Planning DR Visits/Maternity Leave During Pregnancy

[lmdc]

my hubby and i just found out we are expecting our second child next september...yay! any advice on how other people have worked out drs appts and any time off when the baby comes would be appreciated! i do not currently have an assistant, so it is all me.

i'm going to check with my licensor next week and see if she has any advice about what she's seen people do around here, and also to see if it's possible to have other providers watch the children on a temporary basis for the maternity leave...i was thinking i would call around and find a short list of providers who thought they may have openings for around when i'm due who would agree to allow one (or more) of my dc kiddos to temporarily fill their spots for 3 weeks. (i would assist with forwarding all updated records, etc, and assist in anyway i could before the baby was born) does this sound crazy?

thanks in advance!

[hcmom]

Well starting in December 2009, I stopped working Fridays, I only work Monday-Thursday, because I felt the weekend's were too short and I needed to run errands, go to appointments and etc. on Friday, as well as just spend one on one time with my baby.

So, I guess you can tell your clients that starting on such and such a date you will no longer be working on (PICK A DAY) and explain to them that you need a day to make appointments.

I am not sure how Maternity leave works, I didn't run daycare when I was pregnant.

Good Luck and CONGRATS!

[momofboys]

my hubby and i just found out we are expecting our second child next september...yay! any advice on how other people have worked out drs appts and any time off when the baby comes would be appreciated! i do not currently have an assistant, so it is all me.

i'm going to check with my licensor next week and see if she has any advice about what she's seen people do around here, and also to see if it's possible to have other providers watch the children on a temporary basis for the maternity leave...i was thinking i would call around and find a short list of providers who thought they may have openings for around when i'm due who would agree to allow one (or more) of my dc kiddos to temporarily fill their spots for 3 weeks. (i would assist with forwarding all updated records, etc, and assist in anyway i could before the baby was born) does this sound crazy?

thanks in advance!

I would call your dr's office & see if you can make a bunch of appts in advance so you can ensure that you can have late appt times, that is if your dr's office has later hours. Of course if you needed to be seen sooner you could do so but if you schedule early enough you could do them after the dc kids are gone. Also, not sure how to work out maternity leave but don't go back too soon! Your little one needs time just with you. If possible, try to take more than 3 weeks off.

[Pammie]

Congrats on your pregnancy
When I was pregnant with my daughter, my daycare moms all took turns subbing for me when I went to doctor's appointments. I tried to get appts during nap-times - and with the moms coming in to sub...each family was only *inconvenienced* once or twice during the pregnancy. At the time, I had a great group of parents, and it worked out nicely for everyone. (and each of the moms left with a greater appreciation for the work that I do!)
I was induced, so was able to give families a definite "last day" and took 4 weeks off. All of my clients made their own back-up plans, and all returned to me when I started back.
Best wishes for an easy pregnancy - and understanding clients!
Hugs!
Pam

[originalkat]

I was not pregnant when I had my daycare either...

Does your area have any kind of sub service? We have a few sub services for home and center based programs. You request a sub and they send someone for a fee. (one in our area was $11 per hour with a two hour min.) I want to take my kids to homeschool co-op when they get older every Monday morning. I have thought about pre-scheduling a sub each Monday for a couple hours. Also, is there a friend or relative who could come and stay with the kids at naptime when you have an appointment? I have my Grandma come over to sit with the kids at naptime if I have to go to an appointment...or when My husband has days off during the week I schedule them at nap on those days. If you have a lot of full-time kids I do not see how it would be feasible to take of one day per week. If none of those are options, you could pre-schedule all your appointments for either early or late in the day and tell the parents you will have to close early or open late on those dates for Doctor Appointments.

I would take 3-6 weeks at least. Just let them know way ahead of time so they can make other arrangements for that time. If they are happy at your daycare they will come back I'm sure. It is a little scary but you can do it. Since it will not be paid, start saving now so you can make it financially after the baby until your steady pay returns.

[kitkat]

When I was pregnant, I scheduled my appts as close to naptime as possible. My mom helped out and watched the kids for all of my appts. If she wasn't available, then I would close for the day or just be available for 1/2 day. My dr. office schedules all of the prenatal appts at the beginning of the pregnancy. It's so nice because then you know way in advance when appts will be and can figure out child care arrangements. If your office doesn't do that automatically, ask them to.

I had a scheduled c-section (DD was breech). Since we knew the exact date, it was easier to figure out exact maternity leave dates, but I still kept the time line flexible in case I needed more or less time. I took about 6 weeks off. I had one family come back the 6th week and the other come back the next. DH also stayed home for a few days both weeks to give me a hand if I needed one.

Congrats on the baby! DD was a Sept. baby also.

[Carole's Daycare]

Congrats on your pregnancy
When I was pregnant with my daughter, my daycare moms all took turns subbing for me when I went to doctor's appointments. I tried to get appts during nap-times - and with the moms coming in to sub...each family was only *inconvenienced* once or twice during the pregnancy. At the time, I had a great group of parents, and it worked out nicely for everyone. (and each of the moms left with a greater appreciation for the work that I do!)
I was induced, so was able to give families a definite "last day" and took 4 weeks off. All of my clients made their own back-up plans, and all returned to me when I started back.
Best wishes for an easy pregnancy - and understanding clients!
Hugs!
Pam

Wow! super nice set up and efficient. I can't use most of my parents due to background check and training requirements here in MN for subs. My husband is a deputy sheriff, and he will watch during nap, as he's first repsonder & had the checks and trainings. We also have a professional sub in our area who schedules to cover for many daycares in our association. Maybe your daycare association has a list of subs to use, or some other daycares have a friend thats had the required training That might be willing to work for you. My sub charges $10/hr, but its nice to have when you need to go to an appt, or see your son's school play etc.

[Chickenhauler]

We're expecting in May, and for appts, we "try" to schedule them around the DC schedule, but we all know how that goes.....LOL.

As for time off, being that I am self employed, I will be taking time off and helping out in the DC duties (not looking forward to doing diapers) so the Mrs can recuperate. My mom did daycare for 2-1/2 decades, and has offered to come up and lend a hand (thankfully). Downside, that means my Dad's coming too......and me and him together tend to get into "trouble". He's 70 and I'm 32, and you'd swear the two of us together are 15