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Unregistered 08:46 AM 07-02-2018
Welp, I’m pregnant! Just found out over the weekend and totally was not planned. I have a 20 month old already. I should be due around March. I opened when my baby was an infant so I’ve never dealt with running this business while pregnant. Does anyone have advice on telling families and how to handle doctor’s appointments/maternity leave? I’m already not planning to charge anything for my maternity leave.

I’ve also been thinking about it for some time but I’m going to go ahead and make the switch to a teacher schedule after my maternity leave. It just makes sense to change it at that time. I just want summers off with my family and already have two teacher kids enrolled. I think I will close down once I have the baby and then reopen in August on the new schedule. I plan to have clients pay for the whole school year each week, but close without pay for June and July. Does anyone have any advice about this transition?

Thanks in advance!
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Annalee 11:12 AM 07-02-2018
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Welp, I’m pregnant! Just found out over the weekend and totally was not planned. I have a 20 month old already. I should be due around March. I opened when my baby was an infant so I’ve never dealt with running this business while pregnant. Does anyone have advice on telling families and how to handle doctor’s appointments/maternity leave? I’m already not planning to charge anything for my maternity leave.

I’ve also been thinking about it for some time but I’m going to go ahead and make the switch to a teacher schedule after my maternity leave. It just makes sense to change it at that time. I just want summers off with my family and already have two teacher kids enrolled. I think I will close down once I have the baby and then reopen in August on the new schedule. I plan to have clients pay for the whole school year each week, but close without pay for June and July. Does anyone have any advice about this transition?

Thanks in advance!
Whatever you decide to do, do so professionally in a non-negotiable way. My motto is "I want 12 families that will follow my contract/policies".....I tell them all when they have questions "I understand how you feel, but this is how Ms. xxxx runs the child program....if this doesn't work for you, I require a two weeks notice". Congratulations on your pregnancy!
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Jupadia 06:11 PM 07-02-2018
First congrats.

Second I can't tell you how to do it without knowing some of your laws or info I can tell you what I did. My first I had full mat leave (1 year here in Canada) and no daycare started at the time. So I took my year off and started my childcare then quite my job never to return (retail management at time).
When I had my second I had no official mat leave to take cause I now had the daycare and worked for myself so I o ly closed for 2 weeks. Before baby was due I was able to use my mother in law as a sub for appointments to cover the daycare kids. I only told parents at the 3 month mark even though I had doctor's appointments before that due to a previous loss. They just knew I was at the doctors. At that point I told them that I would be closing for a week when I had the baby and then my mil would cover for 3 week, then my husband for 2 weeks then close for one more week before opening back up with me taking full care of the kids. I knew I was having a scheduled c section so it was easy for me to give dates. I had parents sign a copy of my plan once I had dates but made sure to state the dates were tentative and could change.

I had one parent give notice that they would be leaving which was fine since ratio laws actually changed 2 days after I had him for me to include my own kids. I did not charge for the 2 weeks I took off and closed but did of course for the time I had subs in.

Weather you use subs or not will be up to first your laws that govern such for where you live. Also the cost of your subs. My subs cost me nothing since my mil considers her grandson her pay and was on vaction from her job so had no hardship or cash loss. My husband did miss out on pay but we did not want me to loss kids since it had taken awhile to build up the daycare to being full. Had he missed more then 2 weeks (if I needed more recovery time then recomened) he actually would have got paternal leave but missed out do to the 2 week waiting period.

Appointments during pregnancy can vary to only a few to multiple visits a week depending on complications or how far along. Let's just say I was lucky my mil could cover for them cause I had lots.

When you go on your mat leave keep in mind how long you need and how long you think you can retain the clients you want. If your changing your program start advertising early to fill your spots even if before your leave.

Good kuck
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Ariana 09:00 AM 07-04-2018
I don’t remember being too impacted by my pregnancy. It was harder with my first when I worked at a Centre but when I worked at home my DH was able to sub for me when needed. I ended up with severe morning sickness with both babies from week 7 until about week 20 so DH subbed a LOT during that time. It was a nightmare!!

He also subbed for appointments but I mostly arranged them after hours so he could come too. I took 3 weeks off after birth but made sure to tell parents I would need 6 if I ended up with a csection (which was highly unlikely). All families were super understanding and had back up care. I was fine after 3 weeks
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Tags:maternity leave, pregnant
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