One of the scariest things about going back to work after having a baby is navigating the complex options of childcare! I owe so much to lots of fabulous people who help me with childcare, making the transition a little easier. Being in healthcare makes flexibility extremely difficult, and as we often work hours that are outside of usual office hours, many of the available facilites arent even worth considering.
We now use a combination of options (a nanny share, nursery, family and me being part-time) on different days to make things work both financially and around difficult hours! As it has taken us a little while to work out how to factor in childcare with 2 medical parents, I thought it may be helpful for me to give some of my thoughts on the potential options.
Nursery
Being in healthcare means I need a nursery that opens early and closes late, of which very few exist that open before 8am! This is one of the biggest issues for me and it’s even worse for the midwives/ nurses who start even earlier!
I looked for nurseries by asking everyone I know with kids that live near me, and also by looking at my local council websites. I checked all the ofsted reports and openings times and then went to viewings.
Once you arrive at a viewing, it can be difficult to know what you are even looking for! Especially because I had to register for waiting lists whilst I was still pregnant, and had very little idea what factors I needed to consider!
Here are some of my own ideas of questions to ask a prospective nursery:
- What is your sickness policy? How long do they need to be excluded if fever and will they give paracetamol?
- Where do the babies sleep? Some sleep on mats or in cots. It is important to know what they will do to help them get to sleep.
- How many weeks a year are you open? Unless you are a teacher, the chances are that you will need childcare all year round, ie it’s not useful if they are closed 8 weeks during summer!
- What food will they get? Is it made fresh or pre-prepared?
- What is included with your fees? Do they supply uniform, is there overalls for messy play, do you need to supply nappies/formula etc
- Will they get to go outdoors? Many nurseries have their own outside space and may even take them out on trips. If your child is going full time they will definitely need some fresh air!
Some benefits of nursery:
- Structured time and the children will learn according to a set curriculum
- Good mixture of other kids
- Set, consistent hours and weeks allowing you to plan far ahead
- Usually accept tax-free childcare or childchare vouchers – remember to check what you are elegible for! It is so brilliant that the government will contribute to childcare for children of all ages – its not much but it helps! Of course I think that we could definitely do a lot more but at least if you qualify then take what you can!
Cons of nursery:
- Rigid, so you still have to pay on your days off, holidays etc and usually need plenty of notice to switch days
- The kids get ill ALL the time! This is probably good in the long run but can be a real challenge if both of you have an inflexible job and dont have family nearby
- Fixed times – this is the biggest drawback of all for me because if you have an early start or late finish these are not negotiable! It may limit which nursery you pick, or you have to pay extra fees for early/ late drop offs.
- Expensive! Especially if you live in a big city -there are usually some discounts the more days you do, but theres no denying it will eat up a chunk of your monthly income!
Childminder
I never actually used one of these, but I have some colleagues who did and think it is fantastic. They tend to be cheaper and accept fewer children. They often have a bit more flexibility in terms of timing, and will take the children out on outings.
Disadvantages also include:
- Usually takes place in the childminders home so you have to be sure that you are happy with the space and toys they have.
- The childminder may have their own children that they are responsible for at the same time which can split their focus
- Can have issues if the childminder is unwell as you will have to find alternative arrangements
Nanny or Nanny-share
A nanny is the most expensive option available, and difficult to calculate the true cost because you have to add tax, national insurance contributions as well as the costs they incur during the day such as from going to classes.
We do a nanny share for 2 days a week and this works incredibly well for us because it is flexible. We keep to fixed days, and have to plan in advance when the nanny will take her annual leave, at times that work well for both families. However, having some flexibility means we can change the hours based on our own work schedule. Also we get on really well with the other family we share with which definitely helps!
The main drawback is that as your child may be less exposed to other children, it can be necessary to find other opportunities for them to get out of the house and work on communicaiton skills etc. This can work well if you live in an area with good baby classes but this isnt an option for everyone!
Family
Of course, not everyone has family nearby or in a position to help out but having family or reliable friends nearby can be exceptionally useful. Downsides include the possibility of knock-on effects on your relationship if there are any disagreements over how the child is educated. It may also be difficult to keep consistent days if your family members go on holiday etc when you may need to make alternative arrangements.
This is just a round-up of some of the options we have considered and tried. Im sure you have your own thoughts, and I would love to hear about what worked or didnt work for you!