How far in advance do I need to start looking for nurseries or nannies?

[eurochick]

We haven't yet decided on nursery or nanny and have the additional complicating factor that we are trying to move to a new area at the moment. How far in advance do I need to be looking do you think? We are in South London, if that makes any difference. We will probably need childcare from March 2015 if all works out as planned.

I had to put dd2's name down for a place at nursery as soon as I found out I was pregnant for her to start at 6 months old. It is a very popular nursery though!

I think nurseries ASAP - I knew people that registered children from birth.

I think regarding CMs you can usually get away with being a bit more lax, but I think I was worrying I'd left it too late looking around Sept time for a Jan return to work. So I would probably research now; put out feelers and visit ones you think you might like and get on their radar in case a vacancy opens for them. You often have to pay to 'hold' the place for any intervening time; I think I was charged 50%, so you don't want to be doing that for yonks. This info is based on when I was a WOHM between children when we were in Greenwich.

Yep, south london here too. Was 3 months pregnant, when put dd on a waiting list. A good nursery, nothing extraordinary.

N London put name down as soon as I'd had the 13/40 scan! That's fairly commonplace. Deposits are not huge £20-50 not hundreds and I think we put down for two nurseries.

3mths for a nanny. That gives you a week or two to interview several nannies. Then check refs and 2nd interview in week 2/3 and offer job /sort out contract etc week 4 and that's a month gone

A lot of nannies have 6/8 weeks notice so that's your 3mths tho some have a month

Possible look a bit longer for a nanny as with a March start you have Xmas getting in the way. So start looking November and be determined to find someone by end of January. As Blondes says, nannies can have quite long notice periods in their job, so if moving from one job to another there can be a delay.

I put ds2 down for nursery as soon as I found out I was pregnant. They were already tight for spaces in the baby room (16 months ahead!)

Blimey! I don't know anyone round here who has put the name down when pregnant. It's a bit late for that now anyway... There's not much we could do as we are planning to move by then anyway.

3 months for a nanny - that's very helpful. Thank you. I think because of the moving plans, it might need to be nanny first and a nursery at some point down the line.