how I handled morning sickness with a toddler while solo parenting, how much money I have saved for maternity leave & lots of other life updates!
Links:
Ovulation and Pregnancy tests: amzn.to/3jUKWGD
Natural Cycles App (use this link for 20% off!): www.naturalcycles.com/refer-a...
00:00 - intro
02:28 - How far along are you?
04:21 - Morning sickness?
08:04 - How did you know you were ready for baby #2?
11:11 - How long was your TTC journey?
19:14 - Gender reveal? sneak peek?
21:01 - How is being pregnant with a toddler?
23:43- How is this pregnancy different from your first?
27:34 - What will the age gap be?
28:31 - Financial plans? Mat leave, childcare costs etc?
36:32 - What are yours and Ash’s work plans?
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MY NEW CAMERA - amzn.to/3cLhonW
MY LIGHTING - amzn.to/3Omzu1m
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[@katepearson7447]

I'm so happy for you all Shannon especially for having Ash make that huge decision for you all 🥰 here is to all the family days out and cosy evenings in!

[@accountantshe]

Feels like I’m sat with my best friend having a catch up 🤍🤍🤍

[@memoirsofamama2980]

Great video Shan! Massive congratulations on your pregnancy, so glad you’re feeling better! Would love to see a ‘what you bought last pregnancy that you wouldn’t buy this time/what you didn’t have last time that you would buy this time’ video ❤

[@HomeWithShan]

Thank you so much!! And that’s a great idea for a video - thank you Lovely! Xxx

[@emmataylor2748]

Loved this long video to watch this evening. You’re making me so clucky, I love doing future planning and the talk of plans just gets my mind spinning for myself. 💞

[@HomeWithShan]

Aw yay, never know whether I’m just rambling on for ages in these longer videos haha! Hope you enjoy though! ♥️

[@luciemoody1830]

Congratulations!!!! For what it’s worth, sneak peek was accurate for me 👶🏼💙

[@kyliejohnson88]

We have to send our son 7.30 - 6 to be able to use the 30 hours at his nursery. We are spreading the hours across the whole year so get 22ish hours per week. We send him 3 days a week so 10.5hours a day x 3 is 31.5 hours. So we pay for around 10 hours per week now. Other nurseries make you pay for lunches etc instead, ours make us pay for more hours. If childminders, some will do similar or give you a particular day free instead. X

[@lesleybrice8203]

Congratulations on your pregnancy Shan, I’m so happy for you. I’ve been watching your videos since you were pregnant with George and I was pregnant with my baby so it’s great to hear your journey and plans for growing your family. Would love to hear more about the 30hours childcare and can’t wait to follow your journey with two babies! Thank you for creating such honest content! X

[@HomeWithShan]

Thank you so much for your support, it means so much! I’ll deffo share more on the 30 hours free childcare stuff - I did do a video when George was younger explaining all the different childcare options! ♥️

[@katiecads8017]

Huge congratulations to you and your family! I'm currently pregnant with Baby #2 aswell and we were both pregnant at the same time with Baby #1 back in 2020 (my boy was born Dec 2020) And I watched your pregnancy videos all through that pregnancy 😊 I just wanted to say that I am completely on the same page to you regarding childcare costs.. and that's the the reason why we planned on a 3 year age gap too! Although I'm currently 36 weeks (due very soon) so Baby #2 has happened a year sooner than planned 😅 All the best to you and your family and I'll be watching your journey as a mum with a toddler and newborn and I'm living through it myself! 😊

[@mairincamp5900]

been loving watching your pregnancy journey so far! I'm not pregnant but it makes me so excited for the day when I am!

[@HomeWithShan]

Aw thank you so much for your support lovely! ♥️

[@09070605uty]

Congrats on your pregnancy!

[@dianeh7620]

Ah Shannon your situation is so similar to when I had my second baby... I'm a civil servant, so I also took a full year off with my second. My little boy was 2.5 when my little girl was born. We kep our little boy in nursery 3 days and it was so needed... tending to a baby whilst also trying to meet the demands of a 3 year old was tough!! We also knocked throughout our kitchen/dining room whilst I was pregnant with my second... we ended up moving to family for a few weeks in the end as it got a bit much!! Eeek so exciting, thankyou for sharing, and good luck!!

