Already got childcare issues and I haven't even gone back to work yet! Sigh!

[Undercovamutha]

I have been dreading going back to work. Not because of the job (which I like) or leaving the DCs in nursery (which they like) but because of the constant juggling act. We have no family nearby, and I feel stressed just at the thought of how I am going to manage when one of them is sick, or in the school holidays, or how I will ever be able to manage the 2.5hours of preschool per day that I would like DS to attend (which DD has done during my mat leave).

I am back in work next week, and just to top off all my stress, I have received a letter to bring DS in for his booster immunisation. The appt is on my second morning back at work (I only work p/t). I have phoned the HV to see if I can reschedule it to a different day or attend at the neighbouring GP clinic (which is in the afternoon - which I don't work). The answer is a resounding NO!

So I will either have to see if DH can wangle a morning off (unlikely) or will have to go into work on my first day back and tell them I need the following morning off. What an arse! Is this the beginning of a horrendous juggling act that will make us all miserable or am I being a drama queen?

No, it's not you. Your HV is just being plain unhelpful. She has no right to bully you.

Most surgeries run immunisation clinics regularly so you are perfectly entitled to rearrange. If your child had a snifffle or you were on holiday you'd rebook without a second thought. You aren't legally bound to have it done at all.

So explain the situation, make it clear that you can't get there in the morning and you need an afternoon appointment.

"Is this the beginning of a horrendous juggling act that will make us all miserable"

yup. sorry. There's no solution though because if you leave your job you will wish you hadn't, either now or in the future.
Do you earn enough to be able to throw money at the problem?

Kathy - good point. Will ring HV tomorrow and put my foot down!

Its such a pain as DD had her pre-school booster last week, and I deliberately asked the HV to schedule it for then BECAUSE i was going back to work (she should have actually had it a few months ago but HV has been busy ), but I forgot all about DS needing the 12m booster. HV obviously thinks I am awkward now, which is crap because up until now I have been able to be super-flexible about appts.

DH is away at the moment but spoke to him briefly and he thinks he may be able to take DS if HV can't/wont change it - but I would much rather get her to tbh, as a point of principle if nothing else!

At the very least if it has to be on a specific weekday morning because that's when they do the clinic then you could surely delay it a few weeks - there's quite a big bracket for the jabs (my DS had his at 13m) and then you'd have been back at work a while before having to take time off!

Sounds like the HV was having a bad and grumpy day.

One day at a time Undercova This is my mantra at the moment, otherwise I will feel totally overwhelmed.
Don't worry about the future, or when they are sick too much, just try to get through the next week... I know we like to feel prepared, and having every base covered, but in this case we have to just go with it.
I am in the exact same boat as you, except I start tomorrow! Nervous, but excited.

Oh I'm with you.

I'm shortly to go on mat leave with number 2 and absolutely dreading the juggling act too.

I want DD who will be 3 when I go back to use the nursery education funding whcih will prob mean at a nursery rather than pre-school. But I don't want the baby in nursery so will probably use a c/m. Which means I will be dropping them at two lots of childcare.

We have no family either and it's really hard sometimes.

Re: injections though I think your HV is being really harsh. If you can't make it you can't make it.

I rearranged DD's 12 month booster as they sent the appt for her birthday and we had plans that day (unsurprisingly). They were absolutely fine and the nurse at the surgery did it no probs.

Could you combine a pre-school with c/m bunny? I know some c/ms will do drop-off/pick-up etc.

Thanks everyone. Have been trying to get hold of the HV this morning - but no joy yet.

Good luck at work tomorrow Condensed.

Don't worry too much about the sickness - it's not necessarily the case that they will be ill every 5 mins at nursery. My DS started at 1yo and we have only ever had to keep him off for 1 day in the last year. We have no family help either, so I completely understand how you feel. The immunisations are less frequent as time goes on, and if you can both share these it shouldn't be too bad

Good luck

purpleturtle I don't think so because we'd still have to cover for all the weeks the pre school would be closed so I think a nursery would be better.

A lot of c/ms also charge you for the place for the hours the child is at pre-school too, so we wouldn't really be benefitig from the savings.

Haven't been able to get hold of HV despite trying on and off all day. And she doesn't work on thursday and friday! FGS!