Move 2.5yo to nursery before or after new baby arrives?

[EDT]

Our 2 yo (27 months) daughter currently goes to a childminder 4 days a week. There are 6 children in total and she loves it there.

Our childminder recommends the children move on to nursery at 3 years old so the plan was to move her around her 3rd birthday in February, but we've been waitlisted at a few local nurseries for a while. We've just been notified that a space has come up for 3 days in September when our DD will be 2.5. We're open to this and if our childminder accepts it, splitting the time between them so 3 days at nursery and 2 days childminder (the nursery has a 3 day minimum).

We've also just found out that we're expecting baby number 2 in January next year so I've been mulling over when the best time to move her would be, and wanting to leave a few months either way for her to adapt to baby before introducing another huge change!

Another big worry for me is the sheer amount of illness through the winter months. We've had a new cold per week pretty much since October and I assume a bigger nursery will have even more of that so am slightlly petrified of having a newborn in the middle 😢

I would love any advice on this from anyone who may have gone through similar.

Is 2.5 too early to move her to nursery?
Is it better to move her before the baby or after?

Any advice would be so appreciated as the nursery has given us 2 days to decide🙏

I’d move her so she can settle ASAP.

How much maternity leave are you planning on taking?
I'd leave her with the childminder in the short term, take her out when you are on maternity leave and get her to start in nursery from September 2027 when she will be 3.5 (and she will be that much older to cope with the change at a "normal" change age).
That way she can be at home with you to get used to the new baby and you avoid the bugs and germs season.

I’d 100% move her in the September. She would have a few months to settle in before new baby as well.

A new baby will be a huge change for her on its own without also having to adapt to a big change in childcare arrangements on top at the same time.

My LO started at a nursery at 2.5 and is utterly obsessed with going.

This is interesting, thank you! I was thinking keeping her in some sort of childcare while I'm off would be good for her to keep a routine and have some time to play with other children as I'm imagining I'll be staying close to home those first few months. She loves being with her friends, I think she would genuinely miss them!

Definitely don’t take her out of childcare when you’re on mat leave!! She needs her routine and time with other kids; and you need a break! She’ll struggle to settle if you take her out completely. Never know anyone to take their 1st out of childcare whilst on mat leave with their 2nd.

Surprised you don't know anyone - I did it and so did lots of people I know due to the cost of childcare and not being able to afford it when on SMP. I personally would have found having to structure my day with a newborn round nursery drop off and pickups a pain, and it was easier just to have "go with the flow" days - no need to even get dressed if I felt knackered and I could just sit and read or play with the toddler.

If OP is planning to move her DC from a childminder to a nursery this will be a change in routine anyway.

And if she was a SAHM she would probably not be looking to start her child at nursery/pre-school until the year before she went to school - I really don't think that all of those children struggle to settle in?

I assume OP will be going to toddler groups etc and meeting with other mums while she's on maternity leave, so no reason her child can't have plenty of socialisation.

This might not be an option you would choose, but no need to dismiss it as unworkable.

Omg DON’T take her out of childcare while you’re on mat leave if you can afford not to.

I would start her on nursery asap. I think childminders can lack stimulation needed by the time they get to 3.

Maybe it’s different now with the funding as 2 days at nursery is almost free. I know people who reduced days or hours to only the funded hours. My 18 month loves nursery so much, I wouldn’t even consider taking her out but we’re not having another anyway

Thanks so much for the replies everyone. Think I’m leaning to moving her in September then to give some time to settle in pre-baby.

If anyone had any tips on keeping the illnesses away from baby or helping with the transition for DD let me know 🥲

Wow interesting those saying don’t even think about taking child out of childcare…., to be honest it really depends on you - I took my child out of childcare when on maternity leave leave. He was 2.5 too - couldn’t justify the cost. I had one of the best years ever, so many fun experiences just the 3 of us and I’ll cherish those times forever and my 2 developed a lovely bond. The older one went back to nursery at 3.5 when I went back to work and walked in no problem - the process of older children going to childcare is very different to those 9-12 months.

Id discuss it with you cm and if shes happy keep her there for a few days. Theres going to be so much change losing her friends and familiar adult might be very unsettling.