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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Pregnant... What Did You Do With Your Daycare?
Unregistered 01:43 PM 05-09-2018
So just looking for what others have done with their daycares during pregnancy? I plan to work as long as I can to my due date hopefully. And I do not want to lose clients and start all over so... what did you do? Most of my families do not have family close by for backup...
Jupadia 02:23 PM 05-09-2018
I was able to use backup between 2 people who covered 5 weeks. Though I did assist cooking meals and as I recover doing things with the kids. I also closed for two weeks. I had a c section so I was able to plan it out with dates ahead of time. I worked till the end (or just before cause my youngest was born just after Christmas so I had a couple days off before). I lost one person over having my subs in instead of me. But my ratios were changing and I had to get rid of a family anyways so for me it was not a big deal to lose them.
Ariana 04:56 PM 05-09-2018
I was bed ridden with morning sickness from week 7 to week 14 so my husband had to take a bunch of vacation to cover me! Luckily his boss was super awesome and also let him work from home as much as possible. It was rough!!
After that I ran the daycare as usual until I went into labour. Luckily my due date was January so I had a few weeks off at Christmas before I went into labour. My parents lived nearby but unfortunately they were useless to me
Once baby came I took 3 weeks off and then went back into the swing of things. Oddly I enjoyed working right away because I was so bored on my mat leave with my first (we get a year off here in Canada).
After that I ran the daycare as usual until I went into labour. Luckily my due date was January so I had a few weeks off at Christmas before I went into labour. My parents lived nearby but unfortunately they were useless to me
Once baby came I took 3 weeks off and then went back into the swing of things. Oddly I enjoyed working right away because I was so bored on my mat leave with my first (we get a year off here in Canada).
Snowmom 05:29 PM 05-09-2018
I worked through my due date (a Friday) and had my son early Saturday morning. I took 2 weeks and 2 days off and re-opened without help.
During the two weeks, most families had back up care ready. One family used a local drop in facility. One family gave notice by text on the day I gave birth and had planned to leave me all along-just apparently didn't want to tell me face to face (I kept their enrollment fee).
The thing about home daycare though: if families intend to utilize it, they should absolutely have a back up plan available. To expect their in-home provider to always be available, never take days off, or always take care of the substitute is asinine in my opinion.
If they want that kind of guarantee, they should be paying the higher center rates for guaranteed services.
During the two weeks, most families had back up care ready. One family used a local drop in facility. One family gave notice by text on the day I gave birth and had planned to leave me all along-just apparently didn't want to tell me face to face (I kept their enrollment fee).
The thing about home daycare though: if families intend to utilize it, they should absolutely have a back up plan available. To expect their in-home provider to always be available, never take days off, or always take care of the substitute is asinine in my opinion.
If they want that kind of guarantee, they should be paying the higher center rates for guaranteed services.
LittleScholars 08:47 AM 05-10-2018
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
So just looking for what others have done with their daycares during pregnancy? I plan to work as long as I can to my due date hopefully. And I do not want to lose clients and start all over so... what did you do? Most of my families do not have family close by for backup...
I had my first January 2017. I worked up until the moment I went into labor (I thought I was in labor but it didn't pick up speed until a few hours after they left). I stayed super active with the kids the entire time and I think it really helped me in labor. I took 5 weeks off. I had planned to have a sub cover after 3 weeks, but she cancelled at the very last second. It was so stressful that I won't be using sub coverage other than for appointments this time around. No families left and all found back up care. I reached out to tons of providers and asked if they were willing to provide temporary care and many agreed. I made some great contacts along the way. I shared a list of providers with families and it went really well. So just looking for what others have done with their daycares during pregnancy? I plan to work as long as I can to my due date hopefully. And I do not want to lose clients and start all over so... what did you do? Most of my families do not have family close by for backup...
I'm pregnant again (due in October) and I'm following the same plan. The only change is that I'm taking 6-7 weeks off (depending on delivery date). I feel more confident in doing so now that I feel like a well-established provider. If a family left, I could fill a spot quickly.
hwichlaz 03:02 PM 05-10-2018
I ran it as if I weren’t pregnant. Closed down to go have the baby...opened back up two weeks later.
