Provider Pregnancy...How Did You Do It?

[Unregistered]

I'm an in home provider and am expecting my 2nd in Aug. I have questions for those of you who run a small facility by yourself.

When did you tell parents, and more importantly how did you keep them from worrying you'd close for too long or drop their child? (I'm full and 1 will have to leave by August if someone doesn't depart on their own)

How did you adjust your program during pregnancy to make things a little easier? (I get big and of course tired, fortunately not sick yet but queasy here and there)

[finsup]

I'm an in home provider and am expecting my 2nd in Aug. I have questions for those of you who run a small facility by yourself.

When did you tell parents, and more importantly how did you keep them from worrying you'd close for too long or drop their child? (I'm full and 1 will have to leave by August if someone doesn't depart on their own)

How did you adjust your program during pregnancy to make things a little easier? (I get big and of course tired, fortunately not sick yet but queasy here and there)

I've had two babies while doing this and each time have told my families early. Like 6 weeks . But that's because I tell everyone early and after my family knows, I want my daycare families to be next. I do not want them finding out on fb before I tell them or anything like that. Plus it gives them plenty of time to prepare. I only take two weeks off (unpaid) after a birth and since it has to be a c section, it makes planning really easy. Most have been supportive! Mostly when I tell them, I let them know what my plan is and if I will be staying open. My own don't count in my numbers however so I've never had to drop a child for that reason.
As for getting through it...give yourself grace and don't be afraid to cut back a little if its getting to be too much. With me, I decided the last 2 months would be a lot of outdoor play vs projects etc. The kids certainly didn't mind and I knew we'd make up for projects etc once the baby got here and we'd be stuck inside during a lot of the winter anyways. And a cup of coffee in the afternoon helped a lot too!

[Ariana]

I also told my families super early but mainly because morning sickness was brutal for me and started at week 7. My husband had to take time off work to help me run the daycare. I ended up terming one trouble child because I was sick and there was no way my husband could handle her. I was also upfront with parents that I would be taking 3 weeks off and then would be getting my mom to help out for 3 weeks after baby came. They seemed happy about that and no one termed fortunately. I think personally the earlier you can inform them the better it is for everyone because they can line up alternate care easier with lots of notice. Also if anyone decides to term you can replace or adjust your budget or whatever. My morning sickness subsided around week 25ish and I didn't find it too bad. We didn't go outside as much and I sat down a lot more! My husband was run ragged I am sure of it!!

Good luck!!

[Indoorvoice]

I'm due at the end of May and this is the first baby I've had while doing daycare. I also told my families early like around 8 weeks. I told each family in person and also handed them a letter outlining my plan for maternity leave (2 weeks) and how I was handling appointments.

As for dealing during the day, I just take everything slow and do easier activities. I don't really do a curriculum anyway, so I don't think anyone has noticed a cutback in what we do. I used to use nap time to do housework and business stuff and now it is strictly my downtime until I get some energy back.

[kendallina]

I'm pregnant with my second and due in two months. Right now I'm feeling huge and I've had to adjust several things, but it's been manageable. I run a preschool for ages 3-5 only, so things may be different for you. About 20 weeks pregnant I finally put a comfy adult chair in the room (I've never used an adult chair in the room!) and I use that exclusively during free play times. Getting up and down several times is very difficult for me. I still get on the floor for circle time and stories, but I won't be able to for much longer. I no longer run, play tag, jump to the songs or even dance much with the kiddos anymore... ;/

I ask the kids for help picking things up off the floor. I encourage them to ask each other for help. I have them bring me things that they need help with instead of me getting up and going to them. I even ask the dads for help if they happen to show up when I need something (the 5-gallon water jug put on the cooler-I could barely do that before pregnancy!).

Although my program is play-based, we still have activities that we do together every day. I've cut back a little on that, made the activities a little easier on me and sometimes will skip a day and we just have more free play. Not too much has had to change with this, though.

The BIGGEST help for me is having a sub. I've never had a sub before and don't know how I survived so long without someone. Last month she started working one day a week for me. She'll be full time when I'm about 38 weeks. I know many many providers don't use a sub while pregnant and only take a couple of weeks off work, but I couldn't handle that. I'm taking off the rest of the school year and all summer. My baby will be going to childcare when preschool starts back up in September.

I told families when I was 13 weeks, I only waited so long because I got a whole new crop of kids when I was 12 weeks pregnant (school year started), so I wanted them to start and get a little comfortable with me before telling them. I desperately wanted to tell everyone before then because I felt so sick during the summer, but I really stressed about how my new families would react.

When I told families I let them know my exact plan for appointments and maternity leave. I already had my sub set up and many of them already knew her (small town). I would probably wait to tell them that someone will have to leave when your baby comes along, though. Some will figure it out, I'm sure, but it's totally possible that someone will end up leaving between now and then anyways.

That's all. Maybe the biggest change for me is that now that I'm more tired and bigger, my house is not as clean and I have zero energy in the evenings. So, DH has had to pick up some slack and other things I just have to let go of. Congrats mama!

[Play Care]

Thankfully Facebook and the like wasn't as hugely popular when I was expecting my second child. I waited until I was about 20 or so weeks to tell. But I also waited to tell family the second time around.

Nothing really changed for the day care and my mat leave wasn't even going to affect one family, I see no reason to give lots of notice especially if you aren't taking a long mat leave.

I think we had a provider on here either last year or early this year not tell anyone as she was only taking a two week "vacation" which was normal. And when they came back, SURPRISE BABY! :: IMO, that's what I would do again if, heaven forbid, we had another ::