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Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

What kind of childcare is available for a month old?

32 replies

pinkprincess · 08/01/2010 14:35

I have recently found out I am pregnant. I am very happy, but I'm already looking towards the future and trying to prepare myself for when baby comes.

In September I will be starting my third and last year of my degree. I really don't want to take a year off from my studies as I am not really enjoying my course at the moment, and I feel if I took a break from it, I would never get round to finishing it off. But I am due at the end of August and the university's nursery only look after children from 3 months old, which won't be til November time. DH works full time, so it will be highly unlikely he will be free on the two days I need to go into university, and I don't know how he or his work would feel about him taking two days off a week through holiday for the first couple of months.

So I was wondering if there were other options I could look into for the two days I need to go in? We don't have family around here that we could ask. I will speak to my tutors around the third month check once we know everything is fine to see what they suggest and say. But then saying that, I already feel guilty for considering having childcare so early on for newborn, when I spent 2 years as a SAHM for DD who's 7 now.

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alibubbles · 11/01/2010 13:56

Hi, do you know which days you will need, if I can't I can put you in contact with other colleagues whom I'm sure would be delighted to look after a tiny baby! Email me at mad cat lady at mac dot com all one word

Original poster
pinkprincess · 09/01/2010 20:48

Hi alibubbles, thanks for letting me know! I live in Watford, and it's the College Lane campus in Hatfield. Not the one by the Galleria, but by the junction for the A1. Could you give me your email address please and then I can contact you directly? Thanks.

OP posts:
alibubbles · 09/01/2010 06:26

Hi pinkprincess. I am a childminder very near Herts Uni, I have had several similar requests over the last few months from mums in the same situation as you, especially from those doing law.

I have had babies as young as 3 weeks in my care, one of the mums who contacted me needed care for a 2 week old baby as she needed to take her exams.

If I have space available, I would be more than happy to help you. I have been on MN a long time, not so much lately as busy with 4 under 2.5 years! I can also offer pick up and drop off, or bring baby to you for feeding. Where do you live and are you at Hatfield or the St Albans site?

Original poster
pinkprincess · 09/01/2010 01:34

Wow I certainly will!! Thank you again!

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cookielove · 08/01/2010 20:37

No problem, but do do call cause the waiting list roughly a year long.

Original poster
pinkprincess · 08/01/2010 20:07

Ahh great, well that's good to know about the waiting list. Thank you!

OP posts:
cookielove · 08/01/2010 19:57

I work there, so i have inside info

Original poster
pinkprincess · 08/01/2010 19:36

Hi again,

cookielove, yes it is the Herts Uni, I will have to call them next week if snow hasn't kept everyone out still. Thanks for the warning!

CloudDragon, baby will be my second, so I know roughly what I'm getting into. Hoping it'll be easier though, as I was a single mum raising DD1 up so hoping (or being too optimistic) that I will be able to cope with DH being here. I'm not sure if I can do it part-time, but I want to see if I can find out what the third year's timetable is so I kno roughly what times and days they do, though I'm sure it's bound to change when I start, as our schedule changed from last year.

It is good to know that quite a few people have had babies in lecture as well. I will have to speak with my tutors and find out what they think.

OP posts:
raindroprhyme · 08/01/2010 19:20

i haven't read whole thread but am in the middle of my degree and am due in 4 weeks. All my tutors have agreed that if i have to be in lectures or tutorials i can bring baby with me. It is my 3rd tho so i am quite confident about having the baby with me in this kind of situation. they are also happy for me to correspond by email for a few weeks if this is necesssary.
Baby has a place at my childminders with his brothers and she is able to have the wee one from birth so will use her if i need to go in to uni for a couple of hours.
hoping by the time bubba is 6 weeks it will go to child minder the 2 days i am at uni.

scottishmummy · 08/01/2010 18:37

compulsory maternity leave =2wk or 4wk if work in factory.this is provision for mat leave from paid employment

scottishmummy · 08/01/2010 18:33

minimum of 2wk before return to paid employment.no provision for studying.do book a place asap and with organisation it is achievable

FluffyForLifeNotJustForXmas · 08/01/2010 18:32

No, I'm sure it's 5. I may be wrong though, it's been a while since I did my degree.

xoxcherylxox · 08/01/2010 18:29

i thought it was a minimum of 2 weeks

FluffyForLifeNotJustForXmas · 08/01/2010 18:27

I know that with payed employment, it's illegal to allow someone to return to work before their baby is 5 weeks old, you need to check this with the University as it is a course, not employment.

