How early do you book/plan?

[24CRZZNKKA]

Currently 20 weeks pregnant with 3rd DC but this will be first time needing paid child care.
Won't be needed until around May 2026, but how far in advance do you book a place?

I'm completely clueless when it comes to all this

It depends on your local area, how specific you need to be with your days and if you want a specific nursery. You're probably best calling a couple in your area to ask them .

Now now now!

I have 2 booked in for 2026 already and no longer accepting any more on my waiting list.

In our area its about 6 to 9 months in advance. However, we are quite rural, and it's my understanding most other areas need well over a year

Wow really?? 😱

Here's me thinking I'm way in advance. So glad I asked

Definitely depends where you live. We had to book our place over a year in advance

I'm a childminder though so obviously have smaller numbers.

I’m due in June 2025 and was told to start now as waitlists in our area are 18 months!! Have booked a few viewings in. Feels mad to me as we don’t even the baby’s gender etc but the nurseries confirmed their first availability was in June 2026!

Definitely now!

I am shortly due to go back to work after DC3. All have been in paid childcare from 9 months. I enquired at our normal nursery that DC2 is at when I was 12 weeks pregnant and they didn't have the days I wanted so had to sign up elsewhere. Luckily since the days have become available but yes that was 14 months notice

Contact your local nurseries and see what their wait list is like?
FWIW I will be requesting to reserve a space for my second child at the nursery my first attends after my anatomy scan. That will be for May 2026 as well.
Though with my first, I booked my space when my daughter was around 3 months old, but I could only get 2 of the days I needed which was 7 months in advance and it took another 5 months after that to get a third day. If i'd wanted full time it would have been significantly longer to get all the days.
I think places are much more in demand now though with the funded hours available.

Thanks everyone.

It was a child minder I was thinking of, and only looking for Tue and Thu

But will look at nurseries too.

Mine was born in December 2023 and I started looking in April 2024, picked one and confirmed the place very shortly after!

My spaces were booked as soon as parents knew they were expecting and siblings still attending through mat leave