Any parents with baby in nursery age 6months or less?

[Rkay2]

Hi

I have a much wanted baby and have also been offered a more flexible work opportunity- but they would like me to start earlier at 2 days a week when baby is 6 months old.

Have you put a baby into nursery at 6 months or less? How old was your baby?
Did you have parent guilt about putting baby into nursery so early?
Did you have to go back to work or was it a choice?
How have you found it?
How has LO found it?

Thanks in advance for any reaponses!!

Hey there!

I was asked to return to work early, DS was only 5 months old and I found it very hard. I only returned 2 days a week for first month and then went full time when he was 6 months.

DS was great with going to nursery, he was already used to being away from me as he spent loads of time with 3 sets of grandparents (even sleep overs).

I found it hard though as he looked so small compared to the older babies and there wasn't as many updates coming in as there was when the grandparents looked after him.

Comments from other parents and some of the nursery staff, were also difficult, about how he was too young to be in nursery already etc and he looked too small and would miss me etc etc.

DS is now with a childminder (long story short, allergy developed and nursery couldnt met his needs but a childminder could) and maybe that would have been the better (and cheaper!!) option from the start as he would have still had a home set up and would have received care from same person rather than a string of nursery workers.

BUT saying that, we are now looking to get DS back into a nursery as he really does love socialising with other babies/children. He really has blossomed into such a social butterfly.

It's much easier for your baby to settle at 6 months, because it's before separation anxiety kicks in. Don't worry, your baby will be fine. The little ones always get lots of attention.

Look at nurseries and childminders and see what you like best.

my dd was a little bit older at just turned 7 months. I had no guilt about it and no one ever said anything. She did 4 days.

It's easier to settle a baby that age.

Was offered a job I couldn't turn down (meant didn't have to work in different country to my child and took me 7 years to get) when dd2 was 2 months old.

She went to a lovely childminder who was effectively her second mummy and only had two other kids.

Was hard.

Mine went to nursery at 4.5 months old - he settled with them straightaway, and was very happy. The ratios, plus baby naps meant that largely he had 2:1 care , and the nursery kept the carers very consistent in the baby room. I have never regretted our care choices

I worked in a baby room for many years we had lots of babies start (many full time) at 3 months. As a previous poster said it is much easier for a younger baby to settle in.

I had my kids in Belgium where maternity leave is generally 15 weeks. Majority of babies start nursery at around 4-6 months. I found that my DS was fine, no separation anxiety and I was ready to go back to work and have some adult time.

Thanks for the responses.

In some other countries mothers return to work when babies are quite young. But here sometimes it feels like it's not the done thing.

It's good to hear that you all did it and managed it.

How did you find being at work and taking care of LO when home? Did your babies sleep through?
Did you have to let some things slide? Like certain aspects of housework/cooking etc.

How did you do with the weaning?

Thanks again!

Mine went 3 1/2 days a week from 7 months. Definitely an easier transition for him than his friend who went at 2 or his other friend who never went to paid childcare & started in the school nursery at 3 1/2.

Until quite recently mat leave was much shorter than it is now. 14 weeks pay & 18 weeks leave when I first started work in 1996 (I was advising not having dc's then). Good luck xx

Rkay2 not gonna lie, was tough getting everything done when I first returned to work and sometimes now I feel like my life is stuck on repeat. But I am very happy I have returned to work. It does appear DS settled in a lot easier starting so early compared to the other ante-natal babies in our group that are only going back now.

Sleeping through
Hmm... not sure many babies actually sleep through haha, certainly seems the case reading MN threads (especially on the Sleep board!). Saying this though DS does sleep through majority of nights now and from 5 months old he was only waking for one feed a night. We didn't do anything special though, just let him do this on his own accord. But currently he is teething horribly! Last 3 nights have been awful and I feel like a zombie at my desk BUT I do find it easier being sleep deprived at work than being sleep deprived and looking after a baby.

Weaning
As we done Baby Led Weaning and focused on Milk being most important thing till age of 1 (as per the guidelines) we took a really casual attitude to weaning and have had great success with it. DS loves food and uses spoons and forks at age of 11 months.

Housework/Cooking
Routine Routine Routine is the key! It took us about a month before we cracked it (and as DH has strange hours it actually is all down to me during the week). Basically pre-plan your meals and keep them simple. Once baby is in bed that is when you have to get everything done ready for the next day - I have to leave at 6.30am so I even lay out our clothes. Sunday is household chores day, maybe I will run the hoover round if it is needed mid week and I do wipe the kitchen sides down daily after I cook dinner still. You have to let your standards drop a little.
Here is my routine:
5.30am: wake up, wash & dress
5.45am: breakfast & coffee
6.00am: wake up DS with his morning bottle
6.15am: nappy change & dress DS
6.30am: load up car and leave for childminders
7.30am-5pm: work
5.45pm: pick up DS from childminder
6.00pm: bath, bottle, book
7.00pm: DS in bed
7.00pm-7.30pm: sort out bags, packed lunches & clothes
7.30pm: shower and do any extra cleaning if needs to be done
8.00pm: start dinner
8.30pm: dinner time
9.00pm: bed time or watch something on Netflix with DH

Just really make that bed time hour special with your LO. We have a fun bath time and lots of lovely cuddles. It is how I get my fix of DS during the week, I do seriously miss him when at work.

Currently debating what hours to do. I really like my job and the team I work on and read online that if you return to work within 6 months then they have to give you exactly the same role back by law so plan on saving 5 weeks holiday to use at the end of the year (the plan begin to work right up to my due date at the beginning of July) and officially return at the end of November and be on holiday till January

We are already trying to sort out a nursery as we both commute to work and there is a nursery just by the train station that we want to get it into.

The problem being they want to know what days we will need and at the moment I work full time. Can't decide whether to go back part time and struggle financially or go back full time and struggle housework wise. They salary I'm on is shocking and I know they bring less experienced staff in on more than what they pay me

If you don't know which days you're going back, book a full time space, then cancel the days you don't want. Annoying for the nursery, but you'll know you have the days you want available.

I went back to work When mu son was 2 years and still had parent guilt. With my daughter, she was a year old and no guilt at all. Why? I learnt to stop telling people how I felt because chances are they will latch on it and capitalizenon how much time you need to spend with them then bla bla bla . Whatever’s. You’re doing what’s best for yourself and your family and your child will flourish in the right care. Also not too young. My sister in another country left hers at 2 Monhs old. Today she’s a thriving 8 year old.