Antenatal Appointments whilst minding!

[Blades35]

Greetings everyone!

I was just having a think about future, and I am loving Childminding, have lovely children in my care, and equally lovely parents! But I am trying for another baby at the moment, and although I have planned (as much as you can with these things!!) how a new baby will effect my mindee's, ratios etc, I just thought "what do you do when it comes to all the antenatal appointments?" where do you stand? You obviously have to attend them, but I work full time, mon- fri, 8am-6pm, do I need to find a buddy childminder? What's the protocol? Thanks for any shared knowledge!xxx

[migimoo]

My full time mindee comes with me to any hospital/doctors appointments-I make sure she's included as much as possible in any everyday stuff as it's all KUW and can lead to some very funny roleplay with the dolls when we get home!

I would check with parents first though to be safe tho noone here's ever been bothered.

(she even had to come with me for my smear once-she sat on the other side of the curtain with some raisins while the nurse 'checked my sore tummy' and we all sang songs during the 'lovely' process...the nurse too-who knew a smear could be such fun?!)

[nikki thomson]

Hi, I use to take the mindee with me to my appointments with the midwife, only the general ones, let's be honest there very infrequent.
Obviously scans and hospital appointments I didn't as that is a very special time and my dh would of sense of humour failure if I had to take other peoples children with us which is fair enough tbh.
I did only have the one and also Lo's mum use to try and rearrange her days if I had an appointment, I was happy to take her and mum was happy for her to go with me.
I do think you need to think about anything that may come up which means you can't work at short notice, I had fab pregnancies but a cm friend of mine had the most horrendous morning sickness, you know when your sick 24/7 and can't keep anything down so she had to have quite abit of time off as she literally couldn't get her head of the pillow. X

[kindredspirits]

you're 2nd or more baby antenatal appointments are something like 8, 16, 34 and 38 weeks so not too close together and not that many! I took mindees to mine they liked to listen to baby's heartbeat!

[muffins]

In this area we have appointments every 4wks (regardless of 1st, 2nd baby etc) and I just take mindees with me. They are held in the local childrens centre and in a room with plenty of toys so easy to do!

[Blades35]

Thanks everyone, that's great, I did think of taking mindee along, as it would an experience for them, but wasn't sure if OK, so thanks for all your replies, one less thing for me to worry about!xxx

[kimlouise25]

I always took my minded children with me to midwife appointments. As some said before use it as a learning experience!! Just check with the parents first.
Some appoinments I did ask my parents to arrange alterate cover eg scans.

Good luck.

[jaytravis]

when i was pregnant lst year i hd weekly meetings with the midwife and fortnightly ones with the consultant one mindee who i hd on thursdays came with me for all apart from the consultant ones , with the midwife we were in and out in 5 mins and lo mum was fine with this all other app he went too my backup minder xx

[miffy]

As long as parents and you are happy to take the children along then I don't see any problem with it.

Miffy xx