Booking nursery place in advance

[Strawberry06]

I'm 28 weeks pregnant but people have been telling me I should be booking nursery place now!

There's a lovely nursery in the village where we live (outstanding) and I would love our son to go there. I've already reached out to them for a brochure/fees etc - though I think with the new government changes we'd be entitled to free hours?

Anyway my paid maternity will officially end at the end of October, but I'll have pretty much a months worth of holiday accrued and so I plan to return to work in January 2025. Hopefully 4 days a week but I won't know if this is possible until nearer the time.

My parents will look after my child 2 days per week so it would only be 2 days per week in nursery.

Is it worth looking round the nursery now even though they wouldn't be going until 2025 or can I just book a place now?

Confused as to how it all works! Thanks!

I booked my son into nursery when he was four months old and I only got him a place because I only wanted two days a week and would take the less popular days. Even 3 days wasn't an option.

My friend was dropping her older child off there when she was 8 months pregnant and the staff said if she wanted a 4/5 day place she needed to sign them up pretty much right then and there.

That was at a nursery that's popular but rural so doesn't have the same demand as ones in nearby towns. For those ones, I've heard of people putting names down after the 20 week scan.

As per others, very area dependent. I put our name down when I was 20 weeks pregnant and was lucky to get a space at our preferred option for when I wanted to return to work.

I put my baby down in Jan 2023 when I was 7 months pregnant, even though he isn’t due to start until March 2024. The list was already long at that point, but then I know other nurseries in the area had much more space. Probably very nursery and area dependent but if there’s one you have your heart set on, definitely get their name on early!

£100 for us also.