1 day a week with cm - how long will it take for baby to settle in?

[LouTheMac]

I am currently weighing up childcare options for when I go back to work in June, baby will be almost a year old.
My parents have offered childcare for 2 days a week which is great.
Assuming my work agree for me to go part time 3 days a week I am planning to use a local childminder to cover the other day. She is also flexible in covering for my parents when they go on holiday etc.
My concern is how it will be for my baby only seeing her once a week & how long it will take for him to have a bond with her and feel comfortable? He is an easy going, sociable child but he does not sleep easily for others I am worried he will not sleep all day or will crash & burn! Also our house is quiet and I think it will take a bit of getting used to the noise of other kids, when I am around my friends older children he gets spooked by their screams/bangs etc, I don't want it to come as a shock to him one day a week that he is in a noisy house with strangers!
The alternative could be that I do CM 2 days and parents 1 day. But then I think my parents care will be preferable to a CM even though she is very good.
Also any advice for settling in in advance? I would be happy to pay for sessions prior to starting back at work, maybe short amounts of time but frequently so he gets to know her?
Any advice really gratefully received!!!

I have had 1 day per week children who have settled in almost immediately and the longest took 2 months (8 days). A week is a long time for a small child.

Having had (very willing, fit & able) parents look after my first DC I would advise parents 1 day, CM 2 days. It is a big commitment for them & whilst they would never have said anything at the time, they have later admitted they were relieved when I dropped my working days & they only had DS 1 day a week if for no other reason than they underestimated how tiring entertaining a toddler would be.

There's nothing to stop parents picking up early from CM or even missing the odd day (I'm sure you're cm will be delighted with some paid time off ) but the difference is that 2nd day is because they want to not have to.

Even if you decide to stick with 1 day cm & 2 days parents, I would ask if cm can do 2 days a week for the first month as settling in a 1 year old coming just once a week can be tricky.

Thanks all, you have confirmed by suspicions that one day might be tricky. I think i might go for 1 day parents / 2 days cm in that case. My parents are young, early 50s, but my mum already works 3 days do this would be like her working FT again! She is more than willing but agree it might be more binding than they realise.
Thanks all x

I would go for 2 days cm and 1 day parents - then if the cm has to take any time off for sickness etc your parents may be more happy to cover extra days.

My LO is at nursery two days a week and took around a month until he settled with no tears at all at drop off. He always stopped crying soon after though staff said. He started there when he'd just turned 1 btw.

Hi

I have a similar situation for which I would welcome advice. I'm going back to work after Easter. I have found a childminder who, by the summer, will have him for four days a week.

Due to her circumstances and my choice we've decided to do an extended settling in which is starting next week with three 2 hour sessions. The following week he will go to her for one full day and will continue to go to her for one full day every week until I go back to work after Easter. I will be looking after him for the other days. After Easter it will increase to 3 days per week. At the end of June it will finally increase to four days per week.

My question is: Is the one full day per week really settling in or am I just making it more difficult for all of us as each time he goes back to her it will feel unfamiliar. Would two half days be better?

I also have a question about which three days I should do but I think I'll start that as a new thread.

Many thanks in advance