Daycare: One Year Waiting List for a 3 Month Old?

I am in nervous and a bit intimidated of the unknown. There aren't a whole lot of times in my life when I feel this way. Maybe it was all the training for competitive sports I played as a kid or some miraculous happiness/confidence juice my parents gave me growing up (I better ask for the recipe). But, when it comes to daycare, um, yes, I said day care, I am a little nervous about the whole thing. I am not sure what we will choose to do when it comes to child care, but with eight weeks left I feel I should at least educate myself.

You hear from parents to get on the waiting list at this place or that the minute the stick shows a plus symbol. What? I mean seriously, especially if this is your first child, the meer thought of having a baby is enough to put you in a state of shock and panic at least until you are through the first trimester. Once you are out of the clear you start feeling better you get this burst of energy to travel to places far and wide while you can... as well as attempt to accomplish every major or minor goal that has been in your back pocket for the past five years. As you round the corner into the third trimester the reality of this little human inside of you, kicking, kicking all day and night becomes real and the nursery must be set up and, oh yea, what about the idea of child care? Now, I am officially mentally ready to tackle this beast.

So, I call and email about a dozen places, referred by friends, to take a tour of the facility. The first red flag is every appointment they would like to make is during work hours. Ok, so I can shuffle things around, but I am beginning to realize that there is going to be a lot more than these few appointments that interfere with my already super hectic work schedule (panic). 

Some administrators tell you that there is a one year waiting list already in place for three month olds.  At the same time, some will not allow you to put your child on the waiting list until she is born.  That part  seems smart and fair, but how the hell does that work out on paper? You do the math.

So, off I go this morning to my first real tour. I am nervous that I may have a gag reflux when I open the door and the smell of dirty diapers hits my nose. I envision crawling toddlers racing for the door in an attempt to get out while others are left in their cribs to cry. I see visions of myself with a baby girl permanently attached to my side, not allowing day care to come into my life.  I hope I enter a place of peace that feels just right to entrust my first born to the arms of a stranger, without a one-year waiting list. Stay tuned to find out the saga of the discovery.

A new chapter began in Leigh Canlis' life in May of 2009, when she became pregnant with her first child. Follow her blog as she documents the sometimes hilarious, and other times trying, moments of pregnancy and the thoughts of how to handle it all as a working fashionista Mom-to-be.