[@HomeWithShan]

Ahhh this literally sounds like my life hahahaha how funny! Thank you so much lovely!! ♥️

[@louisefoster6143]

Hi Shan we are due around same time after baby boy born I covid times like George ! Can I ask as you I are so helpful with your videos in regards to financial planning particularly - I can’t get my head around the funding for a 3yrs old ! My LO is in nursery two long days and looking to have him in over threee days spread similar to what you said about George’s childcare plans maybe …. Could you do a video ? Thanks so much and congrats again xxx

[@annanedved3368]

So happy for you that your husband will be with you daily, with two kids it's such a relief!

[@HomeWithShan]

Thank you so much. It’s the best thing for us for sure, so over the moon ♥️

[@littliofficial]

Thanks for sharing!

[@l0lliezoe3x]

interesting that youre doing natural cycles - would you not take the pill/coil/iud etc? xx

[@hayleyslucinda]

Hey Shan, so so happy for you! just fyi the natural cycles link does not seem to work for me - is there a code? thanks

[@1988steph1]

I just found out today I'm pregnant with my 4th and last, it's so exciting. I didn't even know about the sneak peak test how amazing is that, I have 3 boys so to find out super early would be great. I am also feeling very sick already and like you was very sick with my others, all the way through in fact. I can't wait for you to reveal the gender, I think I can guess but will wait for you to post. Xxx

[@HomeWithShan]

Aw how amazing! Congratulations!! Hehe, I think I believe the result now, but I might as well wait a couple more weeks until my 20 week scan to find out for sure xxx

[@justcallmejen2]

My first and second children have the same age gap as your 2 will have and I think it's great 🙂 Toddler is old enough to understand pretty much everything you need to explain to them, they (hopefully) are no longer teething, are getting a little more independent and may even be potty trained by the time little one arrives! But they're close enough in age that very soon they'll be playing together and will grow up close 🙂 My second is 2 now and their bond is lovely 💙💙 Hard work at first but so worth it! We've gone for a similar age gap with baby number 3 who has just arrived 😁 xxxx

[@HomeWithShan]

Aw that’s so lovely! Congrats on baby number 3 too 🤍🤍

[@BC-vv5gi]

Love your videos! What tan do you use? Looks natural :)

[@homewithonelittleone9839]

I am so happy for you, I’ve been following you since George was a newborn and I was pregnant and now I’ve watched you grow and I hope I will get there soon! I am also really really happy that Ash will be there with you through it all this time, I can’t even imagine what it was like to be apart for long periods of time ❤️

[@HomeWithShan]

Thank you so much lovely - I honestly can’t wait ❤❤

[@tabithabass199]

Are you looking at getting a double pram, if so can you do a video on your experience of it.

[@broberts5336]

I like the content about childcare and how it works/ finance/budgeting

[@shahrzadvos4376]

Really wise that you've saved up for 6 months after de maternity leave. I'll be back at work after three months maternity leave for my second baby!!! I wish I had saved up

[@adelebelfield2155]

Will you be showing baby's face or hiding it like you do with George. Can't wait to find out what baby is. Love all the updates and so exciting that Ash is leaving the army. I bet your so glad. Xx

[@lydia880]

The sneak peak test are 99.9% accurate and was right for both of my girls! But know what you mean by not believing it till the scan 🙈 congratulations ❤

[@HomeWithShan]

I’m just more worried that I did it wrong haha! But yeah, we’ll know for certain soon💗💙🤭 thank you so much!

[@flirtygirl4u]

Not baby related but your eyes lashes ! Love them what eyelashes are they? Have they got a specific name ? Look so natural xx

[@3ELLAxxx]

Took a sneakpeak with my last pregnancy for my little girl which was right ☺ I understood from what I read online if its a girl result you can be pretty certain it's right and if it's a boy result there is some room for error due to contamination from male dna around the house (including pets!)...but if you follow the instructions it should be accurate tbh! My friend also did it and was right for her too! I didn't trust it til my 20 week scan still though lol... I'm 31 weeks pregnant again now and keeping this one a surprise! Xx

[@laurab4868]

Carbs and cheese definitely gives me boy number 2 vibes 👶

[@ellayemm8354]

Love the videos Shan! Been a silent subscriber for a long time now! Xxx I have a question - will baby no2 be your last? Xxx

[@HomeWithShan]

Aw hey girl! And never say never but I think so! Xx

[@HollBerry134]

Indeed never say never! I thought second would be my last and now I'm pregnant with my 3rd.

