Childcare for older children when on maternity leave

[ItCameFromOuterSpace]

What is everyone else planning on doing with their older children re: childcare? Dc1 is currently in nursery 5 days a week (dh and I work FT). I finish work at around 37 weeks and planning on leaving dc1 in nursery for 3/4 days a week while I am on maternity leave (before the baby arrives) - to get some rest and plan for the new arrival.

After baby arrives I was planning on leaving dc1 in nursery PT three mornings a week...what do you think? I plan to return to work so would like to keep dc1 in nursery for continuity but can't afford to keep her in FT , plus I would like to spend time with her during my leave also.

What's everyone else's plans?

My DS1 was in nursery 3 days a week before I went on maternity leave and I just left him going three days a week when I started mat leave. Kept meaning to drop to two but never did. Feel bit bad but he absolutely loves it and would have had to go back three days when I return to work anyway.

Especially in the early days I'm glad I did. He has more fun at nursery than he would have sat in front of cbeebies whilst I was stuck constantly feeding a newborn. Some people can cope with two (and more) fulltime. I'm not one of those people unfortunately.

Before I had DD2 DD1 went to nursery full time and she stayed full time until after DD2 was born and then she changed to two and a half days. Having two full days with her in nursery meant I could have an afternoon nap if I needed to and DH took her to nursery so I didn't have to be up and going first thing or he picked her up so I could cook the tea depending on his shift at work.

This time I'm on my own and I'm lucky that DD2 becomes eligible for nursery grant hours just as the baby arrives so she is going to go for three mornings of five hours and if I can afford it I'm going to pay for two afternoons so I have the same situation this time except for having to get DD1 to school.

I'm only 12 weeks so I might change plans before the time comes I guess but that's the plan right now

Thank you...do you think 3 half days is more disruptive than as 2 full days? What do you think would be best for dc1?

dc1 was in nursery (preschool class) for 2 full days a week.
I found full days easier to handle tbh, but it might be different for you. really enjoyed having a nice long afternoon nap during dc2's nap in the afternoon.

and dc1 was in nursery full time until dc2 was about 2 weeks old.

I'm planning on sending DS to the local pre-school as it's nearer than his nursery but still doing one day at nursery as he'll go back there when I go back to work. He'll get 15 free hours from Jan so I'll split those over the two providers.

I am worried about this too.

DC1 is in nursery 4 days a week, which are the days I work.

My current plan is to maintain that, until some point at which the new baby mist lifts (12 weeks? 16 weeks?) and then to go down to 3 full days a week. Not long after she'll turn three which will bring down the bill a little bit.

I've asked work to go down to three days a week after ML, but not heard back yet. They could well say no, in all honesty, at which point she'll have to go back to 4 days. But if this does work out then she'll maintain the three full days when I go back to work and DC2 will go to the same nursery. TBH, 3 half days sounds a bit rubbish to me from the point of view of my nursery as a) most of the children go for the whole day if they go (it's set up that way, not primarily for 3yrs plus free hours kids) and b) you'd be picking them up almost as soon as you dropped them off and having them for the tired/ratty half of the day (that could be me or DC1)... :)

I want to have some time with just me and the new DC to do the baby things that would be hard with a toddler too, and I want to enjoy ML not to be so exhausted I become ratty. I am hoping one, then two days a week all together will be manageable to focus on having fun together, and not have to do housework/catch up on sleep/or get driven mad by the different needs. But I honestly don't know, I've not done it before! DC1 was quite a high maintenance baby and I am really hoping for a chilled out one next time....!!!

Money plays such a big factor in all this, doesn't it. I forgot to say that this only really works if we can also reduce our mortgage payments for a couple of years.

DD1 is almost 3 - she was at nursery 3 days a week whilst I was working. We're planning to keep this going whilst I'm on mat leave with number 2 but send her 9-3 rather than the long 8-5 days when I was at work. Hoping this will keep her in a pre-school type routine and ensure school doesn't come as too much as a shock in Sept 2014 and give me some time with "just" the baby each week.

Financially this is only viable because from Sept she'll have her 15 free hours a week and I will still receive childcare vouchers from work, the two combined just about cover the cost. I only found out about the childcare vouchers recently though (ie they still get paid because they are treated as a benefit in kind rather than salary) - was v good news!

I think it depends entirely on your budget OP. ( dont forget that the tax credits people will pay for up to 70% of childcare depending on your income, ad this co tinues throughout maternity leave!)
In my opinion if you are going to continue nursery, full days are so much better than half days, even if you have to cut down to 2 full days you will all benefit more than 3 half days x

We don't have a huge budget at all...three half days would cost us £300 (managable) and 2 full days would cost a bit more than than that.

Not sure if its more disruptive for dd to go in half days or more consistent for her. Nursery reckon its better to do the half days buti worry about all the dropping off nd pickin up with a newborn and then getting dd settled for her nap at home because normally she naps at nursery 12.40-2.30pm, and half days are 7.30-1pm, so they wouldn't put her down for a nap.