CM advice for a complete clueless pg newbie!

[bananarama05]

Sorry if this has been done to death, I just can't get on with the mumsnet search facility and end up with 1000's of irrelevant threads coming up.

As a bit of background, I am currently 27 weeks pg with my 1st, due to go on mat leave in May, return to work Feb 2012. I'm contemplating requesting going down from full time (9-5.30 5 days a week) to 3 full days instead.

DP also works full time, but shifts. These can be anything from 7am to 9pm x5 changeable days a week.

We are very very lucky in that both our familes live nearby and have the flexibility of my mum and DP's mum agreeing to 1 days childcare each for free a week.

Our first choice was a nursery for the 3rd day as we're keen on the interaction/social side of things but our 2 preferred options both have a minimum of 2 days a week which we don't particularly want to pay for if we don't have to.

Someone on here suggested looking into CM's which I'd assumed would be more expensive but after a quick look this afternoon it would seem prices for a full day 8am-6pm round here (Cambridgeshire) are similar to nursery.

My actual question is generally speaking would a CM be happy to do just one full (regular) day a week? And if DP happened to be off that day could we not use the CP (I'm working on the basis we would still pay for that day so as not to leave the CM out of pocket for us being a pain!)

Also, generally speaking how early would you recommend looking into specific CM's and registering interest? 11 months seems so far away but a have a vague feeling in the world of childcare it probably really isn't!

Thanks in advance

Just phone round. Most CMs will be able to do 1 day per week, if they have space. I can't imagine any being upset if you offer them a paid day off . I am a CM and I have children that come 1 day per week and their parents can take as many days off as they like. I do however find that children that come more than one day per week settle faster, which is why many nurseries have this rule.

Yes like HSMM said - visit a few childminders and see what you think - perhaps go and make a few visits once you are on maternity leave. I too have children that I look after for 1/2 days a week and its fine.

Re the social side of things, bear in mind that many CMs will go to toddler groups etc as well as accessing the local community so in some ways is better than a nursery.

If you can find a good childminder they will be worth their weight in gold as they may be able to continue to be useful for the school run/school holidays once your child reaches this stage (A long way off I know!)

Go and visit your local nurseries and CMs - your gut instinct will tell you what to do. Good luck.

I think CM are much more flexiable than nursery - lots do parents with shift - and the other thing about the social side with CM's is children of different ages - more like a family
some would only charge you 1/2 if your DP was off -but depends on the CM
Also if either grandparent couldn't do the care for some reason CM might be able to help out

Thanks for the advice everyone! Lots of good points there.

The more I look into CM's the more I find to like :) I guess it's just not something I'd thought about before.

Had a look on direct.gov earlier and found one at the end of my road who does the best hours locally and her Ofsted report looked good so I think I may give her a call next week. There's a couple more very locally too so am trying not to get my heart set on any one place until we've been to visit and got a feel for the place.

Guess I should probably approach work first as at the moment they've assumed I'll be going back full time and I've not said anything to suggest otherwise yet