Childminders Club - pregnant!

[lunavix]

To add to my panicking thread lol!!!

I've found out I'm pregnant! Early days still... about 7 weeks. But I need to think ahead obviously.

My main obvious concern is working after having the baby. The main reason we can comfortably afford a baby is because I work, and the new workload I've taken on. So dh and I are discussing two weeks 'holiday'. THen back to work. Will I cope???

Second problem is, I have ds (20 months) plus twin mindees (28 months) so baby will put me over on my numbers. Ds will go to preschool, twins won't (going on their days off, I have them three days a week.) what do you think ofsted will make of this? Plus I have 3 boys, 5 days a week after school.

Third problem is, for the school age boys, the parents have worked out weekly rate as taking into account holidays and school time and divided by 52 weeks of the year. Baby is due smack bang in the middle of the summer holidays, so if i take two weeks off then, what should I do? They're paying me extra all year to cover holidays, then I won't have them two weeks of the holidays! I feel a bit guilty iyswim. I know the parents could take their holiday then (and wouldn't mind) but it seems a bit 'off'.

Any thoughts appreciated...

Speak to OFSTED regarding numbers they will change in extenuating circumstances - but you do need to chase them, I am sure you have dealt with their efficiency before!

Im due In Feb and my rate is worked out pretty much like yours. Parents havent even asked about altering the rate and Im having about 10 weeks off (unpaid Ill get maternity allowance and I got a sure start grant too) Ive been told I should get a variation on my certificate to cover having 4 under schoolage to give continuity of care so maybe you could get one too.
I dont know what would happen about exceeding your total no. as I think ive managed to arrange mines so that Im still within my numbers.
2 weeks doesnt seem very long to have off. Have you thought about what would happen if you had complications or a section and are you going to take 2 weeks from the day of the birth? are the parents ok with such short notice. These were the things that I worried about so Im stopping 2 weeks before my due date just to make sure, (I dont fancy being in a car with 6 children and my waters breaking :-))
I just read this back and I havent written it very well but I found that all the panicking I done was for nothing and it all seems to be working out.

Congratulations

KIzzypie

Congratulations!

I'm sure OFSTED will be OK with you having more children when the time comes - it will be seen as "continuity of care" and we will all give you helpful information nearer the time on how to impress them when you write a letter!

Although you have agreed payment for 52 weeks of the year with the new parents of the boys, your worst-case scenario is that you could take time off and not charge them. That will obviously be a financial loss to you but may keep them happy? I certainly wouldn't say this to them just yet, just see how they are when you start discussing your options later.

Do you have any friends/family nearby that could be an temporary assistant for you when you resume childminding after you've had the baby? Just a thought.

Now start thinking calm thoughts!!

thanks everyone

kizzy - good to know We can't really afford for me to take ten weeks off (I'm fairly certain I'd lose all the kids) but I may discuss it with the parents re: childminders to cover my leave. I'm a network childminder so it might not be too hard to arrange cover. but it will be a big drop in income to get the smp (£100 a week! from nearly £500!)

I know I need to worry about a section etc.. something I need to think about I guess. It's nice to hear from a pg CM do keep me up to date with how you get on How many mindees do you have?

I won't be over numbers in total. I'm registered for 2 under 5 (plus ds) and 3 between 5 and 8.
I have the three under 5 (they're all under 3 too!!!) one who's between 5 and 8, plus two over.

On the upside, bar the school run, I don't work wednesday and friday so I'll have two days off....

hi ive got 2 of my own 7 and 8. I watch 2 yr old twins, a 10 month old baby as well as a 5,6 and 9 yr olds before and after school.
I dont have as big a drop in money as you would have as Im dropping from £300ish to £100, but Ill get extra child benefit and tax credits hopefully quite quickly so my money is only goin to half and Ive been saving up as well so ill be ok.
Do you relly think you would lose your mindees if you take time off. I was really worried about that but the parents all asssured me they would be back , theyve all got alternative cover arranged for when Im off. well they better come back or Im going to be really skint.
Kizzypie

I forgot to add that Im sure there were another couple of cms on here who are pregnant or my pregnant cotton wool brain may be getting mixed up.
kizzypie
xxx

Congratulations. I started childminding 2.5 years ago and have a 9 month old baby and two school age children.

