Nursery or Childminder?

[Melissad]

Hi all,
I'm 19 weeks pregnant with our third child. My daughters are 11 and 8. I work part time about 15 hours a week and will be taking about six months maternity leave. One of my friends (not a very close friend, but I'm very friendly with her and feel I know her very well, have been to her house etc., and she mine) has recently registered as a childminder and has offered to have baby when I return to work. I'm going to do 2 days a week when I go back.
People are already suprised that I'm considering going back to work with three children, but I really love my job. It doesn't pay huge amounts, so I'll mostly be returning for my sanity, love of my job and keeping my CV up to date. I've only worked there for 18 months and prior to that was a stay at home Mum for a decade, and it was really really hard to find a job with a massive chunk missing in my CV. I don't have to work, could be a SAHM again if I wanted, but I want to carry on working cos it's a lovely place to work and has enhanced my life so much.
Am I mad to think of working with three kids? And am I mad to consider letting my friend childmind? (obviously I'll be paying her and not mates rates lol!)
Would a nursery be better, in terms of not having to work around her holidays and sickness? Any tips? I didn't work when my older girls were little, so this will be my first experience of childcare! (apart from using holiday clubs etc. for my girls)
Melissa

hi there are quite a few threads on this - some one here, and also on childminders board and the nurseries board-so maybe do a search -
but I personally think for a young baby a childminder is a good option -
however I would advise looking at other childminders and nurseries and getting a feel for them -and the upsides and downside - as its personal feeling that really matters in childcare

• its a good time in preganancy to do it then you can decide if your friend is the best option

with older children I don't think its an issue to work with 3 children -

I tried both a nursery and a childminder with DS. I went back to work 4 days a week. My mum had him for two days, childcare for other two.

DS did not get on with nursery. He found it hard to settle and I think it was because he was only there for two days. There weren't enough days for it to become normal routine. It was too busy, he didn't really get to know the carers.

We moved him to a childminder and he thrived with her. I think it was having a regular person, a queiter environment, and getting out and about (as we did when he was at home)that worked for him.

Ds1 went to a childminder from 11 months. Ds2 will be around 21 months when I return to work (if I get the job I'm interviewing for this afternoon!), and he'll go to a nursery. Those options suit their characters.