https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 20 May 2026 14:34:54 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-220631 Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:28:50 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 220631@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also started looking at 6-months pregnant because of the long waiting lists for the good daycares/preschools in our neighborhood! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-220624 Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:26:54 +0000 LuLu Mom 220624@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I let the lady know who I wanted to use within 12 weeks and she said she would save our spot. It was a special circumstance since she was a friend of a friend. Otherwise I would start after my A/S just so I knew everything was okay! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-220588 Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:06:48 +0000 CarrieLouWho 220588@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started researching around 8 weeks and touring around 12 weeks. We had a place picked out around 14-15 weeks and put in a registration. But I also saw it as something that I could get done and out of the way so it was one less thing to worry about :o) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-220515 Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:42:38 +0000 littlebug 220515@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hubs and I went out on 6/30 and toured 5 places, plus a 6th on 7/5. We found 2 that we really liked, but decided to go with our 2nd choice because it is $180/month cheaper. Wouldn't you know, it's the ONLY one that doesn't take a deposit or hold a spot until you are a month from your due date? I think we should put a deposit at the other one, just in case, but Hubs is willing to take the risk. I may just go ahead and do it anyway. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-220490 Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:33:46 +0000 sunshineandsushi 220490@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers - I live in Tampa too! What daycares are you looking at? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-220467 Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:22:35 +0000 banana 220467@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started towards the middle of my 2nd trimester in 2010. We JUST a got call (like literally yesterday) that there was an opening for him....2 years later! I told them I wasn't interested because he's already going to a daycare that he loves. Plus the daycare he goes to right now is $800/month. The one we were waiting for is $1800/month! No thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-220421 Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:01:34 +0000 autumnlove 220421@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ha, I just posted and realized I already answered last month! Whoops! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-220415 Fri, 13 Jul 2012 11:59:58 +0000 WALLAROO 220415@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh man! I need to get on this. Back when we weren't even thinking of TTC I had heard horror stories about daycare waitlists. A friend of mine told me you practically had to get on a waitlist before you even got pregnant. </p> <p>The problem is, we are looking to move a few months after the twins are born so I don't even know what neighborhood we'll be in. I guess I could put us a few waitlists as long as the deposit is nominal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-220402 Fri, 13 Jul 2012 11:54:30 +0000 ladyfingers 220402@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are 10 weeks and I started calling around last week. There aren't many places near my work that do infant care, and zero near our house. Most of them had wait lists, but not as far out as May 2013, fortunately. We're going to start touring the ones that are priced well, in a couple of weeks.</p> <p>ETA: Oh, and we live in Tampa. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-220394 Fri, 13 Jul 2012 11:52:31 +0000 babynumber1 220394@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Holy cow! We toured and picked our daycare at 30ish weeks. They wouldn't reserve a spot or take a deposit until she was born, because they didn't want to jinx anything (the directors words, lol). We live in a medium sized city in NC, any no one has wait lists. </p> <p>On the other hand, I have a friend that lives in Charlotte that is 3 months pregnant, that just got wait listed for their daycare. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179545 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 14:13:37 +0000 littlebug 179545@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@oliviaoblivia: Wow, that is crazy!<br /> @mamabolt: That's what I'm worried about. Guess hubs and I need to start moving. In doing my research, there aren't too many good options around where we live, so I"m definitely worried that the good ones will be full. Sounds like a day off for daycare tours is in order for us, soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179483 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 13:46:22 +0000 mediagirl 179483@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started looking immediately because I had heard about wait lists. Found out, they weren't that bad around here. We secured our daycare at 20 weeks or around there. They don't require a deposit either. Bonus! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179436 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 13:32:07 +0000 kentuckygirl 179436@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am not PG yet but we are TTC &amp; I have already started researching options. I don't think the waiting lists are that bad here but I need some information to feel comfortable starting TTC. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179353 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 13:01:39 +0000 dc yoga bee 179353@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@oliviaoblivia: ahhh I see. I'll probably only get 6-9weeks unpaid mat leave, so we'd need a daycare super fast! DH's eyes will probably pop out of his head when I tell him about some daycares having such long waitlists! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179341 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:54:18 +0000 oliviaoblivia 179341@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dc yoga bee: We put down a $200 deposit, so it won't be a tragedy if we lose it. We picked January 2014 to start and fortunately I'm due early January 2013. So even with my year of maternity leave we are cutting it close. Granted....there are very few spots for kids 12-18 months here. Once they are 18 months there are a lot more openings. And we are in a high-end neighborhood with great schools so competition for spots is tight. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179336 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:51:09 +0000 dc yoga bee 179336@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@oliviaoblivia: Daaang! Did you have to put down a deposit? Because I mean if not (or if it's a low deposit) that might not be so bad- even though it sounds wild! Did you guys just pick a random month in 2014 b/c you don't know which month you'll get pregnant yet? 2014 is the year we hope to have our first kiddo, and we live in a major metropolitan city, so this is an eye-opener! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179323 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:46:30 +0000 lavender 179323@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We started looking the end of my first trimester. We found that in-home daycare had less of a wait then center based. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179320 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:45:30 +0000 purrpletulips 179320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We started looking at around 6months which was when we decided to go with a daycare center vs someone who watched children in their home. We have about 10 centers within 10 miles of our house; we looked at 5 of them then made our decision. Once decided we put down a deposit to hold our spot; turned out there were 4 spaces available when we put down the deposit and the other 3 spaces filled within about 2 days so we had perfect timing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179299 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:27:40 +0000 kayakgirl73 179299@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I need to get cracking on this. Things are crazy regarding daycare in the DC metro. We may well use a home daycare provider for the first year or so as I've heard that centers have more openings after age two. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179271 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:59:39 +0000 Lozza 179271@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Near the end of the first trimester, and even then, our first choice daycare had a waiting list of 18 months... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179268 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:57:54 +0000 matador84 179268@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did as soon as I found out I was pregnant! I live in a suburban area and needed a daycare with early dropoff/late pick up. It was literally one of the first things I did as soon as I found out if was PG--put down a deposit and wait in the pool to get in. It paid off though because I am in and now don't have to worry about child care. Other than how crazy expensive it is... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179265 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:55:08 +0000 Rescuemom10 179265@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@oliviaoblivia: HOLY COW thats CrAzY! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179264 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:54:37 +0000 Rescuemom10 179264@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Where I am is the same, as soon as you find out you are pregnant get on the waiting list! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179258 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:50:39 +0000 mamabolt 179258@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I live in the Philly burbs as well, and panicked when I called one place when I was three months along and they had no openings for over 12 months. That kicked us into high gear and we picked out a place within a few weeks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179245 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:40:45 +0000 LuLu Mom 179245@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I knew who I wanted to use and made contact around 14 weeks pregnant to make sure they had a spot available for my time frame. It was painless to say the least, one of the easiest things I did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179210 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:25:40 +0000 MamaMoose 179210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was 6 weeks pregnant when we picked our day care. And even then I'll need to use a nanny for 3 months before we can get in at the day care. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179206 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:23:46 +0000 oliviaoblivia 179206@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@highwire: seriously. We might not even be in this neighborhood then. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179202 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:21:56 +0000 DillonLion 179202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@oliviaoblivia: Bah! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179199 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:21:12 +0000 oliviaoblivia 179199@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We joined the waiting list before our BFP. The day care already had a list for people needing care in 2014. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-daycares#post-179192 Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:17:19 +0000 Andrea 179192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was in my 2nd trimester and we put down our deposit. </p>