https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:48:22 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-and-maternity-leave#post-2211952 Thu, 18 Jun 2015 09:26:20 +0000 Chillybear 2211952@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: I know the daycare would work with us, esp if they will be getting 2 tuition payments upon my return to work. The director lives closer to me and knows what our commute is like where as most of the other mothers are local to the daycare.</p> <p>@Anagram: @ShootingStar: @LuLu Mom: I think the most part time the school does is 3 days/week and the tuition is not much cheaper than 5 days/week. Hubs would not be able to drive her there (he has to be in at 7am and they open at 6:30- cutting it too close) but he would be able to do pick up.</p> <p>@getjazzy: I agree, We're thinking she'll probably 3-almost 4 when we do have LO 2 and I know she loves and needs the stimulation and activity the school provides. I do worry if we start something new it will be a lot of transition at one time - new baby, leaving old school, starting a new program, etc</p> <p>@daniellemybelle: lol.... sorry! Can't help it, our babies are growing up. The daycare is so far off our beaten path (outside of my daily commute) and there is so much traffic congestion I couldn't ask even my husband to do that everyday, let alone a family member. </p> <p>I might have to look into the center my nieces go to (a lot closer to home) or just hope for an early summer baby :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-and-maternity-leave#post-2211920 Thu, 18 Jun 2015 09:05:22 +0000 daniellemybelle 2211920@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Chillybear: Can you please stop saying our LOs are "almost 2"?!?!?! :silly: </p> <p>I think you have some great options here. I agree that even if she could go two days per week, it would give you a break and keep her stimulated and in her routine. Could your husband go out of his way for drop-off, and you can make the trek for pick-up after you've recovered a little bit? You could have family or hire someone do pick-up the first couple weeks until you feel ready. LO always slept great in the car as a newborn.</p> <p>Even if you keep her home, I think finding a SAHM in your area who would have LO over a couple days per week for some extra cash, or a sitter who would take her to a class twice per week, would be good solutions! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-and-maternity-leave#post-2211913 Thu, 18 Jun 2015 08:58:15 +0000 getjazzy 2211913@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in canada so we get a full year maternity leave. My daycare will only allow me to drop down to part time for 6 months of that time in order to hold my spot, so for the first 6 months while baby is a newborn, eating often and it will be hard for me to coordinate activities for LO1, he will be full time daycare and DH and I will share duties of drop off and pick up depending on his work schedule. For the last 6 months we will drop down to part time daycare when I'm more able to plan activities for both kids and take them on outings to the zoo and such.</p> <p>I wanted to keep him in at least part time for the social aspect as well as the structured curriculum. He learns so much at school and I would hate to delay that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-and-maternity-leave#post-2211909 Thu, 18 Jun 2015 08:50:57 +0000 Mamaof2 2211909@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I continued to the do a 20 min trip to DCP everyday while on maternity leave for #2 but 45 mins is pretty long!</p> <p>I would confirm what their policy is if you take her out for 3 months - if she loses her spot then you have no choice but to take her and/or pay.</p> <p>Like PP mentioned maybe find someone to take her in the mornings and then you can do pickup? Even if just for 3 days a week?</p> <p>I LOVED being home alone with #2 during maternity leave - great bonding time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-and-maternity-leave#post-2211907 Thu, 18 Jun 2015 08:50:15 +0000 LuLu Mom 2211907@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just went through this, my DH ended up taking her out of his way/picking her up a few days a week and then the remaining we kept her home. I found it very easy to adjust with a newborn so we were out and about a lot when she was home. Trips to the zoo, museum, park, friend's houses, ect to keep her entertained. She is a child who needs interaction or she goes stir crazy (like me) so I had to make sure there was a daily activity to keep her going. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-and-maternity-leave#post-2211901 Thu, 18 Jun 2015 08:46:23 +0000 jetsa 2211901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No idea but I did want to mention we had to pay for LO1 during my leave. It's why he goes to daycare 3 days a week still even though it's 20 mins each way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-and-maternity-leave#post-2211896 Thu, 18 Jun 2015 08:42:33 +0000 Anagram 2211896@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Chillybear: You should look into getting a mother's helper or something, so at the very least you can take your toddler out without the baby sometimes, or the sitter can take your toddler to a class.</p> <p>It would be cheaper than other options and would give you a break! Even if you had someone come 5 hours a day, twice a week--I feel like that would be an amazing help. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-and-maternity-leave#post-2211891 Thu, 18 Jun 2015 08:40:33 +0000 ShootingStar 2211891@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a friend in this situation and her DH just went out of his way every day to drop their LO1 off every day and do the pick up. They had to keep sending her in order to keep the spot. </p> <p>Maybe you could either drop down to part time or split it up with your DH? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-and-maternity-leave#post-2211888 Thu, 18 Jun 2015 08:39:13 +0000 Anagram 2211888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in the exact same situation, but my work and LOs daycare are an hour from home (no where close do DHs work).</p> <p>At first our plan was to keep our toddler home and *maybe* hire a babysitter to come over to help 8-10 hours a week and take LO to a class or something (or watch the baby while I take LO to a class or to the park).</p> <p>But I just found a newish preschool that offers 2 days a week and actually has a space open for fall (unheard of in our area) and DH and I are going to tour it on Saturday. I'm not sure we'll be able to cover the cost, but we're going to check out the place and see if we can swing it.</p> <p>The 2 days a week are almost as expensive as LOs fulltime daycare now (because our town is so much more pricey), but I'm also afraid of LO not being stimulated just hanging out with me and the baby all day.</p> <p>As far as her other daycare, I think I will also have to pay a deposit to keep her spot, but the deposit is only $195. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-and-maternity-leave#post-2211881 Thu, 18 Jun 2015 08:32:30 +0000 Truth Bombs 2211881@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That's a tough one. Are you sure you would even be able to hold her spot with a deposit? I'm pretty sure at our day care if we wanted to keep LO's spot we would have to pay full tuition because they have a waiting list a mile long. Since I would have to pay anyway I would find a way to send her. Maybe if you had a summer baby you could hire a college student or a teacher on break to drive your older LO to and from daycare each day? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-and-maternity-leave#post-2211875 Thu, 18 Jun 2015 08:27:39 +0000 Chillybear 2211875@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not even TTC yet, but these are the things that I think about.... I work about 45 minutes from home and LO (almost 2) goes to a daycare/preschool about 10 minutes from my office. We LOVE her school and she loves going there. When LO 2.0 comes along I will most likely take 12ish weeks off for maternity leave and then return to work sending both LO to this daycare. </p> <p>So what do I do with LO 1.0 during the day while I'm home on leave? I wont be able to drive to daycare twice a day, and its no where near hubs route to work. Obvious answer would for her to stay home with me and new baby. We'd probably have to pay a deposit to hold her spot but we'd save a ton of money, which would be helpful during the unpaid portion of my leave. But I worry that she'll be so bored being away from the social aspect and routine of going to daycare. Not to mention the split of attention as I'll be caring for a newborn. The only plan i could come up with would be to have a due date in May/June and find a summer camp near our house, and arrange a lot of playdates with my teacher SIL who is home during the summer. </p> <p>Anyone else deal with a similar situation? </p>