Help me plan maternity leave

[Migil]

I am taking 12 months off and then I have an option to either take 40 annual leaves off all at once or take it 2 days each week as I work 4 days weeks and only have to work 2 days weeks so essentially part time with full pay. DC would be starting nursery at 12 months if I go back after 12 months or 14 months if I take all annual leaves at once.
If I go back 2 days a week from next year Sep, I might be able to cover childcare with the 30 free hours being introduced next year Sep so childcare costs will be very low for initial 5 months and that might help the baby to get settled in nursery with 2 days weeks for the 5 months and then she'll move in 4 days per week at around 18 months.
Please share your thoughts on wwyd?

With my eldest DC, I took all annual leave at once but this time I have an option to take 2 leaves per week.

I wouldn’t make the decision solely on expecting childcare to be massively cheaper. Even with the 30 free hours, I’ve just registered for a place from September 2025 that will be over £450 a month for 3 days a week, as the nursery determines when the free hours can be used and splits them over 50 weeks (annoying as we only need a term-time place).

I would do it on how you feel about returning to work - whether you want to go all in right at the start, or would prefer a phased return to normal hours.

I am taking all my annual leave in one go at the end of my maternity leave, so I’m back to full pay without having to go in.

@RosiePH thanks for the advice. I need to check with the nurseries nearby to get some perspective on the cost for Sep 2025.

I'd check up on what is practical with childcare. I thought about doing this but the reality was the nursery wasn't going to have the extra space available at the right time to coincide with me. So it was a case of either start off at 2 days or 4 days but the nursery wasn't going to hold the place for an extra days for a couple of months as they could easily fill it with another child.

I also think they settle quicker if they do more days plus they're into the routine from straight off.

I am inclined towards going back 2 days week as that would give me and baby a chance to spend more time together for longer.

I would save some annual leave if you can just for how much your DC will get ill after starting childcare.

@MariaVT65 agreed, that's my accrued annual leave, will get another set of annual leaves for the year when I go back.

I do feel concerned about the nursery illnesses starting sooner than later if I send the baby at 12 months.

I went back to work at 9 months with both my kids and we did a phased return each time. Slightly different for each one but I did work reduced hours on my full salary as we built up nursery days. Nursery were very supportive of this with enough notice so it is work asking.

i actually found my youngest a sick days from nursery werent as wild as my eldests probably because he’d been exposed to lots of bugs already through his older sibling but it is unpredictable. I did share sick days with my husband though.

anyway, all that just to say; it worked for me. Helped me ease back in as I personally would have found it hard going from nothing to full time all at once.

They don't necessarily get all the nursery illnesses though. Mine only had 3.5 days off nursery in total in almost four years.