Making a choice about leaving your child with someone else is one of the most heart wrenching, emotional and difficult decisions you can make, especially when they are a baby. I have always been really lucky in terms of having parents, family and close friends to look after my babies when I needed them to but quite recently, due to circumstances, had to look at alternative options.

First and foremost the official stuff, you need to ensure that any childcare service is registered. All those in England should be registered and and inspected by Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills) at least once every 3 years. This means that they meet the relevant standards of care and as a mum; we always think that no one is capable of looking after our babies like we do, but having set standards certainly helps to ease your worries.

I love a list, so I firstly drew up a shortlist of the childcare providers in my area and then arranged to visit them. Prior to the visit, I wrote out a list of questions, questions about the meal times, first aid, activities, hygiene standards, working hours (early drop off and late collection or only 9-5?) adult/child ratio, security and structure. They are looking after the most precious thing in your life, so you are entitled to ask these questions.

Once you have made a decision, ask for references from other parents who have sent their children to that nursery / child minder. Another parent will give you an honest opinion, which is ultimately what you are seeking.

I personally struggled with the whole separation anxiety of leaving my daughter with someone who didn’t know her and her routine, which is why having my best friend as a child minder worked perfectly for me. It meant that she had one to one attention and could develop a bond.

Leaving your child in the care of another is always a hard but often necessary decision for a parent but it doesn’t have to fill you with worry.

Give yourself time to find the right setup that works for you and your child and instead of worrying about leaving them; you can look forward to them running in for a cuddle when you collect them!