Is 9 months too young for nursery?

[RMarieClaire]

I’m having a dilemma over when to return to work. Can I ask if anyone here put their kids in nursery before a year? An opportunity has come up at work to take on a maternity role in the new year, but my new baby will only be 9 months old. It’ll ultimately be full time but only 2 days in the office and our nursery is 3 doors down the road from us so I can still breastfeed him in the day on those days and could even have him nap at home. My eldest LOVES nursery but didn’t start till 13 months. It would be a great position for me but the guilt is overwhelming. My boy is only 5 weeks old so impossible to know if he’ll take to it as well as his sister.

Most nurseries have smaller baby rooms.

Mines going at nine months. I wish it was part time but is what it is for now.

Mine started part-time at 7 months. I found it fine as it was before the separation anxiety phase - she was always perfectly happy. I sent her in with some expressed milk most days - I think maybe breastfeeding part way through the day and then having to go away again would have been harder than leaving her until collection time.

@ivfgottwins yes I realise nannies are a luxury only the wealthy could afford. Unfortunately nurseries are also only affordable for the wealthy it seems. At least a nanny offers more flexibility, more 1:1 attention and they don’t charge per child.

My twins go to a childminder but she has assistants so more like a mini nursery - they started at 5 months as I'm the main earner

My older child also was in a child care from a young age and hasn't done her any harm either

Mine went full time from six months and has loved it. Second day there was not even a backward look because he'd spotted new toys. He's very social, it did him the world of good, because we weren't really getting out much in a very wet January.

New baby will go from six months as well.

9 months is a very common age to start nursery as it's a common age that mother's go back to work after maternity leave. It's daunting but he/she will be in good hands

My little boy starts nursery in March at 9 months old and typically I have massive mum guilt and worry! He is going to be going 3 days a week. Can you suggest anything’s that can make the transition easier for both of us? I’m worried as haven’t done a lot of classes with him in the last month due to Christmas etc and hoping that he won’t find socialising hard! Any advice will be gratefully appreciated xx