34 *nearly* and working... your thoughts... please help me decide

[Danielle_NZ]

Okay so I've been helping my sister out while she has been in NZ but working for her in her family daycare. I did 3 days last week and 2 so far this week and have planned to do tomorrow & friday too however I'm tossing up whether or not I should work...

I'm having major ligament pains (they don't actually feel like ligament pains I've had previously) which I've put down to getting in and out of the van (one of the high vans), picking up the children to get them in and out of their car seats, putting them on the changing table for nappies and getting the 6 month old in and out of her cot.

I end each day with a mega headache, had a raise in blood pressure last week but this week it's back to normal. Bloods on Friday came back clear for PE as I was in the pregnancy assessment unit with the "ligament" cramps on one side of my belly and an extremely horrid headache.

Had my midwife appointment today and got sent down to the pregnancy assessment unit due to bubs heart rate at 180, after 30 minutes on CTG he was back down at 135-140 so got sent home. Both visits at the pregnancy assessment unit have ended in the midwife telling me not to pick up my 2 3/4 year old son.

The kids are 6 months, and the other 3 are 2 years olds and I have 2 - 3 schoolies that require after school care.

I did try and change their nappies on the couch (moving the changing mat) but it hurt more twisting my body to change their nappy than it did to pick them up and put them on the changing mat.

I'm hitting a brick wall with my decision as if I do not work then there are three parents who will not have care during the day and then the 2 - 3 school children that will need to arrange different care...

I don't know what to do and I have to advise the parents ASAP if I'm not going to work

[LionsandBears]

I'm baised, as I stopped work about 32 weeks and i wasn't having to pick up small children. It was just too much with various pain including severe SPD.

Personally, I'd recommend stopping work. If it's affecting your health, it's affecting the baby.

When is your sister back? Can someone else take over until she's back?

[Danielle_NZ]

She is back on Saturday so it's only two more days and unfortunately their isn't anyone else that is able to care for the children on behalf of my sister, the parents have been given a contact number that they can "try" to get back up care but it's not guaranteed that they will get the care required due to the numbers.

what causes the babies heart rate to increase... could it be the work I'm doing or just cause he was doing star jumps that I couldn't feel?

[MrsFabuloso]

For two days, I wouldn't risk it. I used to work in a childcare centre and I finished working at 36 and 34 weeks (wasn't working with #3). I stopped picking kids up at around 30ish weeks, and stopped changing nappies then too, with consultation with my director and workmates. If I were you, I would be resting up as much as possible. It's still a bit early for bubs to make an appearance, and IMO, totally not worth it. The parents of the other children surely can, in the worst case scenario, have those days off.

[Ahurani]

The other day my babies HR on the CTG was up around 180 when she was apparently moving around (not that I could feel). It then went back down to 120-140

[Miss.September]

Ask yourself - what if you were one of the parents who was dropping off a child at the daycare. Would you mind taking a day off work, or calling someone to look after your child for one or two days knowing that the lady looking after the kids was putting herself and her unborn baby at risk? If it was me, I wouldn't mind at all. I'd be calling the parents, explaining the situation and putting my feet up.

Take care

[Danielle_NZ]

Thanks girls, after your advise and a very stressful afternoon I have advised all the parents that I will not be working tomorrow or Friday. I know one will certainly not be impressed but the others should understand.

One parent didn't realise that I wasn't working today (they were provided the information and signed a copy of the letter given to them) and they didn't arrange after school care for their prep schoolie and I got a call from another educator asking why I wasn't there so ended up having to rush the school (was at the doctors waiting to see someone) to collect him as his dad works 20 minutes further away than I was... so not a fun afternoon... after the stress from all of that the mega headache I got from stressing made the decision for me... my baby is worth more than the $100 a day I get from the job...