When do I need to start looking at daycares?

[7costanza]

I'm 18 weeks pregnant, and right now am planning to go back to work sometime between the end of October and Thanksgiving. When should I start looking at daycares? We will likely use an in-home. 

[sweetnsour]

Depends on your area and waiting lists. I put my name on the waiting list after my first ultrasound at 8 weeks.

[7costanza]

Feb 20, 2013 19:46:38 GMT -5 sweetnsour said:

Depends on your area and waiting lists. I put my name on the waiting list after my first ultrasound at 8 weeks.

Yikes! I guess I'd better at least start calling around. I have no idea what the daycare market is like in my area. 

[sweetnsour]

Feb 20, 2013 20:01:43 GMT -5 7costanza said:

Feb 20, 2013 19:46:38 GMT -5 sweetnsour said:

Depends on your area and waiting lists. I put my name on the waiting list after my first ultrasound at 8 weeks.

Yikes! I guess I'd better at least start calling around. I have no idea what the daycare market is like in my area. 

I would start calling and touring the houses. It could take a little while to find one you like.

[cjeanette]

I would at least start calling. The worst that can happen is they tell you to call back around X date.

[Deleted]

I put a deposit down today for late September. They sort of acted like it wasn't necessary but I would rather have a secure spot. I think it's pretty area specific but you may as well start looking.

[Deleted]

In my area - when you see 2 lines. And even that is often too late.

[h]

We got on wait lists at our top three choices when I was 12 weeks pregnant. We got into our third choice a couple weeks after DS1 was born, got into our first choice when he was 12 weeks old (right before I went back to work), and didn't get into our second choice until the following school year when he was one. But it definitely varies a lot by area.

[catbus]

Feb 20, 2013 20:47:24 GMT -5 BirdGirl said:

In my area - when you see 2 lines. And even that is often too late.

Basically this. We just got a spot in our first-choice center, and we got on the list last year, mid-April. In hindsight, I should have signed up literally when I found out I was pregnant.

[Brie]

Now. I procrastinated and did it in late 2nd tri and almost everywhere I looked was full.

[cherry1111]

I went looking when I was about 20-24 weeks. In my area that seemed a little early but I was happy to get it done and have the option of anywhere I looked.

[CloudBee]

I toured at 11-12 weeks and put my deposit down a few days later. This was back around the first week in Sept, and we got the last spot for July 2013.

There are long wait lists here.

[schrodinger]

Feb 20, 2013 20:47:24 GMT -5 BirdGirl said:

In my area - when you see 2 lines. And even that is often too late.

This was my experience as well.

[7costanza]

catbus- I see you're in Seattle. I'm just north of Seattle so your post worries me. Are you in Seattle proper, or a suburb?

This task seems so time consuming, I want him to be with a good provider I would just love for someone else to do the research and legwork for me.

[catbus]

Feb 21, 2013 0:19:30 GMT -5 7costanza said:

catbus- I see you're in Seattle. I'm just north of Seattle so your post worries me. Are you in Seattle proper, or a suburb?

This task seems so time consuming, I want him to be with a good provider I would just love for someone else to do the research and legwork for me.

In Seattle. I don't think it's quite as bad in the suburbs... and to be fair, we wanted a spot in a sought-after center (in H's office building, and his company subsidizes about 25% of the cost). I know my friend signed up for her first-choice center in June or July and got a spot in December. I think in-homes are not as crazy. You're probably fine.

[halfpint]

I had a deposit down at 9 weeks. They were already booked through September, and we will start in November if baby's on time. They said they'd been getting a ton of people in, too, so it was good that I came when I did. I didn't want to have to consider any other spots, this one was highly recommended and is only two blocks from our house.

[jessnpaul]

I started looking in January when I thought I'd be going back to work in September (baby came 2 months early so I ended up going back to work in July instead). I felt like I was really early, but it worked out well. There wasn't a waiting list when I first looked, but by time I booked his spot in April there was and we had to wait until August to get him in.

[galaxy8227]

I would start looking now. We go to a daycare that my friend recommended, but we went ot check it out when I was 5 months along cause we wanted to make sure we liked it (we loved it). We were lucky they had an opening for us cause they are usually at capacity.

[aspentosh]

I thought I'd be screwed when I started looking around 6m and it worked out ok. I didn't sign a contract with my in-home provider until DD was 4 weeks old.

[aspentosh]

I should add, though, I don't recommend my way. I'd start looking now because it can't hurt

[pippa]

I'm not sure about in-homes but centers in my area book up infant spots very quickly. We looked at 12 weeks and were waitlisted at all three of our top choice centers. We lucked out when a spot at our first choice opened up. We paid the deposit and were done around 14 weeks.

I would definitely start looking now. It would be good to see what you think about different options even if you don't need to choose now.