9 month free childcare hours

What an absolute joke the government funded hours are! My baby was born on the 10th July and is 9 months on the 10th April, which falls in the Easter holidays. But she isn’t entitled to any free hours until September when she will be over a year old??? She would have received them in April if she was born 10 days earlier?? 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

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Same here!! It’s ridiculous

My little one was born on the first of July so even though he turns 9 months on the 1st of april we dont get it

My eldest was born in 2021 so didn’t get any funded hours until the term after he turned 3 years old, so maybe you could just be grateful to get the support when you do and that is so much better now than it has ever been?

Omg it's such a joke! I'm now not sending my little girl until September because I actually can't afford it even though she's only doing 2 days anyway. But I know I'm so lucky to be in a position for my family to have her x

Same for me, just shocking. My son was born on the 21st of July and I was also told that he’s not eligible until September. I can’t afford to put him full time at nursery as they are also raising their prices in April so I’ll have to do 3 days only and be charged a grand for that. Such a stupid policy and doesn’t make sense at all. Babies should be eligible as soon as they start nursery and you go back to work, end of!

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Nursery costs

How much do you pay a month for nursery? And for how many hours?

Childminder or nursery

I’ve noticed that most people in the UK talk about nurseries and how expensive they are, but hardly anyone mentions childminders. From what I understand, childminders are often more affordable, more flexible (for example, if you need to pick up your child a bit later), and they provide a more home-like environment.

They also usually involve a single main caregiver, which I feel can be really positive for attachment, especially for younger children.

So why don’t more people use childminders? Is there any stigma around them in the UK?

I’m asking because my baby goes to a childminder and I’m starting to worry—are they seen as a worse option? Personally, I see some downsides to nurseries too: they tend to be more expensive, and because there are many more children (often of different ages) in the same space, I feel like that can lead to a higher risk of illnesses spreading.

So I’m curious why nurseries seem to be the more popular choice.

Advice please - I need to approach work about asking for flexibility in school holidays

My little boy is due to start pre school in September and at the moment I work 3days a week but during the holidays I probably will only be able to get childcare for maybe 1 or 2 at the most.

How do I go about speaking to work, feel like im being such a pain asking?

Childcare for toddler during labour

For those of you who don't have any family or friends nearby enough to jump in to look after your older child, how did you manage labour and going to hospital to give birth? I'm only 5 weeks pregnant but already stressing about it!

Bicycle options for 2 year old

My two year old, 27 months, has been wanting a bicycle/scooter for agessss
She had a mini balance bike that lasted till 18 months but she’s definitely outgrown it and will like something she can take to the park
Looking for options, will probably wait till she’s a few months older but I want to have some ideas now
I don’t ride bicycle so I have zero clue

please help me

my partner and I haven’t been getting along well since having a baby five months postpartum and he said something today that I think summed everything up well, as much as I hate it and wish he didn’t feel that way.

He said after having a baby it’s common for the guys to be stressed and focusing on providing and work and the woman to be taking care of the baby and feeling on the outside. And that I’m just not handling it well.

I know he could be a better partner, but I do feel that that is the issue. I really don’t know how to handle it because I don’t have friends or a life outside ofthis house. How do you guys deal with that? I just feel like my relationship went dry and all I do is take care of the baby and he doesn’t put any effort. He actually went completely cold on me and distances himself knowing how much love would mean. It definitely brought out the worst side of him.

And the thing is, there was a week where I was focusing on myself and being more happy with or without him, and I saw a slight positive change in him