[@Tariachan]

Does your nursery allowe 9-3? Ours only do full day or morning or afternoon session, it's bit restrictive 😭

[@meganxoxo21]

Congratulations on baby no. 2 🤍 also thank you so much for being so open about your mat leave! My Husband and I are looking to start a family in the near future and this and your other videos are so helpful x

[@Emma050993]

Could you do a minimal/budget list of what you ACTUALLY used with George and will be using again in terms of things to buy for a new baby? I'm having my first in August and have no clue as I'm the first of my friends to have kids 🤷🏼‍♀️ thank you! Xxx

[@HollBerry134]

Congratulations! I'm also due August, but my 3rd 🙈

[@alexandrabatey6167]

I'm not sure about trusting sneak peek! I did it at 6 weeks so if it said boy I'd worry it was contamination and if it said girl I'd worry it was too early/not enough DNA (no idea if that's a thing or not)!

[@karinseaman4060]

Wow! That maternity leave is amazing! I'm in South Africa and here it's mostly unpaid, which mine was.. And I could only afford to take 8weeks off, then baby had to go to daycare. I doubt that jobs here will keep your job for you for a year anyway 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@jennalock4746]

Just a heads up, private nursery’s are very restrictive on how you use stretched funding. 99% will equate to 2 full days (not amended) and you will have to top by around £15-20 a day on top because of the underfunding.. Congratulations btw, can’t wait to see your new journey x

[@HomeWithShan]

I’ve checked with the nursery thankfully and they said we’ll be covered for everything except meals/nappies ect which we’ll bring xx

[@samantakalnina6114]

Hiii xx I am so happy for you!!!! But omg I am the same I am 16.4 days pregnant!!!🥰❤️🥰❤️🥰

[@FierceAshwee]

So from what I understand in using sneak peek, if it came back a girl it’s accurate, if it came back boy, it has a chance of that result due to contamination (bc you live with males). Basically, the test looks for a Y chromosome in your blood, which indicates a male. Because you are a female, if you are carrying a girl, there will be no Y chromosome in your blood. My mentality was if it came back male I would wait till my scan to share the gender just by the off chance it was due to contamination, but if I came back a girl there is a much higher chance of it being accurate. I completely understand though waiting for a confirmation via scan! Congratulations Shan!!

[@HomeWithShan]

Thank you so much lovely!! 💗💙✨

[@janelewis390]

😊

[@nuna1306]

sneak peek isn't the best. I did mine at 18 weeks. Followed all instructions etc. Came back boy. I had a girl XD They did refund though, which is in their smallprint. If you show the birth cert, they give you all the money back.

[@carlarue87]

It's good to ask about the 30 free hours and how your nursery uses them, they are very good at still making you pay something. Don't get me wrong our bill went down ALOT but we still pay a £315 bill every month for 3 days, I was expecting to not pay a thing thinking the 22 hours would have us covered 😂

[@HomeWithShan]

Thanks lovely - good tip!! Xxx

[@happleton9510]

I’m paying over £900 for 4 days on 30 hours!

[@raquelrush4910]

The gender test is probably right. If you had done something wrong it probably would have come back as there being an error with your sample. Can't wait to find out. Still blows my mind you can find out from a blood test. Lots of love x x

[@lauras4230]

Took a sneak peek with my son and it was correct at 8 weeks… also did the nub techs and that also predicted boy at 12weeks and we confirmed at 16weeks. I think if it is a girl the results are pretty accurate as no chance of male dna contamination. I sat in the garden to do mine haha 😅

[@janelewis390]

😮😊

[@Cath189]

On sneak peek - I don't fully understand but from my vague knowledge your blood only shows female DNA so if they find male DNA they know it's a boy, if they don't then they know it's a girl, as long as you followed instructions, scrubbed your hands and finger nails well, wiped down surfaces and didn't have any interaction with human or pet male DNA then it should be accurate. A lot of the people who have had inaccurate readings, once further prompted have admitted that they used a towel to dry their hands/let their husband or male dog be in the room/used further tools outside the kit to draw blood. Obviously there might be freak accidents but for the most part I have heard that the science backs it up as long as it's done properly - the amercian version that auto-draws blood from your arm has less chance of interference and is more accurate!