Help! Our lovely childminder's pregnant...

[Herecomesbod]

...and we're struggling to sort out any sort of replacement childcare. I admit I am slightly panicking as she only told us just before we went on holiday 2 weeks ago, and she waited until she was 6 months' pg to do so.

CM said she would chat to some of her CM friends about possible cover, but it seems none of them would be able to provide the same cover we have now (6.30am start, up to 6pm finish, 4 days per week). DD goes to my parents 1 day a week and I can't ask them to do any more than that - they're already doing it for free!

DH and I have started trawling websites, local numbers etc. but haven't yet found anyone who has a place and could provide early morning cover.

DH and I both work FT and long hours, sometimes travel for work, always need to set off for work early as our commute is hellish, but the upside is we can usually finish work early to avoid the worst of rush hour.

I'm also worrying that when we do find an alternative (whether that be a CM or nursery), we'll then have to re-introduce DD to someone new, it'll be unsettling for her and stressful for all concerned. But that's something we'll just deal with.

I know in the scheme of things all of this is not the end of the world but if you've read this far (thank you) and have any ideas for alternatives or just stories of your experiences I'd be really grateful.

Apologies if I don't reply to any comments straight away, I'm at work

How about a nanny? Even if short term

Look/advertise on gumtree etc

Someone near whoever travels the least at work, with you parents taking up any extra days when that parent is travelling?

I agree with Milk, a Nanny sounds like a good alternative

maybe not ideal but how about a CMer near where you work, so the start becomes more "normal" time?

Hello we have just been there ourselves, our childminder told me at 10wks but was pretty obv anyway that she was anyway. She then said she was only going to take 6wks off and then changed it to 4wks off, anyway baby is due in April and thats when my new annual leave year started and we didnt want to be using all our annual leave up for her mat leave and also 1st 2 wks april are school hols and as the only member of team at work all year round I tend to try and work most hols so couldnt really have more than the bank hols over easter.

Anyway to cut a long story short

we had already had him in nursery 1 day a week (childminder 3 days), childcare was 07.30-4.30 so we decided to look for a new childminder and found one who could have him mon,tues,fri - I had mon off (save on any bank hol charges!!) and fri was nursery day, so we requested nursery to increase to a thurs and change fri to wed which was granted and then between childminders husband and I used some annual leave so he could have 3wks off between childminders (still go to nursery 2 days a week) so we had time to do some settling in with childminder

He is 19mths now and had started with old childminder at 9mths, well he did 2 x 2hrs and 1 all morning settling in with childminder and has now done 5 days in total we are on 3rd week off proper care and by 3rd day didnt cry when left - thought would take longer with being a tues and fri so split week but he is ok, happy when there, other child his age there - his eating there is a bit hit and miss but he is bit like that with new people.

This childminder day was 8-6 and £31 a day but she agreed to do 07.30-4.30 but charges us £31 for day which for us is 07.30-5 just in case I was running a little late and hrly rate is £4.50 for any extra hours. (nursery is £46 a day but I get 10% nhs discount) - our childcare costs are pretty much the same as when old childminder had 3 days and nursery 1 day as she was more expensive than current childminder.

I guess what am saying is that ask childminders if they would start early, hopefully settling in wont take too long and try to take some time off between changing to allow you to settle her in.

How long is she planning to take off? Some like me take the full 39w, others only have a fortnight.

If she's only planning a short break, could you cover it with parents, friends and annual leave rather than finding a new setting?

I assume you've tried your council's Family Information Service and childcare.co.uk as well as asking around for longer term care?

Thanks so much for all your replies. It's helped crystallise my thoughts just by writing it all down!

Flisspaps - CM says she will only be taking the bare minimum time off but as she's already made a few comments about spd and emailed all her regular parents about what this might mean, I am keeping a very open mind about how much time off she might actually take, i.e. I reckon she'll take a lot longer than she says she will. I don't honestly think she's thought this through.

DH and I had a long chat about this again this morning (I really am working, honest!), and decided to ring round a few more CMs a bit further away from our area but on our commute route. Thanks nannyl for that.

I'm also going to look into the possibility of a nanny, but although cost isn't TOO much of an issue, would we be looking at something massively expensive?

Is it worth asking on here? There may be a cm near you who could help.

Thanks LesbianMummy1. I though of that but I didn't think you were allowed to 'advertise' via MN?

I'm going to start working through my list of numbers at lunchtime and see how far I get.

Thanks again everyone for your replies. It all helps.

A nanny for one child is an expensive childcare option even if you go for a nanny with own child you are probably looking at double the costs of a childminder perhaps 2 and 1/2 times as much. Childminder average of £3.50 an hr where I am and nanny average is £7-£8 gross an hr (nanny with own child/less experienced nanny - an experienced one is about £12 gross an hr), plus there are then additional energy/water/food/mileage/acitvity costs and employers national insurance.

Do you have a spare room? How about an aupair to get up with your DD and take her to nursery, then collect her again in the evening.

Could you and your DH stagger the commute so that one of you leaves later in the morning, but then leaves work later. Then the other could leave earlier, but also finish earlier to do the pick up. Nursery could then be a feasible option?

I think a nanny would be the better option too. Children adapt so i wouldnt be too worried re a new childcarer.

I'd be looking for a permanent replacement given she didnt tell you until now leaving you with very little time to make other arrangements.

could you mention on here what area you live in and then any one interested can PM you?

Was going to suggest same as Karoleann, that's what DH and I do to meet normal CM hours. Not sure how old dc is or if you are thinking ahead but if you want a CM when dc starts school and don't want to keep changing cm's, may be worth thinking about whether one on route is the best option for the long term.

Good luck, hope you sort it soon

Sorry I didn't come back to this yesterday - work really gets in the way of MNing sometimes.

Lots of really good suggestions here and lots to think about, so thanks all for your help.

Karoleann I think DH and I will have to work out how to stagger the commute in future, it will just mean buying an extra car seat, but we'll need one anyway as I'm due with DC2 in Sept.

I've looked into availability of nannies in or near our area and they seem really thin on the ground, whereas having done a more thorough search of CMs especially on our commute route, it looks like we might have a few more options available. We're probably going to go down the CM route if possible so at least we can focus our efforts now.

HappyMummyOfOne point taken about children adapting - ignore me, I'm being silly and very pfb. Also, you are spot on about finding a permanent replacement. I've been a bit restrained in my posting about this, but am still fuming that she left it so late to tell us. That'll teach me not to do business with friends!

Thanks again all, I'll keep ringing round and hopefully get sorted soon.

Why not post where you are and then any CM's on here might be able to help? There's a parent's needing childcare thread.

What are are you.... u'd be suprised how many childminders read these thing's... ( like me!!!!)