Maternity Leave

[JeepGirl6]

With doing an In Home Day Care, how long do you take off? We are planning on having a baby around July next year if I am able to get pregnant right away and I have some parents already asking me how long I am going to take off. I don't want to lose any kids by taking off too long.

[AfterSchoolMom]

I was planning on taking several months off, but I don't think we're going to be able to swing it financially, so my plan now is two weeks. I'll just be doing part time though (SA's).

If I were doing full time care, I'd take off at least that much, but probably more like a month if I could do it without losing families.

[DCBlessings27]

I am planning on taking 3 months off. Of course, I'm not even due until New Year's Eve. We can afford it, and I know that I might lose families. I'm okay with this though because my own daughter will start preschool in the fall of 2013. I'll need to scale back in order to transport her anyway.

[abigailrw5]

I'm taking 3 weeks. I asked this question a couple of months ago and most people said 2-3 weeks off. My husband will be here with me the first week I'm working though.

[Willow]

SO and I are getting married in July and we plan on trying almost immediately.

We discussed hiring a qualified temp of sorts to come in to our home and take over for 6 weeks or so. Possibly an older retired provider, nanny or college student home for the summer months. That way I can recover, have time to bond with baby, run to any doc appointments for baby etc all while still being able to accommodate my families and keep an eye on all my daycare kids while they're in the care of someone else (that was of huge concern to me!)

Because I'd provide the space, the families and the food I would reasonably compensate my fill in but figure I'll still have at least a minimal income during that time.

Most of my families have asked what our intentions were as far as that's concerned and seemed relieved and very comfortable with our plan.

[MNMum]

SO and I are getting married in July and we plan on trying almost immediately.

We discussed hiring a qualified temp of sorts to come in to our home and take over for 6 weeks or so. Possibly an older retired provider, nanny or college student home for the summer months. That way I can recover, have time to bond with baby, run to any doc appointments for baby etc all while still being able to accommodate my families and keep an eye on all my daycare kids while they're in the care of someone else (that was of huge concern to me!)

Because I'd provide the space, the families and the food I would reasonably compensate my fill in but figure I'll still have at least a minimal income during that time.

Most of my families have asked what our intentions were as far as that's concerned and seemed relieved and very comfortable with our plan.

I think this sounds like a great plan! I've been considering baby #4(my husband's not quite on board yet!), but I love a couple of my families and I don't want to leave them high and dry. I'm thinking I would hire someone 3 days/week 9-1pm, do the fourth day on my own. I have a small enough group, it could even be a SAHM with a child over 2 years, which might be enticing to someone (I'm hoping). I would want to do this longterm, as I've always had a 4 month maternity leave.

[Abigail]

Well my husband I don't have any kids yet, but I was smart enough to put in my contract under Provider Vacation and Personal Days at the very end: The provider will not be available for child care services while on maternity leave; there will be no fee to clients during that time.

Then if parents ask which most have, I tell them I plan to be closed just the first week and then have someone come in to help so I can at least not think about daycare for a whole week.

I'm hoping that I have more kids by that time (which is at least 9+ months away, LOL) then whoever is working with me part time would be going full time during that week. My husband works evenings/nights so he's always home to help with somethings too. I'm sure he would be off work for a week once we become parents too.