I helped everyone by giving them lists of local providers with openings who were willing to take my kids on short term.
I helped everyone by giving them lists of local providers with openings who were willing to take my kids on short term.
BrynleeJean 12:24 PM 05-11-2018
the first time i was pregnant, my first pregnancy ever, id only been open for maybe 6 months. i told the families after maybe 3 months. i was bound and determined that it wouldn't effect my level of care. My husband was my sub, VERY reluctantly. i had doctor very frequent doctor appointments and he was about ready to pull his hair out with spending his day off watching all my daycare kids 
needless to say he won't volunteer to be my sub anymore.
My mom said that she was going to take a week ate my delivery so i didnt have to close and she could sub so i got her certified. She played with my new baby the whole time while i worked..
i scheduled to be induced. I literally worked Wednesday, closed on time, went to dinner with my husband as a last supper, and went to the hospital for check in at 8.
Had my son by 8 then next day. i closed on that friday and didnt leave the hospital until sunday because baby wasn't peeing well and id planned to open monday.
the daycare parents wanted and got pictures sent to them of new baby and said "aw we will keep LO home today spend another day" :roll eyes: so i opened tuesday, again mom was no help and i worked.
because it was my first i think it was rough. i was so tired, first trimester and towards the end were hardest to stay awake and be pleasant and just keep up with housework/daycare work.
THIS pregnancy i said NOPE! i gave notice right away and closed my daycare. my husband can support us until the baby is born. I've been bored but can nap when exhausted, can go to doc appointments and not feel guilty, and can just bond with my baby post-partum without feeling like 'wait these other kids are paying customers i should take care of them'
im reopening a few months after birth and no i won't have the same clients i just completely shut down with no plan of opening again. I'm not worried. my family comes first. i didnt do that the first time around, first pregnancy and though we lived, my son and i and my husband, it was very rough.
needless to say he won't volunteer to be my sub anymore. My mom said that she was going to take a week ate my delivery so i didnt have to close and she could sub so i got her certified. She played with my new baby the whole time while i worked..
i scheduled to be induced. I literally worked Wednesday, closed on time, went to dinner with my husband as a last supper, and went to the hospital for check in at 8.
Had my son by 8 then next day. i closed on that friday and didnt leave the hospital until sunday because baby wasn't peeing well and id planned to open monday.
the daycare parents wanted and got pictures sent to them of new baby and said "aw we will keep LO home today spend another day" :roll eyes: so i opened tuesday, again mom was no help and i worked.
because it was my first i think it was rough. i was so tired, first trimester and towards the end were hardest to stay awake and be pleasant and just keep up with housework/daycare work.
THIS pregnancy i said NOPE! i gave notice right away and closed my daycare. my husband can support us until the baby is born. I've been bored but can nap when exhausted, can go to doc appointments and not feel guilty, and can just bond with my baby post-partum without feeling like 'wait these other kids are paying customers i should take care of them'
im reopening a few months after birth and no i won't have the same clients i just completely shut down with no plan of opening again. I'm not worried. my family comes first. i didnt do that the first time around, first pregnancy and though we lived, my son and i and my husband, it was very rough.
Unregistered 08:43 AM 05-14-2018
So thanks for all your replys, I think I will just close up close to my due date. I think only 2 weeks off is not enough when feeding a baby all night long. That way I can put my family first. My husband will have to just support us until I reopen. I have been operating 6 years now so I don't think it will be too hard to regain clients.
Ac114 06:06 PM 05-14-2018
I was not doing childcare during any of my pregnancies but I know that 6 weeks was never enough maternity leave for me to return back to work. I was EXHAUSTED! After my 3rd pregnancy, I took 8 weeks off and decided to resign my position at 6 weeks maternity leave. I started child care when LO was 4 months old. I would recommend at least 6-8 weeks off.... just to add- I didn’t have help from family or friends at all and husband returned to work after a week so I guess it depends on what kind of support you have as to how well rested you feel.