PREGNANT MN CHILDMINDERS - come over here......

[looneytune]

Right, as mentioned in the staffroom, there is definitely something in the water!! Due to there being a few of us now, I thought we should have a thread to keep tabs on when everyone is due etc.

I'll put the info I know so far, come and add yourself/your details or even better, copy and paste this list and update accordingly

Crace - C-section booked for ??? May
Looneytune - EDD 23rd June (BOY)
eleanorsmum - EDD ????
MamaG - EDD ???

I know there are others but I just can't remember now (don't you just love the pregnancy brain!). Tori has her baby last night and I think another had theirs recently too but still thought there were more pregnant C/Ms????

Moan away, what have I done the last.. well, lifetime! Get some rest woman, you must learn to say "NO".

I have really just stopped doing favours and pulling up extra work I just can't do it anymore and I feel tired and resentful of it. I have given up several offers and basically lied and said I had appointments or whatever. WAY too tired.

3 days left for me! And then 3 weeks of running around finalising stuff - and starting getting stuff on the "to do" list. I am just glad this weekend is BH w/e and DH will be home. FIrst thing I will be doing is "de-c/ming" the house. Personally I can't wait. Goodbye ugly fire guard!

I had to put petrol in the car today, only the thought of me looking weird stopped me from stiffing the pump. LOL - smells are just so fab at the moment. I am craving chemical smells, fags, burnt matches, etc - it's so weird. Like a scratch you can't itch!

Hi everyone hope you are all ok and not too tired etc. My back is absolutely killing me at the moment and I only have ds who is 2 and mindee1 who is 1 so dread to think how all of you with younger ones must be feeling!
I have a quick question if there are any of you that get paid monthly in advance and are only planning on taking a little time off. Will you do an invoice to give parents on the last day they are with you for payment due the first day they are back with you or will you wait to check you can take the little amount of time off you intend to and then ring round to say you are ready to takew the mindees back on and give invoice on first day back?
Sorry if it sounds like I am gabbling I am only intending on taking off 3 weeks 1 before and 2 after birth so long as all goes well. Am thinking of telling parents that I will let them know once baby has arrived and give them an estimated return date. I thought of doing this in a letter and including invoice with it, what do you think would this be too formal?

Sounds awful all I am thinking of is getting money out of mindees but some of them are not good payers andI know we will be broke if I take too much time off

OO that seems like such a short time off - surely you are eligible for maternity allowance? That's £117 per week, and actually covers one of my mindees. And as I only get one full timer after I come back this is actually me earning normally! I am planning on taking at least 3 months off.

As for the invoices if you are only taking the three weeks off I would really just phone once you know you are coming back and give on the first day. I get paid monthly in advance and although I have to chase them for a few days it's worth it to get it all up front.

And you aren't being greedy, we know how it is. There is a lot to worry about when you are a c/m, let alone a pregnant one!

crace - lol about sniffing that stuff....I've heard this about some pregnant women but I can't say I understand it . Oh, how lovely that you finish work and go straight into a bank hol weekend, be nice for you to have dh around more Hope you manage to get your stuff sorted!! I'm hoping to have lots of energy this weekend to sort some stuff out as things are all over the place at the moment!! Still annoyed with myself that I only took 2 weeks off before due date and get worried in case he comes early.

Ofsted - you mad woman!! I planned to have a total of 4 weeks off when I first found out but when I told the families at 3 months, one of the mums was not at all happy that I'd be coming back so soon. She was worried (rightly so) that I wouldn't be fit to have her baby back so soon after giving birth, plus, we wouldn't know when I'd have baby so if I stopped say a week before, I may only have ended up with a week off with the new baby which is a bit much. So, on her request, I changed this to 12 weeks and we're all much happier Now I'm so far gone, I must say I'm relieved this was changed and now I have have 2 weeks before baby is DUE and then (if not early) between 8-10ish weeks with my new little family before I start back.

But....we're all different and if you're really going back so soon after, I'd look up the Maternity Allowance guidelines and see when you're entitled to it. As crace said, if only having that long off, I'd do invoices as per usual with a bit of flexibility regarding your return date as you can't possibly know the exact day.

I know that unless anything goes wrong and I have to change, my first day back will be 1st September. I will therefore be emailing all parents a week in advance of that date, as per usual

I'm going to scroll down and check everyone's due dates again and repost them up here

Think I've covered us all?

crace - C-section booked 23rd May
looneytune - EDD 23rd June (BOY)
libbysmummy - EDD 14th July
kkey21 - EDD 27th August
MamaG - EDD 1st November
ofstedoutstanding - EDD 25th August
ellideb - EDD ??? September
southernbelle - EDD 24th December

AskABusyPerson - how's it going?

My EDD is now 30th October

LOL at still being on this thread

• well, we're only a small group anyway and it's nice to chat to others I just can't keep up with the ante-natal thread for June, they talk soooooo much, I just don't get time to catch up lol.

Update:

crace - C-section booked 23rd May
looneytune - EDD 23rd June (BOY)
libbysmummy - EDD 14th July
kkey21 - EDD 27th August
ofstedoutstanding - EDD 25th August
ellideb - EDD ??? September
MamaG - EDD 30th October
southernbelle - EDD 24th December

We really need a November baby now and then we've got it covered every month for the rest of this year

Right, off to make some lunch whilst 2 mindees munching away in highchair

I know what you mean about the ante natal threads, I don't want to go on them.

Hi there - hope you don't mind me gate-crashing! Have been reading this thread for a while and have plucked up courage to post. Am a CM and just a teensy weensy bit pregnant - just over 5 weeks. Was wondering a few things:

1. When did you tell your mindees' parents?
2. How long are you planning to work for / when are you planning to start work again?
3. How many of you are applying for Maternity Allowance? - do you have to be off for 6 months to get it?
4. What do you do about midwife appointments?

