PLEASE PLEASE HELP!! Pregnant !!!

[bree]

hi girls... this is written after being awake half the night thinking of my options . I currently childmind four kids as well as my own two, there is a team of two of us & we do it from my home. I found out the wkend that im pregnent, the thoughts of having 3 under 3 isnt whats scary its the fact my weekly wage could disappear, what do i do??? i know the parents wont be impressed and have thought of getting a replacement for me for the 3months needed, but do you think this is impossible from my home? our house is spacious but im not sure how well it would work coming home from the hospital with a new baby?:panic:
my mind is racing, iv thought of renting a property & that maybe that would offer more flexibilty also, maybe i could keep my replacement part-time after the baby if things went well......oh God, iv no idea!!!
any words of wisdom muchly appreciated
thanks girls

[miffy]

Congratulations on your pregnancy - how exciting!

Could you mind from your assistant's house instead of yours for those three months?

Miffy xx

[Chatterbox Childcare]

If you have an assistant then you must be on the property at the same time.

If you do it from home you will keep your current mindees and have help.

Why not just take 2 or three weeks off as holiday and then the parents won't be finding alternative childcare and you will retain them.

I went back to work after 1 week and found that as I had others the baby fitted into the schedule easily.

[Pipsqueak]

First of all congratulations on your pregnancy.:clapping:

It sounds like the worry of your minding parents is marring what should be a very exciting time and I find that extremely sad. Remember - we do minding so that it fits in with our lives and family, yes I know its a living too but its awful that its upsetting you so much at a joyful event.

As suggested - perhaps you can take a few weeks off (you will be more than entitled to it). I think what I would do is start looking into temporary alternative care with other minders you trust - (farming out your mindees) and suggesting this to the parents - that the children know this other minder well etc and it will only be for xx amount of weeks etc. Or having your assistant on site so that you can carry on minding..

At the moment you and they have lots of time to start planning and implementing temporary alternative arrangements.

You ARE entitled to some time of to enjoy your pregnancy and your new baby. If the parents aren't understanding about that then I think I would risk it and let them go and find new mindees.

[haribo]

first of all calm down !!! this should be a happy time lol and if your parents arent impressed and not the least bit supportive im not sure id want them .. i know your providing a service but you have a life too!( however much parents think childminders havent ) you have help already so with a bit of luck you will keep your mindees . tell your parents when you feel ready and you may be happily surprised , if they value you they will be willing to put up with a bit of disruption, good luck - and congratulations too x

[shonamanning]

hey,

I found out i am pregnant at the weekend with my 3rd baby must be something in the water lol, and i am waiting to apply to be reg not sure if its worth it now xxx

[Mollymop]

Congratulations!!! Sorry I can't help, but please try not to worry. There are other girls on here that are expecting or are postnatal, they might be able to help you soon x

[Early Years Consultant]

Hi Bree,
Try not to stay awake half the night. Write down your worries on some pretty notepaper, leave it at the side of your bed then get some rest. When you wake up with a possible solution write that down, then go back to sleep.

Now is not the time to panic :panic: . Many things can happen before you get to the three month period that 3 month period that you speak about.

Talk things over calmy :cool: in a professional manner with the right people and all will turn out well.

All the very best
Margaret

[hectors house]

Congratulations - I'm sure you can find a way round it. When I had my last daughter (pre-Ofsted) I worked until the day she was due (carried round with me list of emergency numbers and mindees mother worked close by), luckily had baby just before start of summer hols and mindees mother was teacher - so I got 6 weeks off, started back in the Sept with a 6 week old, 15 month old and 3 year old mindees and my own 7 & 10 year olds.

Surely if you give parents plenty of notice they can book their holidays to coincide or make other temp plans.

[FussyElmo]

Stop stressing. You will be suprised how much the baby will just fit in to your routine. Speaking as someone whose youngest dd is 10 months, and youngest ds is 2 believe its alot easier to cope that you are thinking.

Talk to your parents first hopefully you will be suprised how understanding they are. The fact that you already work with someone is a blessing you will have the extra hands to help:)

Ps One of the older mindees never finished while I was pregnant but he was part time. With ds I took 2 weeks and with dd I was supposed to be taking 5+ months but hey that turned into 3 because she fitted so well into the routine:)

CONGRATULAIONS:clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

[shonamanning]

cool i think i will still get my self registered because i do want to do it and i am doing it to fit round my family, thanks guys xx is just the money if work self employed we dont get mat pay lol xxx:laughing:

[vix84]

I fell pregnant with my first just as I got registered and took on 2 mindees. I origionally said Id return after 3 months but in the end I waited till 9 months as my baby cried alot - although I think if I went back at 3 months he would have enjoyed the company of others and settled into it. He loves me having the others here now and is much more content.

As for mat. pay you may be able to claim maternity allowance as long as you work in the test period and pay national insurance I think. I got the full 9 months but I was also emplyed for some of the test period.

Congratulations:)

[CherryBlossom]

Congratulations!
Hope you don't worry too much and that it all works out for you
xx