advice please on when I should contact CM

[esmommy]

I am not returning to work until next May/June, but have been told I should be looking into my childcare options now. My question is, when should I realistically be contacting childminders in my area to see if they have vacancies for my daughter? I was thinking that March would be early enough, but then don't want to leave it too late & not have childcare in place. Thanks for any replies in advance x

I don't think you can look into this too early - lots of good CMs are booked up for new siblings of older kids they already mind as soon as the Mum gets pregnant again (ours is!). If you ask early, it helps them with planning too, and they can always say no, come back in a few months. The only reason not to start immediately would be that some CMs charge a sort of 'holding fee' to keep the place, but lots don't, and even if the one you really like charges something, it could be worth it for peace of mind. Good luck!