Childcare for 3 month old

[Emtaboo]

Hi
I’d be interested in hearing your experiences for young babies needing childcare and how the little ones were. My partner is thinking of taking a contract which means he won’t have the same flexibility he has now which means for me to continue my business, I’ll need to find childcare a couple of days a week. I’m lucky as I can work from home but so need complete peace for a couple of days. A local day nursery takes children from 3 months and they seem very good. We have some family friends who can help now and again but not consistently every week. I’m just curious to hear from other mothers who have done this and how their little ones got on, and any pitfalls to watch out for. My mother stayed at home when I was little which is why I’m a bit apprehensive. She’s sadly no longer with us to help out 😢

Have you had the baby yet? I would just stay open minded about returning to working at 3 months. I'm self employed so was planning to be flexible with my first but at 3 months I was still suffering badly with birth injuries and we were heading into the first sleep regression and I couldn't do anything.
With my second it was totally possible to do a bit more, even with covid closing childcare for my eldest. So just be ready to be flexible and accept your own needs too

Hi @YukoandHiro, yes my daughter is 2 months old now. You give good advice there. Luckily, I’ve had no major health issues (apart from lack of sleep!) so I’ll be ok to work on a flexible basis x

I put my second child in nursery one full day a week from three months. My older child age 2 had been there for about 8 months so I already knew the nursery and the lovely staff and it just felt completely fine. The children are teens now and appear to be well adjusted and unharmed by their time in nursery.

However, at the time it felt like the younger one had been around for ages and was perfectly “old enough” to go. Looking back now, when I meet tiny babies I can’t believe I put the younger one in so young. However I do think if I hadn’t I may have gone down a path of PND as that one day a week saved my sanity.

As a nanny I have cared for babies from a few weeks old. One I have had one day per week since she was 4 weeks old... she starts school later this year. A nanny may be costly option given you have found a nursery which will take your daughter from 3 months. Will the days you need childcare be consistent? Babies like consistency, so going to nursery the same days each week should mean that most of the time they get the same carers in the babyroom.

If you can afford it, I'd go for a nanny. I realise you need complete silence but do you have a spare bedroom/ office you can work in? Nanny will also be able to take baby to groups and out for walks so won't be in all the time.
If you can't afford a nanny then maybe look at childminder?
I personally wouldn't put a baby in nursery that young but it is personal preference and only you can decide what you're happy with as we are all different!

I was a childminder, used a nursery for my ds previously.

Personally would use a cm at 3 months- i have taken babies from weeks old. Nursery as they get older

I used to be a childminder and during my 27 years in the job I looked after two babies from 3 months. The first was my very first client. I was able to tailor her care to suit her parents which was lovely. The second time I took on a 3 month old was 20 years later. Her elder school aged sister came too, for wraparound care. It was lovely for the family for them to be together and was one of the great things for the families; the children are in one place in a home from home setting.

At this age I'd opt for a childminder, as the atmosphere can be more like home and calmer.

I've put both my kids into excellent Nursery daycare, my DD at 10.5 months and my son at 2 years old. If you go this route, I would say you need to ask the Nursery about staff turnover and how often staff move between rooms. It's unsettling if a key worker changes frequently at this age. Don't be fobbed off by vague reassurances, ask for actual figures. Ask to talk to the key workers in the baby room, ask to visit that room for a whole hour at least (if covid permits). Ask how they wean, ask how much time is spent outside each day.

Young babies are less like to suffer true separation anxiety but you do need a setting where they can be calm and settle. Be aware also that kids in nursery catch every bug known to man! So you might not find your baby is actually there that much.

Another vote for a childminder here. Then they have a real home from home experience. In fact my children stayed at the childminder's until they started school with just a couple of mornings a week at the local preschool.

MN tends to be very pro childminders but I’m not sure. I think the problem is the likelihood of the CM only caring for your child is small and I’d want my baby to be around other babies rather than older children too, especially with school runs. It’s very much personal preference though.

My friend had hers in nursery from 3 months because she had to, baby was absolutely fine and got lots of attention as the only little one - they are pretty laid back parents though and didn't mind staff carrying her around in a sling which she loved and things like that - the manager often had her in the office when she was napping to ensure that the 14 month olds didn't disturb her (baby room went to 15 months). She's 8 now

Honestly OP I think you're bigger issue is going to be finding someone who can take the baby with a months notice. Most places have waiting lists - we had to register a year in advance but I know that was extreme!

All research shows babies are better off in small settings with a consistent carer unless you use a nanny the closest is a childminder. The are registered and inspected by the same Ofsted inspectors to the same standards. But unlike a nursery the person who welcomes baby in and talks to you every day is the same one caring for them through that day and updating you at the end of it. Yours will be the only under 1 just like in a typical family unit and they greatly benefit from the stimulation of having role models to copy and play with. Yes some do school runs just like you would if you had an older child but this dosent have to be a negative thing children learn colours, numbers talk about what they see and get fresh air rather than staying in the same room all day.