[Resi]

What are your plans for childcare? Are you staying home or having someone watch your little one?

[greeneyes]

I work from home so that works out nicely. I do have Lily in a Mother's Day Out program, though and I'm thinking I might have Vivi go starting next fall. We'll see, it is nice to get some alone time every now and again.

[freesiangel]

This terrifies me. I have NO clue. I will be going part-time soon, so I'll only be working 2 1/2 days per week once the baby is here (yay), meaning I have to find childcare for 2 1/2 days per week! I called a few daycare's and they simply won't do it, or actually they will, but you still have to pay for the full 5 days (and that would be 90% of my paycheck). I still have a few others to call, but I'm guessing I'll get the same answer. My *hope* is that one of the lovely retired ladies in my subdivision will want to do it (or they all can - they get together to play bridge and stuff, so maybe that would be fun for them). It'd give them a little extra money, which must be nice when you're retired, plus they all seem to love babies. I'm not sure how to ask them, though, heck, they don't even know I'm pregnant yet! lol.

If push comes to shove and I can't find good childcare, then I'm becoming a SAHM even though money will be tight.

[Resi]

Originally Posted by freesiangel

This terrifies me. I have NO clue. I will be going part-time soon, so I'll only be working 2 1/2 days per week once the baby is here (yay), meaning I have to find childcare for 2 1/2 days per week! I called a few daycare's and they simply won't do it, or actually they will, but you still have to pay for the full 5 days (and that would be 90% of my paycheck). I still have a few others to call, but I'm guessing I'll get the same answer. My *hope* is that one of the lovely retired ladies in my subdivision will want to do it (or they all can - they get together to play bridge and stuff, so maybe that would be fun for them). It'd give them a little extra money, which must be nice when you're retired, plus they all seem to love babies. I'm not sure how to ask them, though, heck, they don't even know I'm pregnant yet! lol.

If push comes to shove and I can't find good childcare, then I'm becoming a SAHM even though money will be tight.

I would ask the ladies if they know of anyone who would be interested in watching your baby a couple days per week and see what they say. Or mention your going to have to look into PT childcare and your wish you could find someone you know..

[**jessie**]

We have several friends who have recently had babies or who are currently expecting, and who will be SAHMs. I know they could really use the cash, so I am hoping one of them will watch the baby in return for some extra money (and possibly vet services). Haven't asked yet, I figure I will wait a couple more months. The second option would be a child care provider that only watches a few children out of their own home. We are lucky over here as child care is much cheaper than it is in the states.

[Oriyan]

We are having a friend of ours watch JJ for us :-)

I need to go see the lady across the road cos she's a childminder. I keep meaning to go visit her to see if she'd be able to take Kirsty. The only thing is I don't know when I'm going back to work. I'm due back October some time, but if I can save up enough money between now & then, I might take off a further 3 months (I can take 9 months on statutory pay, then a further 3 months completely unpaid).

[thepinkleprechaun]

Well I'm not on maternity leave anymore obviously because the military sucks, but I prefer in home daycares as opposed to centers

[Mars]

Both my parents and my ILs are retired and available to watch Amara. My mom is more experienced having raised my nieces and nephews but Amara is the first grandchild for my ILs so they will be the primary caretakers and my parents will back up if they are not available.

[niknok]

My nanny just started this week, and it's really nice so far. I love coming home to a clean nursery, with Drake's laundry and diapers all clean! She is so much better than my husband, LOL.

Reid goes to Kindercare 3 days a week, DH watches him on Wednesdays, and my mom watches him on Fridays. I'm looking into a nanny for the 3 days that he is at daycare, but don't know if we can really afford it. I'm very tired of him being sick all the time

[lauren in hi]

I'm not 100% sure of the exact schedule, but I think I will have my ILs watch Joshie on MWF and my mom will come here on Tues/Thurs to care for him.

[ShannonMVT]

I'm not sure if I will be able to go back to work 10 hours a week if they will let me. If they say I have to go back 20 hours a week (what I'm doing now) I will probably just stay at home (assuming Dh still has his job). If I do need part time care, I was hoping to find an at home daycare. It just seems pretty hard to find affordable PART TIME care.

[IamMom]

I've had Harrison at a home daycare and a day care center (he's at a center now - and its fabulous). I like the center better - it's safer (his is really high tech and secure and has internet cameras - the doors don't open unless you log your child in or out on a computer in the lobby. Or one of the ladies at the front coral has to buzz you in). The developmental program is in place which the home daycare didn't have so Harrison has really excelled at the center in terms of his learning and development. It's still a local center so its has that family feel - everyone knows him by name and treats him like one of their own. OH - and they serve all meals, snacks etc. according to USDA guidelines so I have to pack NOTHING! I also like that in NC any center under state regulation must post all of their reviews, complaints, investigations etc. online.....can't get that with a home daycare unless they are state governed and not many are because its an intense system. The baby will go to this center as well but probably not until 4 or 5 months - between maternity leave, taking her to work with me, working from home and having a college gal who works part time at our office watch her (and probably not working full time which I hardly ever do now anyway - I have a very flexible job). And oh my gosh Harrison goes to Kindergarten in two years - woah. We're sending him to a charter school in our town that is fabulous...like a private school without the cost!

