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How far out to secure daycare?
I'm due in July but between my maternity leave, DH's and some help from family we won't need full time daycare until January. I'm calling places now and many of them are telling me to call back closer to January (like 6 -8 weeks before) because they won't know about openings until then.
Is this normal? It makes me nervous not to have daycare set before the baby is born. And, I'm I'm in Long Beach so if anybody has recs for daycare nearby that'd be great! TIA.
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Re: How far out to secure daycare?
I don't have any recs for daycare in Long Beach, but I used to work at a Center in Downtown LA. Because our Center was so popular due to its location/convenience for downtown parents, we had a long waitlist-- especially for the infant room. We had parents on the waitlist who applied when they new they were going to TTC!
Although parents could call to check their status, we called applicants from the waitlist whenever a space opened up. I'm sure they wouldn't know until closer to your due date about available space, but they should at least have a waitlist. I would keep searching until you find a place that has a waitlist so that you are not scrambling to find a place last minute. Or even several. GL
IVF #1: ER 03/29/10; ET 04/01/10: transferred 2 embies; Beta #1 (9dp3dt)- 45; Beta #2 (11dp3dt)- 91= BFP
FET#1: ET 04/18/12: transferred 4 embies; Beta #1: >2 = BFN
IVF #2: ER 06/20/12; ET 6/25/12: transferred 2 embies; Beta #1 on 7/5/12= BFN
8/16: hysteroscopy for polyp removal
11/11: hysteroscopy #2 for yet another polyp removal
FET#2: ET 12/15/12: transferred 3 embies; Beta #1 (9dp5dt): 12/24/12: 426; Beta #2 (11dp5dt): 845= BFP
u/s 1/9= triplets!; miscarried all three on 1/10/13...
We're looking to start daycare in early January as well, and we've already found that most places are filling up.
We're on the waitlist at two centers so far... so I think your timing is right if you start looking now!
Wish I had some recs for that area, but we're looking up in Burbank.
I am on a waitlist for a place that is 18 months long. It's so long, that when you go on a tour, they recomend you see the toddler room, since that's about how old your kid will be by the time they get a spot.
I am also on a waitlist that's only 6-12 months...
I'm due in August and won't need daycare until December. I'm interviewing providers right now and trying to find 3 choices so I have a Plan A, B and C in case one of them is full at the time I need them. Will probably be stalking them during my maternity leave too in order to make sure that they'll able to accomodate me.
Re: waiting lists, I've only come across that issue with really big and expensive "chain" daycares. I've found several licensed family-owned daycare providers that are smaller in my area that don't seem to have the same issue. Check out Connections for Children for referrals in your area.
I'm also looking at smaller licensed family-owned daycare providers. I guess I should have mentioned that. Most of the ones I've talked to want me to contact them close to January because they don't want to hold a spot this far out. I guess I'll just keep on it like you said.
Thanks for the link to the Connections for Children. It looks like they only go as far south as Redondo Beach with recommendations. I found a similar site in Long Beach... the Long Beach Lakewood Family Childcare Association. It's given me a place to start at least.
This whole process is so overwhelming.
So nice to meet another Long Beach mommy. You are so lucky to have family in the area to help.
I'll definitely let you know what we decide to about daycare. Now I'm leaning towards the larger daycare centers just because their hours are longer. It seems like the in home ones need you pick your baby up by 4:30 - 5pm with no flexibility if you're late. It sucks.
I'm taking a day off of work next week to start looking at some of these places. I'm going to start with Child Time (downtown) and Bixby Oaks (in Bixby Knolls). I'll let you know how it goes!