New baby, when to take dc1 out of nursery

[DesignedForLife]

I'm currently 36 weeks pregnant with dc2, due end of August. DC1 has been going to nursery two days a week whilst I was at work. My plan was to keep her in, but I've just been made redundant, and can't really afford to keep paying when I'm not earning.

I can't decide what's best to do - DH want to take her out from the start of September, doesn't like the idea of sending her to nursery whilst I'm not working. But I'd like to keep her in one day a week, at least initially to help her adjust to the new baby without throwing her routine totally, and to hopefully give me one day of the week that's slightly easier! Might actually get to clean the house or something... Haha.

Could you get help to pay for childcare costs? Or bring them down by cutting her hours down to two mornings instead of full days?
Even with you not working, nursery is so good for them, and I bet that she would love a change of scenery too and to be able to play with her friends
I'm currently off work loving the summer holidays but am still sending DD to nursery twice a week 9am-1pm, because she enjoys it and I know how good it is for her. We do get some help with childcare costs though, so I can imagine it being expensive without any help!

I think it depends what you can afford. I personally might consider using the cost of the nursery day to pay a cleaner instead!!

I actually found the newborn stage with DC2 pretty easy - I just carted then around to wherever I was going with DC1 (toddler groups etc). All hell started to break loose after DC2 turned 2 and the sibling rivalry started, but that's another story!!

Ffion- how do you get help with costs? DH earns a reasonable but not great wage, just above threshold for any benefits that I could claim as far as I can see. DD loves nursery though, and I know she gets a lot out of it.

Sqid- I like the idea of a cleaner. Maybe I could offer the choice to DH - cleaner or nursery!

How old is dc1? Could you claim the 15 free hours that everyone is entitled to?

We get child tax credits as my partner is a newly qualified electrician so is on a low income and I only work 30 hours as an AN assistant. They actually pay half the costs, so we would be lost without the help and I couldn't go to work.
If you search "entitledto" you can put your information in to find out if you could claim.

Do you normally use childcare vouchers? If you do your company is legally obliged to continue them whilst your on maternity leave. And they can't take it off your pay if your only earning SMP. I have though assumed you'll still get maternity pay with you redundancy

Dc1 is nearly 2, won't be eligible for a funded place (12 hours a week) till she's 3 and half - live in Wales so it's different here.

I can't claim vouchers as working part time wasn't earning enough. DH can though, and will do if we keep her in.

shugfish it's not that clear cut any more unfortunately. There was a tribunal earlier this year that found in favour of an employer not paying them

This is a tricky one, because you won't know until you've had baby how difficult or not difficult it'll be.

Could you postpone your decision until baby is born?