[ANGWife]

I'll be a WAHM with my day care.

Plan is to not go back at all! I may go back for 2 weeks part time to help out at the start of the next school year, but that's it. Hopefully nothing changes between now and then though cause you never know. I do still have a few classes to take, but between my DH and mom the babysitting is covered. I don't think anyone else but them will watch our child for at least the first 6 months.

I don't know how you ladies are able to leave your newborns and stay sane b/c I don't think I could handle that. It TERRIFIES me, and I used to nanny! I ask my mom a lot how she was able to leave my brother and I at such a young age. I would go so far (if needed) as to sell our cars and house and rent a cheapo apartment rather then work full time. All I hear are horror stories, and I personally know 2 women whose children died while under another's care (both in home care settings). Even though I know that is the rare exception, knowing 2 women personally that have gone through that scares the CRAP outta me, esp. after going through so much to conceive. I am going to be such a parnoid mom. I don't think I will even sleep. Ugh great now I have worked myself up into a bit of a freak out

[Resi]

Originally Posted by Death to capybara

Plan is to not go back at all! I may go back for 2 weeks part time to help out at the start of the next school year, but that's it. Hopefully nothing changes between now and then though cause you never know. I do still have a few classes to take, but between my DH and mom the babysitting is covered. I don't think anyone else but them will watch our child for at least the first 6 months.

I don't know how you ladies are able to leave your newborns and stay sane b/c I don't think I could handle that. It TERRIFIES me, and I used to nanny! I ask my mom a lot how she was able to leave my brother and I at such a young age. I would go so far (if needed) as to sell our cars and house and rent a cheapo apartment rather then work full time. All I hear are horror stories, and I personally know 2 women whose children died while under another's care (both in home care settings). Even though I know that is the rare exception, knowing 2 women personally that have gone through that scares the CRAP outta me, esp. after going through so much to conceive. I am going to be such a parnoid mom. I don't think I will even sleep. Ugh great now I have worked myself up into a bit of a freak out

For me working full-time has been really hard and not enjoyable at all. I'm trying so hard to find something part-time or watch 1-2 children in my home. So far nothing is coming through. I keep thinking about how I just want to get fired but I don't see that happening because I have to much pride to do a crappy job. Unfortunatly I can't just quite because we depend on my income too much.

I know I would never be able to put him in any kind of daycare home or center. I'm just not willing to take the risk and I would go nuts worrying and feeling gulity about it. I do feel very lfortunate that my husband and mother are watching him when I'm at work. Those are the only two people I trust to watch him. I would not even want my inlaws watching him. I'm way to picky about how he is cared for. I would flip out if he was fed something I didn't approve of or if someone put him in front of a TV. If it came down to it I would go into major debt or lose or home to keep him out of daycare. That's just how I feel. I know it feels like the right thing for other families and I'm fine with that.

Yeah, everyone does what suits their family best. I don't know about you, but I have been part of/witness to some pretty bad preventable situations in life, and so now I have a millitant attitude when it comes to prevention. And even then, you can't prevent everything. But it isn't about trying to never have anything bad happen so much as it is about doing your best and doing what feels right for you and your family.

I already told Dustin that our baby will never spend the night at his moms b/c she lives with her boyfriend. They have been together 3 or 4 years, but still--I don't really know him and he could be a complete perv. I am not putting my son into what could be a bad situation so she can feel special. Obviously this conversation did not go well

[Resi]

Originally Posted by Death to capybara

Yeah, everyone does what suits their family best. I don't know about you, but I have been part of/witness to some pretty bad preventable situations in life, and so now I have a millitant attitude when it comes to prevention. And even then, you can't prevent everything. But it isn't about trying to never have anything bad happen so much as it is about doing your best and doing what feels right for you and your family.

I already told Dustin that our baby will never spend the night at his moms b/c she lives with her boyfriend. They have been together 3 or 4 years, but still--I don't really know him and he could be a complete perv. I am not putting my son into what could be a bad situation so she can feel special. Obviously this conversation did not go well

I would feel the same way as you do about that. I know some might say I'm over protective but I already know that I am and will be. I'm going to prefer that my child have his friends over at our home and I won't let him in someone else's without knowing the parents.

[IamMom]

I can understand being nervous if you know people who have had children die in others care (that is horrible and I am so sorry for those you know Michelle). I personally have never felt bad about leaving my son....I did alot of work researching child care, visiting places, asking lots of questions, observing etc. and I have never had any problems. I've always felt that he's been taken very good care of. He's turned out to be a happy and smart child and he gets excited about school (especially now that he's older). I have never known anyone whose known anybody who has had a child seriously injured in a day care setting so I guess that doesn't affect me....and the majority in my circle of friends are working moms. It's just what works for us and for me personally. I know that I could not handle being at home full time, its just not me and wouldn't be best for my kids.

I do intend to work part-time when my kids are in school so I can pick them up from school and be with them in the afternoon to help with homework and what not....I don't want them to have to be picked up from school and go to another care place.