Thanks!

Hi! did another test today just to make sure! Still pregnant

Hi GTG, when are you due? I'm 6 weeks tomorrow so we must be due about the same time!

With regard to your questions (and I'm only just pregnant too so answers are vague!)

1. Wasn't planning on telling mindees parents until 20 week scan, although if I start showing it might be sooner! I'm hoping I can hide it with my already oversized stomach
2. Currently planning on having 2 months off but that may well change a few times in the coming months! 3)Planning on getting MA although do not know the ins and outs of it at all yet!
3. My first appt is Tuesday and I'm going to hav to take mindee with me!

Well according to LMP it's the 28th Dec but I know I ovulated early which puts me at BOXING DAY!!

Thanks for your answers. There's no way I'll be able to hide my bump until then - I was enormous by 10 weeks last time!

Quick update I now know what I am having!!!!

crace - C-section booked 23rd May
looneytune - EDD 23rd June (BOY)
libbysmummy - EDD 14th July
kkey21 - EDD 27th August
ofstedoutstanding - EDD 25th August(GIRL)
ellideb - EDD ??? September
MamaG - EDD 30th October
southernbelle - EDD 24th December

Looneytune yes I am mad!!! But thanks for mentioning about the maternity allowance I hadn't even realised we would be eligible for that

Crace how do you apply for maternity allowance if self employed and have I missed out on applying because I am now 23 weeks was working as a TA before and the school sorted it all out for me, really don't have a clue how to go about it and also how long is it for?

Just a fly by, but you need to apply by 27 weeks, and the jobcentre is really slow at moment so I would go ahead and get your stuff ready for it. There is a link somewhere in this thread for ellideb I think for the forms.

It's £117 and some change for NINE WHOLE MONTHS?!?!?!? Woohoo!!

You will have had to pay your full class 2 NI contributions however. What I would do if you haven't, is call NI office and get that sorted out asap and then apply for the MA.

granny comes in looking over her half moon glasses.

I hope you gals are getting plenty of rest and milf, grows strong babies you know?

MILK MILK not milf that buggered up the liitle old lady routine didnt it

Congratulation GordontheGopher!!!!

In answer to your questions:

1. When did you tell your mindees' parents?

I told them after the Xmas break when I reached 12wks. None were that surprised as they knew that we were thinking about another one. Unfortunately 5yr old mindee had overheard me discussing something with DH and had told her mum I was having a baby, and the mum said "oh I know xxxxx told me - I was wondering when you were going to break the news" Ooops ALWAYS remember they have big ears!!

1. How long are you planning to work for / when are you planning to start work again?

I am taking the whole 9 months paid MA period - I only work part-time and will be no worse off thankfully, and mindees have all found cover

1. How many of you are applying for Maternity Allowance? - do you have to be off for 6 months to get it?

I have applied for MA (through jobcentre plus - there is a link to it somewhere on this thread!)

1. What do you do about midwife appointments?

I either try and book them when I'm not working, but for instance this week I left DD and mindee with a childminder from my network - they are all being dead helpful with covering for me bless them!

LT - If one thing I have learned babies come when they want to, and it's never how we'd plan is it? Hopefully you get a little bit of a break, but no doubt by then you won't care, you will just want it OUT

Congrats to GG!

1. When did you tell your mindees' parents? I told them well after my 12 week scan - I think it was around 16 weeks. I had taken a holiday and then my dd became very ill and in hospital for a week. And then it was Christmas - so I just didn't feel it was right. And I was massive, only could hide it by wearing DHs baggy fleeces. Dh kept at me to tell them but I didn't want to ruin the holidays!
2. How long are you planning to work for / when are you planning to start work again? I am finishing this week, 3 weeks prior to c-section date. I am planning on at least 3 months but possibly more.
3. How many of you are applying for Maternity Allowance? - do you have to be off for 6 months to get it? No definitely not, just up to date on your class 2 NI contributions - you apply at 27 weeks.

1. What do you do about midwife appointments? I took them to every single appointment, blood taken and scan.

shoshe, pmsl. MILF is not something that would describe me at mo! lol

Keep visiting!

Thanks all! Hadn't thought about taking mindees with me. The first appt is apparently an hour although goodness knows why so I'll get cover for that, but the shorter appts yes I'll probably take them.

I'm sure the older mindees will catch on soon... I keep forgetting to talk to friends in code!

Congrats Gordon! Welcome to the Staff Room too. I'm a retired member now, but I can't help checking up on them! Enjoy the Staff Room, they're a good bunch and always around for some sound advice or to sound off too!

Honourary Auntie then Mo?

Yes, GG get thee over to the Staff Room!

I posted in the staff room, second to last m/w appointment was today, all well and normal. See her again in 2 weeks and then the next week will be pre-op appointment and meet with anaethetist (sp?) and then that is it! 3 weeks tomorrow until D day. I am going to put it out of my mind, otherwise I will get a bit stressy. I DON'T want a c-section but frankly have no choice. It's not the actual op that bothers me, the recovery sucks. Big time.

Oh well, suck it up!

On a much higher note, got confirmation of my MA starting in 4 weeks time. WOOHOO

Well 6 weeks and ms has finally made it's proper appearance! I remember this now!!

The next 6 weeks is going to go so slowly!

Aww bless you, it's what is known as "Why did we do this again?" syndrome. You just forget how... crap it is. Hang in there, that second trimester is worth hanging on for. Energy.. in spades!

Hey up

How is everybody in our little pg clique?
Mo can be GrannyMo, I don't mind