Not borrowing trouble ahead of time, just enjoying each day with Beatrice.

[cupofteaplease]

Thanks to Thumbwitch for inspiring the title of this new thread.

I will do my very best to minimise my worrying about the future as none of us know what it holds. For now, it's all about celebrating Beatrice's life today, every day.

As always, please feel free to follow us on our journey, and thank you in advance for the wonderful advice I am bound to receive from fellow parents, of SN children or otherwise.

Here's to a positive, uneventful thread!

How is Bea and you cup? Hope you had a lovely Mothers Day

Real life got in the way and I haven't checked in on Beatrice here for a while. I can't believe she is 6 months old already. Happy half birthday to her.
As a paediatric nurse, I would love to have the job of looking after Beatrice for you instead of my proper job (lovely Beatrice and your fabulous family, no more crazy shifts so can see more of my own DD, no NHS politics). If only I lived nearer to you... but if I would consider it there are probably others who would too. I do know of patients who are tube-fed and have other special needs who go to mainstream nursery with support, but don't know how their parents got that support. I also know of one parent of an oxygen-dependant, tube-fed ex-patient, who was also trying to sort childcare so she could return to work after mat leave, but, unhelpfully, don't know if she has managed to find anything as it was only a couple of weeks ago that she left hospital after a couple of months stay.
Sorry to hear about your brother. I hope things go well for him.

Cup, we went the nanny route. I needed someone who could be trained up with a specific focus, it didn't matter to me whether they had experience or not, after all, I didn't . I needed them to do all of the routine appointments for therapies etc, do daily physio etc etc, and I took time off work for paed or specialist appointments, and if anything out of the ordinary was happening.

I used nanny agencies to recruit, and was very clear about the person I wanted. I didn't want anyone who would find going out with a 'different' child difficult, or who would be put off by the stares and interest of passers by.

We had 2 great nannies. One was an ex nursery manager who was fed up with politics and paperwork and wanted to get back to being hands-on (and she was the senco to boot), and the other was a nanny who had previously worked with a family who had a Ds with severe autism. So no-one had specific experience, but they had an interest and were robust enough to be able to be direct with therapists, and to rebuff rudeness in the street.

I was lucky enough that work covered my childcare costs.

Have you looked at 'waving not drowning'? They supposedly offer help to parents of disabled children who want to work. I didn't find them particularly helpful, but others have.

Cup, there's also another organization that helps recruit PAs and nannies for children with SN.

They're called Cool2Care (sorry, can't link as on phone).

Cool2care are only in certain areas of the country, aren't they? Birmingham and Surrey, iirc? They may have opened up in other areas now, but were very new when I discussed with them a couple of years ago.

They were recruiting for carers in the student body at the university of Surrey, so really just as a part time option, rather than full on ft care?

Hi, quick update before I go away tomorrow.

We had a meeting with a nursing agency, and the manager was very thorough and convincing. They would charge £25 an hour to take care of Beatrice.

However, in the meantime, we have found someone else! A nursery nurse employed by my sister had handed in her notice as she wants to try something new, so my sister approached her and she was delighted to be asked and wants to take on the role! The good thing is we already know her as she cared for the older dds when they were in nursery and she's babysat for us before. She's NVQ level 3 qualified and up to date with paediatric first aid, but obviously the CNN will give her further training and I'll have her spend time with Bea and I long before I leave them together.

Fingers crossed it works out... I'm going to see my head on Monday to discuss my return to work.

My brother has had his biopsy and has a scan booked for next week. He remains positive.

See you all on Sunday when I return from my jollies.

P.S. Did I mention, chunky monkey Bea now weighs 9lb 3oz!

Sounds perfect.

There are always ways and means.

Enjoy your break x

Wow - you have such energy cup

• hope you have a great weekend - what are you up to ?

Really pleased things are looking good for finding somebody to take care of her whilst you work. That's great.

Sounds great, fingers crossed for your bro x

Brilliant news cup - these things always work out x

Great news

madwoman they have expanded massively I think.

They have a big presence in the SW now, and will recruit FT carers.

Brilliant news!

Brilliant news!

That's good, Peggy. They were v new and just starting in Surrey at the time, and on a recruiting drive. Such a good idea.

Haven't checked in for a while but think of bonny Be a often, so pleased to hear she is podging up nicely and that you are able to get someone to look after her.

Great news about the childcare and glad to hear that your gorgeous little chunker is gaining weight. Have a lovely time away. Hope your brother has successful treatment.

Oh that sounds really positive Cuup. Hope it works out.

How many days are you thinking of working? My friend job shares at primary level and is finding it really stressful at the moment, with all the new targets etc!

Bea is over the 9lb mark, that is just fabulous.

Lovely update :)

Great news, pray it all works out

Hi cup. Hope you have a fab break I spoke to the SureStart nursery that we use for the DD's and they are all going on portage courses at the moment. Appreciate we're miles away from you but they said portage is usually free and any nursery or childcare setting who would take Bea should be able to access it along with training from nursing staff. Link here

www.portage.org.uk/

Oh Cup that's brilliant news - work, childcare, fatty bum bum beatrice and some time away! Yay!

Oh, what wonderful news, it couldn't have worked out better really! I've still got my fingers crossed for your brother. Enjoy your holiday xx

So good to hear all this. Not just Beatrice the Brave but Beatrice the Round!