Is 8 months too early ?

[zssta]

My baby is 8 months and started nursery is this too young ? 😢 I have to go back to work after my maternity leave has ended and I wonder what the benefits are, I feel guilty for leaving her ...

I think it depends on the personality of the baby. My daughter found it difficult starting at 1 and my son would have been happy going from about 6 months if we had needed that to happen. I think whatever age you send her, it will feel really hard for the first few months while she settles in, but ultimately, it's great for her social skills and confidence to be around other children and she'll be absolutely fine once she gets used to the routine. Brace yourself for a few weeks of crying at the handover in the morning but assure yourself that your baby is safe and well cared for and try to get your mind back into work mode a bit to stop you stressing during the day.

It feels tough at first but it gets better and becomes the new normal very quickly.

No absolutely fine! I had to do the same. I checked out lots of nurseries to get the right feel for the right place. And didn’t have any problems, except for the usual 2 min cry if they noticed you leaving. But a minute later was distracted and fine. The nursery would always ring at the start to either say all is fine or maybe in a particular day little one wouldn’t settle. And would be my choice if I could or wanted to come back. Usually that only ended up on day when they later were succumbing to a cold or fever.

If you have to go back, then she needs to go in childcare. Don’t feel guilty, you work to pay the bills to put a roof over her head and food in her belly.