childcare for older child when on maternity leave

[visitor1]

Not ever been on maternity leave.....but liek everyone else has said, keep him in care.

Ive never pulled the girls out at all and im home 24/7!

[Pandora]

cool thanks for the answers. ive been copping a lot of people telling me im horrible for thinking of it, if you cant cope with having it at home why have another one etc.
I dont know if we will need a place as hoping DH will be home once I return to work, but we may so that is a good idea as well.
I does really like it there and refers to his friends as "the boys" (we have an im only playing withboys thing happening at the moment..)

thanks again.

[alioops]

Sarah is in 2 days a week, Em is in 1 day a week. Mondays are my time and I need it every week. When Leah is down to one feed during the day and the others either being early morning and late and night I think she will go in and I will go back to work. I can easily express because I am just one who can milk like a cow. I need to go back to work, not being in work for 5 months is sending me batty!!

Lala does need some one-on-one with mummy too, so maybe keep him in one or 2 days a week, and make sure that when DH is home you have some one-on-one with DS.

[Toomanytoomany]

cool thanks for the answers. ive been copping a lot of people telling me im horrible for thinking of it, if you cant cope with having it at home why have another one etc.

Ugh!! My response to that would be, "Did you homeschool and never EVER use a babysitter? No? Shut up, then."

I'm a great believer in maintaining routines... and I also think it's nice for the new baby to have some alone time with his/her parent, too!

[Nai]

Ray, people should keep their opinions to themselves sometimes! My response (even if I never intended to go back to work) would be that the waiting list is so long we need to keep our spot. Most people who have any experience with childcare would understand that without question.

[Astrid]

I kept DD1 in care whilst pregnant and even now she still goes. When we moved mid pregnancy I gave up work and childcare. I found that after awhile she was asking to go, she really missed it. I started to send her to occasional care once or twice a week until I got a long day spot. She loved it and found it great as I could get some sleep, go to appointments etc. Once bubs arrived it was helpful for DH to have her going to childcare, as it meant he could still go to work on those days.

Really it is no-one else business how and why you continue to use childcare. As said before do these people not use kinder, school or babysitters?

[Crystalwings]

I work in LDC and also think that it is good to keep the routine happening. Can I also suggesst that you take Lala into the centre as soon as you are able for a 'show and tell' to make DS feel like she is part of the community there and to feel proud of his new sister.