Finding childcare

ARS25 · July 2013

For those you who will be working moms, have you started looking for childcare? I'm 15 weeks and already feeling anxious about it. Is it to early to start looking around and calling people?

jy725 · July 2013

It's not too early. I've been calling for the past two weeks and many of the centers in my area are booked through the end of 2014!

Sunshine7117 · July 2013

I dont think it's too early....I'm 20 weeks and began calling and visiting around 18 weeks. Even then many places were booked and the providers I spoke with all mentioned how great it was that I was looking so far in advance. The way I see it it's better to be prepared and have a plan!

lollipoppoop · July 2013

I have been on my #1 choice daycare wait list since I was 6 weeks. I would def start looking

CKBlondie · July 2013

Oh yeah, you have to start early! The good ones get so booked up so fast. Good luck!

rbh1000 · July 2013

I just started looking and I am 20 weeks and finding out there are waitlists or only 1 spot left. I would start now

msiskind · July 2013

I live in DC and apparently around here you are supposed to get on day care waiting lists the moment you conceive! I don't have many friends with kids so I had no idea. We got on 4 waiting lists a little before the end of my first trimester. But ideally we will do a nanny share with some friends who are due the same week as us. And I think you can start looking for nannies a lot later than you start looking for day cares.

hartsl01 · July 2013

I started looking for childcare at 13 weeks. At that point, I contacted 19 different homes/centers and only 3 had an opening when we'd need care. We put a deposit down when I was 17 weeks.

I think a lot of it depends on your area though. IMO, it's never too early to start looking, it can be an overwhelming process and you'll want to find the best place for your baby and you.

soccerchica604 · July 2013

I worked in childcare for years and it is NEVER too soon! Good places get booked way in advance. But my advice to you is please please please do your research and even ask for recs from trusted friends. After working at a number of centers and seeing what goes on behind the scenes, I will never send my child to a center before the age of three. I worked in infant rooms and coming across reliable people to work with was very rare. I often found myself overwhelmed trying to do everything myself because these young kids would come in ignorant and without a care or you would get the old women who would sweet talk the parents but then do everything the way they wanted (think: you cant teach an old dog new tricks). Not to mention most centers will tell the parents whatever they want to hear to get their business.

mamashan12 · July 2013

We put a deposit down when I was about 15 weeks, started looking at 12. We're in Boston and visited several places and only one didn't have a waiting list at that point. And they said they expected to have one right after we put down a deposit.

teshy1 · July 2013

I think it depends where you live and what the demand is for daycare in that area.

For background, I live in Canada and get a 12-month maternity leave with my employer.

I put my name on the list at the only (at the time) daycare centre in our town when our DD was 2 weeks old. I didn't get a call telling me there was a spot until she was almost 8 months old

I started doing research into private dayhomes about 6 months before I knew I'd be going back to work, and started visiting dayhomes about 4-5 months before I went back. I am so glad I took the time to visit each dayhome I was considering -- I almost turned around and walked right back out of a couple of them right after I walked in!

DD has been in a private dayhome about 3 minutes from our house since I went back to work, and she loves it. DH and I have been pleased overall with our choice, and our plan is to put both kids in that same dayhome when I go back to work after this upcoming mat leave.

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