Starting Daycare After Maternity Leave?

[ashleyh]

To give a little backstory - I used to co-direct a small center for a short time (a little less than a year). Things weren't working out so well between me and the owner so I decided to part ways. This was soon after we found out we were pregnant with #2. I applied for places to work but after a while my husband and I decided it would be best for me to stay home. Financially things were rough, but he has started a at a new company which makes up fro the lost income. While I love staying at home, I also run a low volume photography business because I love to work. It allows me time to spend more time with my son however I am missing the childcare industry. I've always run the photography business on the side because most clients ask for shoots during nights/weekends making it easy to accommodate that.

After thinking about things for about 6 months I've decided to open a home based daycare after the baby is born. I've already gotten my legal ducks in a row and have an LLC, talked to the insurance company, have parent packets, policies and everything ready to go. I am waiting until mid Feb to start advertising as it takes my area market a while to bite on new businesses.

Those that have had their own infant with running a daycare business may be able to help my question. Did you take a full maternity leave or start earlier if needed? I am itching to get back to work soon but then again I don't want to bite off more than I can chew and get myself in to a mess once business picks up. I have a teacher on standby to begin the preschool program when we have enough enrolled. What would you do?

[Sprouts]

it all depends on your baby, if he/shes a good napper and feeder then you can start whenever. If you have a teacher already lined up then you can start right away.

I was pregnant while doing daycare and had my son this past october ( i have 3 now), i took 2 weeks off...and then I had my assistants take care of the daycare children while i was still healing and bonding...and I would be up and down the stairs checking in and what not. The main thing that has helped me is the infant swing! and swaddling, that puts my baby to sleep right away and hes a great napper

Hope that helps

[cheerfuldom]

I think it is important to consider what the baby will be ready for....even if you are ready to do it sooner. For his/her sake, I would recommend not starting till baby is 3 to 6 months old. This gives you the chance to bond, build up babies immunity, transition your older to being a big sibling, work out a routine with the two kids before introducing daycare kids, and recover on your own. I realize you have worked daycare before and thats a fantastic start. Many home providers do not have the experience that you have! but on the other hand, you have never parented two kids before. parenting two kids can be just as hard as taking care of a room full of preschoolers for the day. i guess you cant really compare it because its not the same thing. your transition to two kids may be super easy, it may not. I would just hate for you to add in two many changes at once! what if you get a c section and need the extra recovery time? what if your second child was like mine....severe reflux, lots of illness, cried for the first 8 months of life? its better to give yourself some wiggle room!

[ashleyh]

I think it is important to consider what the baby will be ready for....even if you are ready to do it sooner. For his/her sake, I would recommend not starting till baby is 3 to 6 months old. This gives you the chance to bond, build up babies immunity, transition your older to being a big sibling, work out a routine with the two kids before introducing daycare kids, and recover on your own. I realize you have worked daycare before and thats a fantastic start. Many home providers do not have the experience that you have! but on the other hand, you have never parented two kids before. parenting two kids can be just as hard as taking care of a room full of preschoolers for the day. i guess you cant really compare it because its not the same thing. your transition to two kids may be super easy, it may not. I would just hate for you to add in two many changes at once! what if you get a c section and need the extra recovery time? what if your second child was like mine....severe reflux, lots of illness, cried for the first 8 months of life? its better to give yourself some wiggle room!

We are going in for a c-section! I forgot to mention that. We had a emergency c-sec the first child and am doing a scheduled one this time. I'm a small gal with average sized kiddos LOL. Our first was colicky and didnt start sleeping through the night until close to his first year. Between a full time job, school, and the side business it was crazy. He's now two, and sometimes still wakes up

Sprouts - Thanks for your post, it does help! I'm hoping this one isn't colicky like our first and eats well. Our first cried and cried. I felt so bad. The person I have lined up to start would do well on her own if I had to leave to recoup.

[melilley]

I too left a center setting to open my in home daycare-well I'm sending in my paperwork tomorrow! I had my son at the end of July and am just now, well hopefully, opening very soon. I have to say that I am so glad that I took the time off to be with him! He is the best baby and with his easy going personality it would have been easy to open a couple months after he was born (if I had been ready to open), but I am grateful that I got to spend time with him without other non family member kids around. With that said, I have also seen women on here open like two weeks after they have had their children-I'm not sure if they had a c-section or not, but I don't know how they did it either way-super women I guess... Like Countrymom said, consider what the baby and you will be ready for. Think back to your other baby who way colicky, do you think you could have run a daycare if you didn't take a full maternity leave? Just something to think about. Don't rush it or you might end up too stressed out and regret things.
I am impressed that you have all that stuff to open done already! Kudos to you!