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Ours didn't change. We always planned for Xander to be in daycare full-time and he is. I dabbled with the idea of working part-time for a while when I was pregnant, but financially, it just wouldn't work.

ETA: The only thing that really changed was we originally said Hubs would stay home with Xander when daycare was closed or he was sick since he is able to work from home and I'm not. BUT I was nursing for a year, so it just made more sense to me for me to stay home with him in those cases.

@snowjewelz: Yeah, I originally thought I probably wouldn't still be nursing when I returned to work at 12 weeks, but then I was, so it just made more sense to me to stay home when Xander needed because any excuse to NOT pump, I jumped on!

We had always planned on full time care. It's where we are. The only thing that was shocking was cost. We changed centers at one year to an even more costly center. The care and education received is well worth the price but it's a hit to the budget. We are very fearful for the next two years with two in daycare. I'm anxious for public school in two years.

I always felt like I wanted to go with an in-home daycare, and we did. I'm really happy with the situation. It's been pretty much exactly as we planned

I unexpectedly decided to quit my job and be a SAHM for a year. We were planning to put her in daycare full time but I didn't feel ready to do it. I was happy to stay home with her and then when we finally did start daycare I was also happy with the timing.

We planned on a fulltime in home daycare, and that's what we went with and are still currently doing. We've tossed around the idea of putting LO in a center for more of a "school" setting, but she's so happy there I can't imagine taking her out. We will do 2 years of preschool instead.

We planned on putting DS in full time daycare. It did not work out for us and I quit my job to stay home with him.

@snowjewelz: yes! We thought we'd send her to a daycare center part time but the ones in my neck of LI really don't allowed part time for infants. Plus we only need child care for 2ish hours 3 days a week. We ended up using a family friend to babysit since she stays home with her two LOs. We are going to try having her come to our house in September.

@snowjewelz: I'd look into home daycares. They seem to be more flexible than the big box daycares. I'm going to gold wall you a useful link!

Our original plan totally did not work out... We were going to do daycare - home or center - but we didn't really love what we saw or encountered extremely long wait lists when we were looking before LO was born. Then we decided we'd try a nanny share and found another family and started interviewing nannies. Unfortunately, it ended up not being a good fit. So with 4.5 weeks until I go back to work we are planning to get our own nanny (who I think we've found ) for 3 days a week, DH will be home 1 day/week, and my mom will watch him 1 day/week. It is definitely more expensive than we planned. We may transition to a home daycare once he gets a little older (9 mos or a year) and we are registered for a full day preschool/daycare program when he turns 2.

The general plan stayed the same, but took different forms. We got on the waitlist for the best day care center in town and searched for others. We started out thinking we'd have her at one center, but I went and did a long visit with her, and I freaked out. So, we found another center that looked great. Went with that one. Turns out it's not so great, so we switched to a small church day care that we loved. Finally, at 17 mo, LO got in to the really good day care (it's affiliated with my job) and we switched her. So, three day cares and part time nanny for one of the in between times. Damn, my kid is resilient.

@snowjewelz: not sure how competitive your area is but daycares fill up FAST! Like people sign up the minute they get BFP.

It radically changed! We had selected a daycare, filled out pre-registration paperwork and knew he would enter there when I came back after my maternity leave. Well...I had the baby and then couldn't imagine leaving him with strangers. So we arranged for my mom to care for him 3-4 days a week, my husband the other days (he has a flexible schedule).

I lasted all of 2 days and put in my notice. I now work 2 days a week, and my mom or husband cares for him while I'm at work. I love it!

Originally I was going back to work and we were going to ask MIL but I didn't go back and even if I did I wouldn't of asked MIL. Maybe now she is older but not when she was younger.

Yes. I never expected to have a nanny, but as many have mentioned daycare for 2 in major metro areas is just too expensive, especially when you consider all the other things you have to deal with like packing lunches and bringing supplies, illnesses/staying home from work, and daycare politics and turnover.