Do I Tell New Family That I Am Pregnant?

[LeslieG]

I am 7 weeks pregnant and have not told any of my daycare families that I am expecting. I am not planning on telling them until about mid-October.

I will be interviewing a new family this week and wasn't planning on telling them either.. but then I was talking to my mom about it and she made it sound like I should tell them during the interview. What do you think?

[Cat Herder]

I believe the social standard is 12-14 weeks, so I think waiting is perfectly acceptable in this situation.

[NightOwl]

Sure you can wait. Lots of people wait until they're out of the first trimester.

[e.j.]

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

I'm so glad I had both of my kids before I opened my day care! I'm really not sure what I would have done if I were in your situation. On the one hand, you shouldn't feel pressured to announce your pregnancy any sooner than you would like to. On the other hand, there's a good chance your pregnancy will affect the families in your care at least to some degree. My guess is, your mother feels it would only be fair to let the potential client know so they can make a fully informed decision and not feel as though you were trying to hide information from them during the interview just to get them to sign on.

Having had my son in day care before I opened my own, I can understand why having that piece of information could be important to a family. Since most of my friends and family worked full-time and had kids of their own in day care, they weren't in a position to help me out if my own day care provider couldn't watch my child for any length of time like for maternity leave or if she were to be placed on bed rest during her pregnancy, etc.

I think based on my own experience as a day care parent, I'd probably lean toward letting them know that I was pregnant but that's because I would have wanted to have been told. Even now that it's been 20 years since my son was in day care, I still tend to make my own day care decisions based on how I would have wanted to be treated as a dc parent. Good luck with your decision; it's not an easy one to have to make!

[TaylorTots]

Congrats!!!!

Wait till mid-October. Lots of things can happen with your current DCFs between now and your due date. My daycare provider friend told people in interviews when she was about 9 weeks and could never land a family, lost/termed 2 others in the course of the pregnancy due to policy problems, etc. and now she's struggling with 3+ spots open, due in a month.

[Margarete]

You could always instead of saying that you are pregnant, mention that you are planning on taking some of the vacation time listed in the contract in the month of March.
That gives them a heads up on when they will need to find substitute care, without giving them specific details.

[EchoMom]

I'm 6 months pregnant and still haven't told any of my current families or families I'm interviewing that I'm pregnant. I'm a chubb-o and tall so the belly isn't very prominent and just blends in and I don't flaunt it so no one even notices.

I did tell all current families and interviewing families that we will be closed for 2 weeks over Christmas/New years for unpaid vacation time but they don't know any reason other than they probably assume it's just a holiday vacation we decided to take.

I don't know when I'll tell them... If they never notice or ask, maybe I'll just show up holding a newborn one day. Some probably wouldn't even notice until Spring! Surprise!

[Shell]

You could always instead of saying that you are pregnant, mention that you are planning on taking some of the vacation time listed in the contract in the month of March.
That gives them a heads up on when they will need to find substitute care, without giving them specific details.

I always say this- but you are entitled to privacy, especially this early on. Parents can panic and leave unnecessarily when they hear a provider is pregnant. Bottom line, they don't want to miss work for your appointments, or have to find care for an extended time. Most of us hire assistants for appointments , and take short maternity leaves. I didn't lose any families because parents only had to find coverage for one week, and had six months to plan for it. Congrats happyface

[Play Care]

I'm 6 months pregnant and still haven't told any of my current families or families I'm interviewing that I'm pregnant. I'm a chubb-o and tall so the belly isn't very prominent and just blends in and I don't flaunt it so no one even notices.

I did tell all current families and interviewing families that we will be closed for 2 weeks over Christmas/New years for unpaid vacation time but they don't know any reason other than they probably assume it's just a holiday vacation we decided to take.

I don't know when I'll tell them... If they never notice or ask, maybe I'll just show up holding a newborn one day. Some probably wouldn't even notice until Spring! Surprise!

That's awesome!! happyface
I also waited until I was far along to let my clients know - they still had plenty of time to make any alternate arrangements. But I also didn't have anyone just starting...
If you have back up care, and are planning on using your usual time off for the birth, then I don't see the need to make announcements right away. I almost think once they actually realize you've been pregnant all along and it hasn't inconvenienced them in any way, they might be more inclined to stay...

[LeslieG]

Thanks everyone for your input! You've kind of inspired me to wait until November (instead of October) to tell parents.. if I'm not showing. I like the idea of "showing them" that I can still do my job just as well while pregnant.

[toriskids]

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I am 31 weeks pregnant, and still accepting new clients! I do not notify the DCP prior to the interview because I think it can be kind of scary and intimidating to them, but I do tell them when I make my initial "presentation". I always want them to see how capable I am as a person, and the type of quality care I can provide for their children regardless of my condition. I did notify the parents at 12 weeks, just out of respect for them and to give them the option to proceed forward or not. Honesty and communication is a big deal to me on both ends
I also have a lot of energy and my house is spotless because I am experiencing "nesting", !
I DO encourage parents to find a back up provider and I have hired a substitute to take over in their home while I am taking my 1 month maternity leave. I also just took my contracted 2 weeks off when I was 24 weeks pregnant. I think if you are a quality provider and the parents can see that, they will be inclined to return/proceed forward regardless. I have not lost 1 family out of 13 revolving children!
Also I talk with the children about the size (in fruit and veggie terms) of the baby and the way the baby is developing, and they are all excited for the new arrival.
Good luck and follow your heart, and do what YOU feel is best. It is your daycare BTW!

[TheGoodLife]

I interviewed my 2 newest families after I found out I was pregnant, but didn't tell them or my other family until I told everyone, which was 14 weeks.

I didn't want to scare them off- may sound selfish, but I have a husband who gets home by 2 every day and is off one day a week, so I don't have to close for most doctors appointments except the 20 week ultrasound- which we are coinciding with a family trip to the pumpkin patch so I'd be closed anyways! I was nervous to tell them but they were both happy for me and one DCM even commented that if I changed my plan to take off more than the 2 weeks I told them I plan to take off that her work is flexible! My DCM that has been here since January just said "I thought so!" (I show very early so she saw the weight gain that started a few days after I got the positive test!)

It is a personal time for you and your family, there is still a higher risk of miscarriage (I had one in March), and you most likely wouldn't tell your boss so early if you had another job- so do what you are comfortable with! DCPs are expected to put the daycare families first all the time, I say do what is best for you- they have a ton of time if they are not comfortable with a provider with a newborn!

Congratulations, and well-wishes for an easy first trimester and a great pregnancy! happyface