Hi ladies,
I suppose it's time to start camping out over here...I'm 14 weeks along with baby #1, and happy to be moving into the second trimester!
Might as well start off with a question, so here goes. About when did most of you decide to start researching day care centers? I feel like it's a little too soon for me to start, but DH and haven't decided yet if I'm going to keep working once the baby comes...it's all going to come down to how much day care costs, and whether or not it's worth it for me to go back to work (I would probably only be working part time, at least for a while).
Are any of you not sure yet whether you're going to do the SAHM thing? About when did you start doing the serious research?
Re: Intro and question about day care
I started getting on wait list at 9-10 weeks. I found 1 daycare that I liked that will let you reserve a guaranteed spot (as long as they will have one ) and I was able to reserve the last availabe spot they had for Oct/Nov, all the other places I checked had waiting list that in most cases are several months to a year long.
Daycare infant rooms fill up fast in most areas, so you probably want to start looking soon. If you plan to use an in home provider, they typically don't hold spaces for as long as a daycare will so you can wait until later to talk with them.
This. Where I live a daycare that is certified, and set up as a school-type setting costs about $2000 a month for an infant. In-home care can cost a bit less, but then they are only state licensed, as opposed to NAEYC certified. I got on waitlists with my first child when I was 9 weeks along, and still barely got in to my first choice. Many places will not even let you on the waitlist, as they know they will never be able to accommodate you. It's easier with this pregnancy, because sibilings get priority, but I was still on the list for Oct 1st before I'd even told my mother I was pregnant.
Please consider more than just out-of-pocket for daycare versus money brought home when calculating the real cost of leaving the workforce. If you want to be a SAHM, then that may be what's best for you. If you are deciding on cost alone, then there are bigger picture issues to consider, such as benefits costs, retirement savings and ability to re-enter the workforce. Being a working mom and being a SAHM are both rewarding, and both challenging, and I know it's a very personal choice. Good luck!