What do do - I'm a pregnant childminder

[Picante]

I just wondered what other cms had done when they had babies. A few questions if any of you have the time to reply I'd be very grateful.

1. When did you tell your parents? I'm 7 weeks and not working at the moment but I'm already starting to show and also feeling v v sick.

1. What did you do for midwife apps, scans etc?

1. How much time did you decide to take off - what did your parents decided to do? Did they find someone else with the written 'promise' they'd come back or did you leave it all up in the air?

1. Did you lose mindees because of having a baby?

1. If I apply for SMP does that mean I can't work for a certain amount of time?

If you could help me with any of these that would be great.

Hi Picante, I'm a cm on maternity leave at the moment. The usual 12 week rule is the best. I was lucky and a friend was my midwife,so she did all my antenatal appts in the evening and so i avoided the question of what to do with mindees. I am paid £117 per week for a max 39 weeks as I had paid enough NI contributions. Legal rule is to have minimum of 2 wks off, more if financially possible and all contracts are cancelled at the start of maternity leave which leaves both sides the option of restarting or going elsewhere. I am fortunate in that 1 mum is on maternity leave herself and the other is off until Feb so I will have 3 months off. Bear in mind you could end up with problems or a cs or even a difficult baby. Don't make promises you can't keep and then hopefully your parents will stick with you. This is my 5th baby and after 4 easy births, I'm glad I've got longer off as I lost a lot of blood and had a transfusion 1 week after delivery and I'm still trying to build up my iron levels. I didn't see that one coming.

Thanks katie for taking the time to reply. I was hoping not to take so long off, especially with the after school children - I get most of my income from them and they're pretty easy and take care of themselves. The only other child I have apart from my own son is a 21 month old 3 days a week.

Good plan re cancelling contracts. It's a bit of a risk I guess but fair on the parents and gives me a chance to take longer off.

Can I ask if you breastfed while you were childminding? That's one of my concerns - about how the other children and their parents will react.

Thanks again.

Yes bf with 2 others when i went back (dc3 6wks old and dc4 5wks old) Was always discrete and had muslin over top. Mums all fine, had bf down to an art as never feeding babe when it was pick up/drop off times. Good luck with pg

Thanks. Bumping for any other advice...

I am also a pregnant cm picante. My parents all knew fairly early (about 8 weeks) as we told DS (8) and he was telling everyone he could. I had planned to work until a week before baby due then have 8 weeks off. One family are due to move anyway, one had planned to move on to pre school/nursery anyway so have just bought plans forward slightly and one family want to juggle childcare for my mat leave then have child come back to me. My after school children will all go to other childminders or school club.
However, what they dont know yet is that my 12 week scan just before xmas showed I'm having twins!!! So plans are likely to change as I doubt I'll be able to work as long as I hoped or go back as quickly.
As for appts, so far my booking in appt with midwife was a sunday and scan was when I was already on xmas hols. Consultant appt in feb I am going to ask for the afternoon off as clinic is known for running very late so not fair to take any children. I would consider taking one child with me to routine midwife appt though if parent was struggling to find cover or have time off.
SMP - the direct gov website has useful information. It is maternity allowance that we claim as self employed, paid for max 39 weeks. You can do up to 10 days work during mat leave before you lose allowance.
Good luck with pg. Mine has turned out to be very bad for business

There are one or two CMs that use the staff room, who have been pg in the last year, give them a shout. You are looking for Looneytunes and Crace in particular.

Congratulations, btw!

Thanks.

London11 wow twins! Yes I would imagine you'll be taking more time off...

I'm going to wait for the early scan on Wednesday then tell parents after that - I can't hide it for much longer.

London is only having twins to have longer off work

Wish I had thought of a less tiring way of getting some time of work

Awww, i will look after you.

where do you want to Lunch on Friday?

Don't mind.......Prezzo, half crown cafe, crown........anywhere else you can think of? x

Oi you too cut it out!

