Childcare one day a week - please help me decide what kind!

[Alva]

I'm arranging childcare one day a week for my eight-month-old son, and trying to decide between a childminder and a shared nanny. Both are experienced and lovely. I'll be at home some of the time, and using the rest of it for driving lessons, appointments etc. We can cover costs for either option - just want to make the best decision. It would be great to get some advice to help me decide which way to jump...
Taking my ds to the childminder would give me the house to myself but - as she said herself - he is unlikely to nap as well as he does at home, and his routine will necessarily be compromised as she has older charges too. She also suggested that he nap in a carseat, which seemed a bit odd.
He sees other kids most days, so gets plenty of chances to mix with other kids. As he is still so young, my instinct is that having the nanny come to us one day a week (just to look after him - she has another family on other days) would be best for him. Would you agree?
I'm leaning towards the nannyshare on the basis that it will be best for my ds. But am I right about the advantages - and do these advantages outweigh the general trickiness of sometimes sharing the house while the nanny is here, tho of course I'll be out some of the time and they'll be out some of the time. She says it would be fine, but...( I see there's a thread on this!)
Really looking forward to your thoughts - am going round in circles and getting myself confused!

I think either sound fine. Whenever I am faced with a dilemma with pros and cons on both sides I often realise it doesn't matter which I choose...
SOunds like a win-win situation either way.

Mine are with a fab childminder and I like the fact that I have the house to myself (I sometimes worked from home). I also like that they mix with other children and other adults when they are with her, have different food, different toys, etc.

Personally, I would be reluctant to use a childminder who didn't put my baby down to sleep in a cot though. Mine have occasionally fallen asleep in the buggy en route to someone's house, picking up another child from school, etc. but my childminder would arrange for her travel cot to be at a friend's house if she knew they would be spending time there. I also turned down childminders who I knew let their mindees sleep in the buggy in the hallway. I'm a great believer in children lying down for sleeping (carrycots and beds).

I'm with Gem - babies should not sleep in a car seat - it's bad for their back

Why not look at some more childminders - I think it would give you more freedom

I have a nannyshare nanny and I would recommend one (haven't tried a childminder but I have plenty of friends who are happy with theirs - so much so that 2 of my friends moved house when their childminders moved, just so they could keep them).

Benefits of nanny in my opinion - generally there are less children involved so you can be more prescriptive about things, ie. time of naps, where they nap, what they do/eat, and what they don't do (ie. if little one is a bit under the weather they can have a lazy day, not have to do school run /play with other children etc.)
Best thing of all, (again in my opinion) is that you don't have to pick up a tired child at the end of the day and transport them home - mine used to be horrors after a day at nursery and the evenings were fraught - i now arrive home to 2 smiling monsters relaxed in their own environment.

Good luck whatever you choose.

Thank you bluejelly (sensible philosophy re pos and cons!), Gem, Katymac and bluebear - really helpful. I think the sleep thing swings it away from that particular childminder. Sleep is a priority - it's just so important to his happiness and wellbeing at this stage. And coming home to a relaxed monster, as bluebear says, is the aim!