I remember panicking that I would lose all the children I cared for too. And then I realised it was a good opportunity to stop caring for the ones I had problems with!!!! Consequently, I looked after all the children until just before the baby was born, but with the older children I said I was not going to childmind anymore. Luckily, the school opened up a before and after school club, so I could do this guilt free.

With my first 2 babies, I had an easy pregnancy and birth, so fully expected that this time too. I worked until I was 39+2, although I ended up having to have the last day off at short notice. I had an antenatal appointment first thing and they wanted to send me to the day unit for monitoring. So I had to go home and ring all the parents up before I could attend the day unit.

Like you, I intended to have just 2 weeks off as I thought I would have another easy natural birth. It never occurred to me that I might need a section - I didn't even have stitches with my first 2. Unfortunately, I had a c-section as my baby got stuck. I was really poorly after the section and could not pick my own baby up when he was 2 weeks old, let alone look after a mindie. This meant that I let one family down quite badly and I still feel guilty for this. She had to find another childminder at short notice and had major problems with this childminder who has now lost her registration. She then had to find another childminder, and I believe she had problems again, although I heard this on the grapevine.

I ended up taking the full 6 months off and wasn't ready to return beforehand. The mindie I let down came back to me after the 6 months. I lost a lot of blood during the op and should have had a blood transfusion. Also lifting toddlers in and out of car seats would have been impossible. Even 3 months after the op I would feel sore if I overdid it. DS3 was probably 6 weeks before I could safely lift him up. I could not drive (hey, I could hardly walk!). Luckily my dad lives nearby and was able to do the school runs with my older children. The first time I did a school run my kids were 20 minutes late for school!!!! (and we're never late).

Even now, I'm finding childminding quite difficult, even though I only have 1 full time mindee. Some nights DS3 (who is now 9 months) does not sleep very well and because I'm childminding I don't get the chance to rest during the day. Various friends have told me how tired I'm looking these days and tbh I'm starting to feel very rundown.

Sorry if this is not what you want to hear, but I would not like anyone else to let their families down in the way I did. I think you need to carefully consider what would happen if you don't get the birth and pregnancy you would like. Could you sort out a backup childminder?

Also, how would the 2 weeks work? What if the baby comes 2 weeks late or 2 weeks early?

Food for thought, FL.

Only just found this site! Theres so much info on it... dont know where to start. I'm a first time round-er and quite nervous. Am 14 weeks in and feeling fatter by the day, although much of this is due to total lack of exercise! I've gone from four workouts a week to four thousand calories a day. Initially I put it down to feeling so rough, but now I'm starting to feel better and cant use it as an excuse any more! There's so much to think about and plan.. where to start!!

foxyloxy, thanks for that

I think I'll sit down with my network coordinator and discuss it. She's not a lot of help with the practical lol but she should know what local CMs have done as a lot of them have given birth recently (had a bit of a spate of it).

IF it goes like ds did, I'm sure I could return to work relatively quick. Thinking about it, maybe 2 weeks is a little optomistic, but the way I'm having to look at it is we can afford to have this baby because I work, and if I'm not working, then we can't. I know health and being ready is important too, but the financial side has to be a priority too. I might discuss having a month or two, I know that I was registered for CMing by december the year ds was born (and ds was born in april) and I was ready for months before that, and knew I could cope (was actually disappointed registering took so long!)

I'm not too worried about the school age ones, 39 weeks of the year they're only here 2 hours a day anyways. The baby is due smack bang the middle of August, so the long summer will be over with, and I would usually suggest we all have christmas off anyways. I'm a little concerned about the twins who will be 3, but by then they should be relatively self sufficient and need minimal carrying etc. I only have them three days anyways (I get the other two off). I'd say they'd be the challenge (and maybe my 2.4 year old ds! but I can't do anything about him!) but they're my longest running mindees and we're so close to them now I couldn't give notice!

You're right, food for thought...

Just realised i totally went into the wrong thread before...I'm not a child minder and Havent got a clue about child care yet! But its nice to know there's so much on here and I've found my way precariously over to the July 06ers! Good luck to everyone and sorry for any confusion...

no problems I can give you a wave from the due aug 06!