The Crown!!!! Would we have to put frocks on!

Picante london is My RL bestiest friend

I'm also a pregnant CM (28 weeks) so will be watching this with interest.
Terrified of losing any business.
Also, how easy is it to persuade Ofsted to allow me to hang on to my current mindees? as I will be over my numbers when this one comes along.

Sorry for the hijack picante

You would think that between msn, facebook, e-mail, phone, text and face to face we talk to each other enough but obviously not!!

FRUITY - I was worried enough knowing I would go down to 2 under 5's especially as my ds is 8 so I have had 3 full time under 5's for several years and now I will only have 1 full time place. My earnings are going to plummet . I thought about trying for a 4 under 5 variation but with the 2 under 1's not sure what my chances are, plus I think I might go mad with that many! You could certainly ask Ofsted - they can only say no.

Wow, London, many many congrats on the twins!

Picante, congratulations firstly! I panicked myself, but it was actually a huge non event. I told them pretty late, about 16 weeks but that was because my dd was in hospital with severe gastro, right after a two week holiday to the SE and then it was Christmas so I didn't want to tell them. They were very happy to let me take the two I c/m along with me. To scans and all.. bloods, m/w appts etc etc. Luckily I am in a village so it was very easy, and the hospital appointments no trouble either as DH came too.

As for time off, I took off the full 9 months SMA, I am only allowed 1 full time under 5 when I returned and that is pretty much the SMA so I am coming back in January - however, my f/t hasn't been filled yet as my others I found replacements for. I had a planned c-section and 3 children so 4-12 weeks was just not an option for me. And as time went on I found it too hard to return, but baby is 7 months old now so it's time.

Hope that helps!

SMP not SMA

I took maternity leave 8 years ago, but took 3 mths off. Mindees went to other cm's and then came back.

London - congratulations

Hiya

Don't come on MN that often now but just spotted this so will answer quickly....

1. I told them after my dating scan which was around 10/12 weeks. I was also showing so wanted to say sooner rather than later.

1. Mindees came with me to appointments/scans etc.

1. I was going to take 4 weeks but one parent wasn't happy for me to have less than 12 weeks and that was better for me so I changed it. I had 4 mindees and none went to other childminders. One didn't need one as most of it was during summer hols and she was TT only. The others for some reason felt no other childminder or nursery (and I know one visited many) would do. One of them left their job (wanted to anyway) and started a new job once I started back, another was going to use mum for the 2 days a week but ended up doing 1 day with mum and other with nursery her sibling goes to, another had a mix of changing shifts (it's their own business), having family to visit, having their summer holiday etc. and basically just managed til I started back.

1. No, luckily I didn't. In fact, one mindee started at 8 weeks old when I was about 5 months gone and they didn't see it as a problem at all. Another was booked to start around the same time and had been booked and deposit paid for ages. I contacted her saying how sorry I was and offered money back, felt AWFUL as she'd had it all planned in advance and then I let her down a couple of months before she was due to come to me.....well she was also LOVELY and told me I was silly for worrying and she'd manage the 12 weeks somehow I do realise I've been VERY lucky with all my families as some people get funny but I think just being honest and upfront and helping them with their options probably helps.

1. You can choose how much time to have off and they pay you for that. I can't remember what the max is that they pay you for? One thing.......make sure you write to them when you start back working. The stupid idiots still pay you the full length allowed until you write to them, even though you state on the form when payments are to cease!!

Oh, and CONGRATULATIONS!!! I know you have loads on your mind, I did too when I was first pregnant, got so worried I think I did everyone on here's head in worrying about it (I felt sick about telling parents) but it all worked out just fine, like I'm sure Mo and the others told me it would

Oh.....going back to the time off......believe me, if I could I'd have had longer off, even 12 weeks wasn't enough and I found it very hard with 3 under 18 months when I first started back. It really depends on the children you have though

HTH

I remember when I was TTC there was a pregnant CM's thread, is that still going?
It'd be great to have the support!