CloudDragon · 08/01/2010 18:24

If it's your first baby youy may be in for a bit of a shock at how much hard work the first couple of months are.

I went to uni part time when DS2 was 4 months (DS1 was 20 months so a bit different) but I could bring him into some lectures as he was mainly asleep / happy to have his toes tickled.

Depends on the no. of hours a week you will be doing.
Can you do it part time?

scottishmummy · 08/01/2010 18:11

apply now!baby room nurseries have long waiting lists.does the uni offer nursery?congratulations and good luck with your studies

cookielove · 08/01/2010 18:05

If you are attending the uni of herts, i would suggest that you apply now, the waiting list is really long, and if you want to get a place early early early is my advice. The nursery is lovely by the way

abbierhodes · 08/01/2010 17:34

Can I second the advice about taking a term off?

I'm a teacher, and for school aged girls there is a certain number of weeks they can be away from education. I know you're not school age, OP, but your uni should have a similar policy.

Congrats on your pregnancy by the way...I'm sure you'll work out the practicalities!

lilylu22 · 08/01/2010 17:25

pink princess. i am a part time nanny, and occasionally, when my seven year old charge has been ill from school - but not devastatingly ill, her mother has asked me to take her with me to my lectures.

I've done this on several occasions no problems at all. I'm sure this little girl was 10 times more 'trouble' than your little baby will be (more than likely asleep in its capsule the entire class). I'd check with your lecturers, I'm 99% sure you may not end up needing childcare..

cookielove · 08/01/2010 17:22

Are you attending the university of hertfordshire

Original poster
pinkprincess · 08/01/2010 17:11

Hi again, thanks for your posts.

Kkey21, I'll email you in a bit.

Frakkinaround, thank you for that, I will have a look for her as well.

I hadn't thought about trying to get the first semester off. I will have to look into that too. I do realise it's going to be a lot to take on and maybe nearer the time I'll have a change of heart about going back.

And NaccetyMac, that is a very good point about sticking with someone I'm happy with rather than changing.

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kkey21 · 08/01/2010 17:00

Just to add to my above post-i would only be caring for your baby and my 2yr old, no others. I only ever childmind for 1-2 children whilst my own are so young. Thank you

NaccetyMac · 08/01/2010 16:32

I had my first baby in the October of my final year. I was planning to go straight back in, but she was 2 weeks overdue and a traumatic birth, so I went back in the January.

TBH, I needed that semester off, and I wish in hindsight that I had taken a little longer. She was 12 weeks old when I was back in FT study.

I did have to sort the childcare while still pg, which was odd. I was fabulously lucky to find a CM who was happy to wear DD in a sling, feed EBM (I have met some carers who are funny about that ) and generally pander to her, which is how I like to raise my kids.

TBH, if you can find someone you are happy with, I would stick with them rather than changning to a nursery.

Best of luck, and congrats!

Blondeshavemorefun · 08/01/2010 15:59

congrats

i would try and find a temp nanny/a nanny who works 3 days (like me) who can do the other 2 days for 2/3mths and then use nursery from jan 2011

dont forget to book/reserve your place

kkey21 · 08/01/2010 15:38

Hi pinkprincess, where abouts in Hertfordshire? We live in Hertfordshire and i childmind aswell as have years of nannying behind me. My son would be 2 in September and my older child at school.

My email address is kje 1979 @ hotmail dot co dot uk if you would like to discuss further?

Thank you