The Childcare Bible by Lucy Martin, Vermillion

Choosing childcare for you baby or toddler is one of the hardest decisions new parents have to make. Before the baby arrives you may have very definite ideas about how and where you want your offspring to be cared for. After the birth you may find that your thoughts have changed completely. And your situation alters when you have more children.

I remember thinking I could carry on working from home with baby in a little rocker beside my desk! You can imagine how quickly I was disabused of that idea! So I had various carers coming into the home until Olivia went to nursery just before she was two. Some arrangements worked extremely well, others didn't. Olivia never suffered but I had many a stressful moment!

Very often when planning childcare we walk a fine line between what we will accept and what we won't and so much depends upon personal circumstances and what's available in your area.

Lucy Martin's The Childcare Bible is an excellent, well researched book which sets out all the options in a clear and concise way. It's a comprehensive overview of childcare from maternity nurses to mother's helps, nannies to au pairs, childminders to nurseries. The author gives extremely helpful tips and advice throughout: pros and cons of each option, what to ask, what to do if things go wrong, financial implications and settling your child before you go back to work.

The five informative appendices cover:

• Contracts of Employment
• Finances
• Children with Special Needs
• List of EEA Countries
• Childcare Qualifications

Published by Vermillion, The Childcare Bible by Lucy Martin is available from Amazon. To order a copy please click the link below:

The Childcare Bible: The Ultimate Guide to All Forms of Childcare - Nannies, Maternity Nurses, Au Pairs, Nurseries, Childminders, Relatives and Babysitters