To send DS to nursery on a day I am not working?

Wishing you all the best @pontipinemum!

I wish I had worried less and enjoyed my two pregnancies more. Easier said than done I know!

And definitely send your little one to nursery for that extra day

OP, I had an anterior placenta for my first so I know how annoying that can be!

If ever you are worried, I always used to get a glass of orange juice or Lucozade, drink it, lie on my side for 20 mins and usually I could feel some small movements - but i would have to really be quiet and concentrate to notice them!

Hope that helps. All the best!

Yes I was noticing @Chirawehaha had gone quiet, too.

Mind blowing arrogance to think two people can't possibly both think you're wrong.

I work in a nursery and I’ve seen a few parents do this. If he is enjoying it and it gives you a bit of a break then I don’t see why not

Don't question yourself. I don't know about everyone but I know how much I benefit from a few hours a week where I'm not immediately responsible for my LO. I don't feel guilty admitting I often schedule after school club for my day off. I need that 7? Hours a week where I'm not either solo parenting, or working in a high pressure job where I'm not infrequently called due to my son's SEN.

If you can afford to continue nursery 4 days a week, stick with it. It will only be weeks before you're in a whole different chapter of your life as a family of 4 and alone time will be far less easy to find. I think it's important to make sure we have time for ourselves when we can, even as a parent who hasn't spent a night sway from their 6yo!

Well, what was the outcome of this tattletaling? What did MN say? What was the verdict? Guilty of sockpuppetry or not?

I'm a teacher and our nursery didn't do term time only. So I used to put DC1 and then DC2 in in the holidays same time as usual (3 days a week) on the grounds I was paying for it anyway.

Often I would pick them up early afternoon when they'd just had lunch and we'd go off and do something. Meanwhile, I'd zipped round the house in the morning, done a wash, got dinner organised and maybe even had a sit down for an hour with a book and a cup of tea!

Sometimes I left them there for the full day and met a friend for lunch, went round the art gallery, etc. As a result, I also felt I'd had a bit of a break too when I went back to work (and the house had been pulled back from the brink ready for another term of neglect!).

In your situation OP I'd take the full day every week if you have the chance and make the most of it, whatever you decide to do with it. I did an extra day a week at work for a while when pregnant with DC2 and it really took it out of me.

I know Mumsnet is obsessed with the idea that children don't have friends until they are 3/4 but that's 100% not my experience.

My older one definitely had a friend at 18 months, his key worker commented on it and it was obvious from their interactions. Not just parallel play either, they played all sorts of little games together.

I think the people who say that they only have friends later don't have children in nursery and are just going on playgroups where children only see each other once a week for a couple of hours and of course it takes longer to develop a connection

Wishing your mum a speedy recovery, OP.

Also @alisonfoyer using childcare does not mean you pick up and put down parenting.

I still parent my child, but I pay for trained professionals to look after him during the day as I need to and/or want to work.

I am still a parent.

@alisonfoyer - I disagree.

Using your logic, being a stay at home parent makes someone a 'better' parent than a working parent, simply because they are in the company of their children more. This is simply not true.

There are some awful stay at home parents, and some amazing stay at home parents. Some amazing working parents, and awful working parents.

What matters is the time you do have with your child and making that time count!

E.g. What about stay at home parents who are doing chores? Keeping the house afloat? Cooking? Watching tv? Seeing friends? Etc etc. They are not fully present with their child for all the time they are with them as life gets in the way. Believe me, I have been to many stay and play cafes and seen children running rampage whilst mums chat and not interact with child.

If the OP puts her child in nursery for an extra day then she can be a more present parent in the time she has with her child as there will be fewer chores on those days. Also; child spends a day in nursery around trained professionals who can stimulate and socialise with her child. Win, win!

Surely this outcome is better than the child spending one extra day with parent where the OP is doing chores and the child won't be getting her undivided attention?

Definitely put him in for that extra day. I hope your mum is ok.

Sorry about your Mum, op, hope she recovers soon.

Yes it's better for a baby to be with family than with paid caters unless there is something going on with the parent like substance misuse or severe mental health difficulties.

There is plenty of evidence to back this up.

Parenting is an all the time thing not something you pick up and put down as it suits you,

Some of the responses on this thread are a bit silly!

Is it better for your little one to spend 3 dedicated days with you, where you are free of chores etc and can be more present with them and do fun things?

Or spend 4 days where you will be less present and available for your child as you will be busy sorting/doing chores?

It's a balance between quality and quantity.

Spending more time with your child does not guarantee quality!

I say go for it OP, more quality time!

Did you make a decision, op?

No, I’m MurdockFromScotland, and the other poster is alisonfoyer. Ironic, that you’re lecturing me about reading things correctly, when you can’t be arsed to do the same.

Only on Mumsnet is considering the wellbeing of pre-schoolers relabelled "spewing bile".

We are not the same person. For Pete’s sake! Stop being so paranoid.

🙄

Go for it. Nursery is fun.

I’m on maternity leave right now and DS who is just a little younger than yours has continued to go full time.