Nursery or Nanny

[eatingforonemore]

I am due in early November and my university has given me the option of taking my maternity leave till January 12th when we go back from Christmas Holidays rather than taking the year off. He will be about 9 weeks old when I go back and it will only be for 2 and a half days a week. Are we best getting a nanny or sending him to nursery?

It's a very personal choice.
Also a financial one. A nanny is going to cost a lot more than a Nursery place for one child. You are also then responsible as her/his employer.

What about a Childminder as another option ?

Not nursery. Nanny if you can afford it - childminder if not. But every month you can afford to stay home will be better. Take a year off if you possibly can.

Would a nursery take them at 9 weeks old? How big a nursery, some can be quite small, others are huge. The smaller the better in my view.

Childminder would be something to consider.

Nanny will be expensive for care of one child.

See what options exist, some may not be willing to take a child that young.

I wouldn't think a nursery would take him until he is 3 months. I think you will need a nanny or childminder.

Are you studying or working for a university?
You can take as long off as you like eatingforonemore, you don't need to be dictated to by your employer and their academic terms. Although if its longer that 6 months they don't have to give you exactly the same job back (just a similar one). But you can take 3,4,5 months off, its up to you.

You also don't need to decide yet. A lot of babies are still waking up several times a night at 9 weeks and you may not feel up to a job (or studying).
My brain didn't seem to function properly until any of mine were 6 months old. I couldn't manage going back to work or doing my masters til then.

9 weeks is very little, nurseries won't take them until 3 months at least. Even the baby room will have mostly older babies and he'll just be sitting there in a bouncer watching the others at that age.

If you need to go back, I would certainly go for the nanny option.

Nanny is best but more costly.

CM next.

Then nursery.

There are some nurseries that can take them from 6 weeks but I would agree with the others, nanny, childminder then nursery. Or ideally maybe a little longer at home with you or your partner? As you can now share your maternity leave they can have some time off too with baby. Even if just till the baby is at least 3 months.

Good luck and hope you find the solution that works for you.

You are due in November & expected back in January????

Are they taking the piss?

Nursery is great for older children, and occasionally you get one that is fab with small baby groups too.

But a baby needs a lot of personal love,care & attention at that age and if you can afford a Nanny (maybe a Nanny share?) then go for it for a year, if not a CM (I say this as one who had her own nursery too!!)

But best of all would be you giving yourself time to get over the birth - don't underestimate how you might feel after the event.

Legally you don't need to let them know until afterwards, have you explored other options or are they dictating terms?

Nurseries do take from 6 weeks. With extended maternity leaves these days, not many babies start that young, but (most?) Nurseries will take them.
OP has said that her employer has "given her the option", not "demanded she comes back". It might make sense for her for all sorts of reasons.

(I'd still look for a Childminder)

I suspect OP isn't an employee, BackforGood, but a student, given that she's talking about terms.

Could you stretch financially to a nanny for the first few months, then think about whether you want to change to nursery/childminder? One advantage of a nanny over a childminder or nursery is that you don't need to get the baby out of the house.

eeyore if OP isn't getting SMP (which she won't if she's a student) then her DP won't get paternity pay (even if s/he is an employee).