When do you have to book place in nursery or with CM?

[BadgerBoy]

My wife is due in late June. Hopefully she is going to have 9-12m off so in a year or so. When do we have to look and decide where and which route to go for?

Thanks!

It really depends on your area and how many places there are. The sooner you get started, the more choice you will have, but you will probably have to pay a retainer if you want them to hold you a place.

Wow. You have to do this before it is born?

No! Just that in some areas there is a shortage of places, so you just get more choice the sooner you look. Does your local council have a children's services website?

Our first is due in October. Earliest start date at our local nursery is Sept 2012! Will be taking longer maternity leave than originally planned - money will be v tight but looking forward to it now I've had time to think it through.

We put DD1's name down for nursery the day after the 12 week scan and most of my work colleagues did the same for their DCs (private nursery on uni campus)

I agree - it depends where you are and whether you have something in mind. As with everything else, the good nurseries / child minders get booked up well in advance so the earlier you start looking the better.

With my first 2 (twins), I put their names down (Baby 1 and Baby 2!) at my first choice nursery in March 2005 (they were due July 2005) which I thought was far too far in advance given that I was having a year of maternity leave and only needed places for June 2006. They couldn't guarantee places (they'd all gone), so I put their names down at a 2nd choice nursery at the same time (where they started). We got places at the 1st choice nursery in January 2007.

With Number 3, I put her name down when I was 12 weeks pregnant and all the places (they only take 20 children a year) had been taken so again, I went on the waiting list. Fortunately for me a place came up a month later (I think someone with a place must have lost a baby) and I was offered a place.

We put our names down for a nursery place when I was 6-7 months pg. I had 9.5 months off work, so yes I suppose that would mean exactly a year before we wanted DD to start.

I would start looking now - it gives you time to look at opitions and some places do have v long waiting list - if you are interested in CM as an option do have a look on CM board as its a bit different for them but nothing wrong with meeting a few as well as looking a nurseries