Taking son on tube to nursery!? advice please!

[SFMc]

There is a great nursery right by my work which is not only rated Outstanding by Ofted but is also 10 quid cheaper per day than the cheapest nursery by my house, and almost 30 cheaper/day than the most expensive nursery near to where I live.

The issue is we have to travel on the Northern Line (with a change at Kennington) to get him there with me.
I would be near him so could visit him during my lunch and could be with him within 5 minutes to take him home if he's ill.

The tube travel time is about 30 minutes door to door. I've been off on maternity leave so haven't had to commute in awhile. My husband says the congestion on the tube is bad but it seems to vary.
We could get on the tube at 7:30am to get him to nursery by 8am.
Has anyone else tried this?
I'm wondering if the quality of the nursery and the price makes the commute worth it.
Thanks for your input!

Get a sturdy buggy and go for it! Well, perhaps try the journeybout at the right times first? But I can't see why not, might be a bit stressful sometimes but sounds great overall.

I considered this but decided against it for several reasons.

• Taking small, tired and fractious babies home on crowded tubes is a nightmare. People don't realise the buggy is there because they can't see it and so push forward into what looks like an empty space.

• Think about how you would cope if you were unwell or had a GP/dentist appointment near home - you would have to take him in and then come home.

• Do you ever have to travel to places other than your main office for work and could you drop him off and be wherever you need to be in time?

• Are you likely to ever want to/be able to work a day from home?

Hope that doesn't sound too negative but is useful.

Pros and cons both ways I think.

If you chose a nursery near home, he might meet children he later goes to school with?

I could never do this. Commuting is stressful enough at rush hour without a small child. As for a buggy? No!!!!!

Taking a buggy is crazy, I'd only do it with a sling.

I wouldn't bank on visiting him at lunchtime either - I think it would be very confusing/upsetting to have mummy turn up briefly and then leave again without you.

I'd give the commute a go and see what it's like.

If you can find one near home it is so much easier if you have a day off work. You may think that every minute off work you want to spend with them but the reality is child unfriendly appointments and you being ill do occur where (unless you've got some other child minding source nearby) the nursery place can be a godsend.

Oh and the stress of the commute sounds awful. I've taken a buggy on a few times in rush hour where it has been absolutely unavoidable. I've always been prepared to fold it up as else I wouldn't have got on the tube. If it's busy people don't see the buggy (or a small child standing). If you are going to do it then I'd recommend one of those buggies that folds into a ruc sac and travelling at the time that guarantees you a seat (and find a cafe/park at the other end if time to kill).

I had a horror of (extortionate) nursery late fees, so always wanted a nursery I could reach very easily from work.

i have to say that I wouldn't want to commute on the Northern Line at peak time - agree with earlier poster that you need to go any make the journey yourself (alone) at the time you think you'd be doing it with DC. Pushchairs and notoriously overcrowded rush hour lines don't mix well (sling?)

Do you have a bus alternative? Takes longer through traffic, but usually more manageable (get a tiny, light, foldable pushchair if you have to travel at peak times).

I really would not commute with a buggy during peak hours.

Usually there's hardly any room for one person to get on the train you'd be forever waiting on the platform!

Also are the stations you want to use easy to access with a buggy? People dont always help, less so during peak times.

I'd try with a sling if you really want to, but otherwise I'd personally prefer the nearer to home option.

Thank you all for your input. Some good points in there I hadn't thought about. I would definitely have to give it a try a few times going there and going back to see if we could even get into the tube carriage.
I kinda sounds like a nightmare but I'm still pondering it.

I think working from home, being ill etc. throws up some big issues.

To make matters worse we have to move house just after he goes into day nursery - so I'm not even sure where we will be living! Argh!
Maybe I should consider a childminder...

I've taken my baby on the Tube now and then, as well as very crowded SWT commuter trains. It has been fine! but I think that is because I always use a sling, as the other commenters have suggested.
There are no problems using escalators, and I almost always am offered a seat. I feel much safer with the baby so close to me - I can protect him with my arms if I feel the need - and he can tuck his head into my chest and even go to sleep if he wants.

Thanks. We are moving so will be using a Southwest Commuter train and I've yet to travel on one so am not sure how busy they are (but heard they are very busy by the time they get to out station!). It's only a 12minute ride.

My son will be a year by then and worry about using a sling as he's already so heavy and big but worth considering.
I just heard that the nursery though won't have a place for me so I guess I have some time to try the commute out myself while we wait!!!

I don't think you'll get a lot of help or sympathy if you try to take a buggy on a rush hour train, I take the central line every morning and it would be crazy just trying to get a buggy on. Sling might work at first but presumably this is a long term plan, how will you manage it with an 18 month old or 2.5 year old? I took my son once in the rush hour in a sling and it was horrible, we both cried, he was squashed against me and there was no room to move. Also, if it were me I would really miss the headspace between work and home, although I don't like commuting I think it means I arrive at work in a different mode whereas if I was taking him with me I would still be in mummy mode right up to the last minute. I'd also agree with the poster who mentioned lunch times, think it will be more distressing for your baby to see you briefly and then for you to leave again.

I have done this with DD. Had her in nursery behind work which is a 45min bus journey from home (in London). When my DP takes her he suse the tube. No problem. Go for it.