Utterly confused about what to do...please give me some advice!!

[Deaby]

Hi all, I am due to do back to work part-time (3 days a week) in July, when my daughter will be 1 year old. I am SOOO confused about what I should do about childcare, ie. should I let my mum-in-law (who is very willing to look after her and is the cheaper option )care for my daughter on the days I work, until she is older, ie 2 years old, or should I put her in nursery from 10 months and just struggle to afford for nursery fees when Im working? Will it disadvantage my DD if I dont put her in nursery earlier in her life, ie. will she miss out on socialising and learning with other kids if she always with me or my mum-in-law until she is 2 years old? Sorry for long post!!

Wait til she turns 2 - she won't miss out on socialising with other kids - you or mil could find a toddler group or similar to take her to.

She'll also benefit from having one on one care with someone who loves her.

One to one with her granny would be the best IMO.

I would say go with MIL would be lovely and I adore the fact my kids get to spend a day each week with their nans while I work. However are you sure your MIL will look after them the way you would want them looked after? I don't mean that nastily but at nursery if you unhappy with something there is a manager and a process to deal with it. With MIL if you have any problems will you be able to have open discussion with her without anyone getting upset? It would be terrible if such a thing was to ruin the relationship you obv have if she made offer in first place.

wingandprayer gives sound advice. If you're happy with your MIL providing cheaper childcare, then that's fine, but think carefully about whether your child will be getting the experience you want, or whether you're feeling pressurised into it.

I had some friends who used mother or MIL for childcare, and I sometimes felt slightly sorry for them that they didn't always seem to have as much choice. When you go for a nursery or CM, you really are in a position to choose what suits you and your child, and as wing says, you also have more freedom to question anything that may not be to your liking.

Have you thought about MIL one day or two mornings a week, and nursery the rest of the time?
When your daughter is really zooming about and into everything your MIL might find it a bit tiring anyway tbh!