What childcare is best for newborn and when should I start looking?

[babsie007]

I'm currently 35weeks pregnant but planning on returning to work in April time (all being well of course) as I can't afford to stay on smp for long.

Baby will be going into childcare 4 days per week as my husband has negotiated a non working day with his office.

We are a little torn between nurseries and childminders. What has your experience been of the two? And how soon should we start looking?

I used a nursery from 6 months old for DS. I liked that they don't take holidays or if they get ill, you're not left without childcare.

At his current nursery there are only 5 babies in the baby room on their busiest day so plenty of attention and someone available for cuddles.

Thanks cantthinkofagoodone - did you consider childminder at all?

From what I have seen, childminders seem a little cheaper than nurseries? But I do like the stability of a nursery and them always being available with sick cover etc.

I'm in the midlands and I think that this is something that varies massively. Here they are a couple of pounds cheaper a day but you have to provide food. I do like that the nursery provides food as it is more varied than a packed lunch that I would provide.

The only way to answer this is go and have a look at what's available locally. Some cms are brilliant (think older lady with grandchildren, just looking after 1 4m old) some less so (loads of afterscboolies endless school/nursery runs disrupting babies sleep. Also nurseries. Dd went to a workplace nursery from 5 months and had a lovely key worker. It was open 7-7 and they bought me tea and toast as I bf at 8am.

I would always go for a home environment for a child that young. Nanny is probably the best option, but very expensive, though a nanny-share can halve the cost. Second choice would be a childminder. I wouldn't use a nursery unless there were no other options. They are usually open 51 weeks a year, whereas both childminders and nannies will take holiday/be sick, but the home environment is worth the 2 weeks a year of inconvenience imo. Also bear in mind that a nursery won't take your child if he/she is sick (neither will most childminders, but a nanny will).

You really need to go and look at nurseries and childminders in your area and decide from there as they vary so much. Some nurseries are awful, so are some cms. Some nurseries have ever changing staff, some will have a very low turnover. Some cms have just 2 los, some will be right up to their numbers and may have over 8's in addition - and so on.

FWIW, ds went to nursery from 4.5 months, in a nursery where there were few babies, two main staff in the room where one of them was always there and only 4 others who were ever in there. He thrived

Thankyou for all the advice and suggestions

Cmotdibbler - I think you are right, I just need to go look at both. I was put off by a nursery as I just imagine they would have a turnover of staff but I could be wrong.
I guess once I find that person then I will know that they are the one for us?

Nanny share sounds great but I don't think I can afford it!! :-(

How soon in advance should I really have someone in place? I am not in a position to have much time off work so I am ready planning on going back at some point in April.

I would put feelers out in the new year. When going back with dc 1 I started in November (end of) for a Feb 1st start date. I saw a n nursery , a nanny and a childminder (who I went with) Good luck :)

Also you accrue annual leave whilst on maternity leave.

Not all settings will take a 3 month old so do check this.

I chose a childminder so DD would develop an attachment to one person over, hopefully, a number of years. I was concerned about high staff turnover in a nursery environment and attachment issues.

Have you considered a nanny with their own child? Someone on maternity leave themselves from full time might want to do 4 days and bring baby with. In exchange they usually charge less and your baby gets a playmate. Might work even if just for 6 months if you wanted to send baby to nursey later

Yep - stargirl has an excellent point. I know that some mums choose a nursery specifically because they don't like the idea of their LO making an attachment to one other person but I think it is fundamental when they are so little.

But having said that, some nurseries are very clued up and will have one main carer for each child who actually does most of the care for that child, and others filling in only if the main person is busy with another one of "their" children.

I think that you really have to go round and ask and gut feeling is very very important too.

So much to take on board and she isn't even here yet.

Some excellent advice on here. Go and look at your local child care options, ds1's nursery wasn't great with retrospect, but I'd had to find it at very short notice and didn't want to move him too quickly. DS2's baby room was lovely, a very homey environment and his key worker had a little one in the nursery only a bit older. i'm less enthralled by his post 2 room and we'll be thinking seriously about whether it is best for him to stay or go.

I would always say CM or nanny for one so young.
My 2 have both been to CM from 9months.
The attachment to one person is so important for a baby and with a childminder you know exactly who that one person will be and get to know them yourself. In nursery the key worker will be assigned, you don't have a say, you don't know if you'll like them, they may not always be on duty and they will change when they move rooms.
My DC have a lovely, affectionate relationship with their CM which has lasted years. I trust her completely and if there is ever an issue we discuss it straight away.
I don't find sickness or holiday a very real issue. Of the 2 CM my DC have had over 5 years I can only remember about 2 days of sick leave and holidays we just book at the same time.
Other things I like are the chance to go out and about e.g. to local toddler groups. This has really paid off when they go to school as they already have friends. Also the older and younger children make it like a family. I can still remember the 3 yr old twins holding my DDs hands one on each side when she was learning to walk! Then as they grow up its their turn to be the big kid and look after the new babies.

Looking at your local options is really important. In my area childminders are actually more expensive than nursery. I just didn't click with any childminders I meet and wasn't comfortable leaving my 12 week old DD with them. However, I found a tiny nursery with very low staff turnover (several staff had been there since nursery had opened 21 years earlier) and could give very individual care - that was the option I choose. 10 years later we still see staff who looked after DD when she was baby.
There isn't a right or wrong option - there is the right choice for you and your family from is available locally to you.