When do I need to start looking for daycare?

Slobina

I was talking to an OOT friend this weekend and told her I was PG, and the first thing she asked me was if I had started looking at daycare.  At first I thought wow, it is way early for that (I'm 14 weeks), but then I realized maybe it is not.  If you use daycare, could you share how early you started looking for it?  This particular friend of mine lives in the DC area, so I'm thinking it the daycare centers may be busier than they are here (hence her asking me that question), but maybe not. 

Also, if you have daycare and your work is further away, is it easier to have daycare close to work or close to home?  I live east of town and work west of town, so I'm wondering if it would be easier to have it closer to home, closer to work, or somewhere in the middle.

Thanks!

Amy

JayandJack

I think I started right around 14-15 weeks. I could only see one a week so I knew it might take a while. Plus I was really limited in where I could go since there is nothing is close to me.

I saw about 4 before I finally found one and made DH go look at it. He liked to too and we signed up. They only allowed 4 new spots a month and we were the second one.  I did see one that just scared the crap out of me and I almost made DH go look at that one just so he could see it.

I'd start looking now and if you find one you like then defiantly put your down payment or reservation down to make sure you get it. Some don't require it but some do. 

bobcatsteph

I paid the deposit to reserve a spot at 8 weeks pregnant. I knew the center we wanted to use and I wanted to make sure we got a spot there when we needed it. We decided to go with close to home, which is also close to the pedi's office.

rssnlvr

We reserved our spot for daycare in May last year and she wasn't starting until January this year. They kind of laughed at us when we asked if there was a line...we were first on the list BY FAR. But it was nice to have it checked off our own to-do list and not have to worry about it anymore.

We elected to go with a daycare right by my work, rather than close to home. This allowed me to go nurse DD during my lunch break, something I did for three months or so. This was a BIG perk for me. I also like the idea of her being so close to me during the day so that if anything were to happen, I could literally get to her in five minutes.

mcgee

With Meredith I think I was about 17 weeks when we picked three daycare centers and got on their waiting lists. We got into all three and were able to choose the one we liked best.

There are pros and cons to the location issue. We chose a daycare a block from my office. The downsides: I had to commute with Meredith each day, I was solely responsible for drop offs and pick ups, and when she got sick, I had to come get her because Mike was 45 minutes away.  The upsides: I could nurse her when we arrived at the daycare and again when I arrived to pick her up, so it cut down on the amount of milk I had to pump. I could check in on her at lunchtime if I wanted to and could nurse her again. If she got sick, I was just down the road and could get there quickly.

If I were to go back to work full time outside the home now, we'd probably choose somewhere that is relatively close to our home and to both of our offices so either one of us could handle a pick up or a drop off or an unplanned trip to the daycare to get a sick kiddo. The downside of that is that you need carseats or carseat bases in both cars.

HopHop

In November we went looking for a daycare to start June.  We took 1/2 a day off and did a daycare marathon.  We were too late for some and not for others. Luckily our first pick had a spot, but I don't know if I would wait that long again, just in case.

Nessia

I reserved a spot when I was 8 weeks pregnant with DS! I had a different situation in that DD was in an in-home daycare and I wanted DS to go there too when he was eligible at 18mo. In-home daycares are a little different in that there isn't a lot of turnover and there is limited number of spots. Mia held a spot for four years there. I did have to find care for DS while he was a baby and started around 14 weeks pg. I knew I wanted in-home daycare so I to get referrals from other parents.

I chose close to home because my kids were not great commuters. DS hated being in the car and would cry almost every morning. 

jml5q

I got on 3 lists around 13 weeks and made the final decision after dd was born. we chose close to home so that we could share drop off and pick up duties.

smb29

We started looking almost a year in advance and got on several lists.  It didn't help us in the end - all the places we signed up didn't have spots when we needed them, so it didn't matter that we were at the top of the list.  We had originally been looking for something close to our work, but ended up going with a place by our house.  I'm really glad, because dh got a new job and its no where near me any more, and I would have been solely responsible for pick up and drop off.

batsteph

Slobina:

I was talking to an OOT friend this weekend and told her I was PG, and the first thing she asked me was if I had started looking at daycare.  At first I thought wow, it is way early for that (I'm 14 weeks), but then I realized maybe it is not.  If you use daycare, could you share how early you started looking for it?  This particular friend of mine lives in the DC area, so I'm thinking it the daycare centers may be busier than they are here (hence her asking me that question), but maybe not.  

Also, if you have daycare and your work is further away, is it easier to have daycare close to work or close to home?  I live east of town and work west of town, so I'm wondering if it would be easier to have it closer to home, closer to work, or somewhere in the middle.

Thanks!

Amy

This isn't relevant to you, obviously, but just in reference to the DC comment, daycare waitlists are crazy up here!  We were pretty sure I was going to stay home after Daniel was born, but we got on some daycare waiting lists just in case.  If I remember correctly, we waitlisted at three different places, and that was when I was 6-8 weeks pregnant.  None of them had space available for us by the time Daniel was born.

It wasn't a big deal for us because I did resign from my job after Daniel was born (before, actually).  But I don't know what we would have done if we'd absolutely had to have daycare for him. 

Ruby44

I got on a waiting list at 10 weeks pg but ended up not going w/ that center (stepping stone) because they didn't have a spot available 3 months after DD was born (yep, even though I got on the list at 10 weeks pg -- remember sometimes they can't guarantee that a spot will be available... this I did not know). After putting her in a day care that we hated (b/c we had to find something last-minute), we now have both of our kids at a day care we love. (If you want more info on the day care, email me at ruby44.austin AT g mail. It is in East Austin -- might be convenient for you.) 

I live very close to where I work, and the day care is right in between, so it is very convenient. If I had to choose close to work or close to home, I THINK I would choose close to home.

HTH.

ali-1411

Stepping Stone is crap.  I reserved a spot in March.  I needed care to start in December and then they told me they couldn't take her for another month.

I was able to find about 4 acceptable daycares on a week's notice. 

I would rather have daycares close to home.  The kids are in the car for a lesser time.  DH and I worked in opposite directions, so we needed a place that we could both get to easily.  The only downside is when you get stuck at work and have to fight traffic to get to daycare on time.  I used to work downtown on 6th street then had to pick up the kids at two different daycares across town in Round Rock.  Talk about stress! 

Duckie07

It just depends.  We got on the waiting list for our #1 choice for daycare the day after I peed on stick.  They finally have an opening and DD will be starting a little more than two years after getting on their list.  We were on several lists that we still have not come up for...again, almost two years later.  We were able to find our current care within a few months, however.  So, it really just depends.

Currently DD's care is closer to home and while it has been ok, we are glad she is going to be closer to work.  It is extremely stressful trying to fight traffic to get to work on time after dropping her off and even worse trying to fight traffic to pick her up on time.  I will be very happy when she's close enough that I won't have to worry about that.  And, of course, I'll be happy that I'll get to visit her too. 

gotchagomo

Pretty much immediately after my first dr. appt.! They were the first to know!! The good places fill very quickly--it's never too early to sign up.

HSartteach

I would start sooner rather than later.  That way, you can put deposits down on places you would want LO to go, and still have time to think about it.  We put deposits down (unfortunately didn't get them back) at two places, found the 3rd, and went with that one.  We decided on the one we went with a few months after we put deposits down on the first.  Some places you can get your deposit back.