Anyone use a daycare at 3 months? How did you choose?

Jan 161 min read

My wife and I both need to go back to work in May and our daughter will be almost 4 months. We have like 6 daycares in our area (Portland suburbs) and have visited 3 so far. They're all... fine? I don't know what I'm looking for. A lot of things to consider:

Cost (varies from $1100-1600/month)
Distance from our work
Reviews online are mixed everywhere
They all seem clean and staff seem nice
But leaving her for 8 hours feels wrong

How did you make this decision? What questions should we be asking?

5 comments190 views

Comments(5)

JJay K.New DadJan 17

We went with a home daycare provider instead of a center and honestly it was the best decision. The 3-month age was perfect timing because she was past the newborn phase but still young enough to adjust easily. Our provider was CPR certified and had references from like 10 families.

RRyan K.New DadJan 17

The cost is going to shock you no matter what facility you pick. For us it was about 1800 a month for infant care at the local center. But at least we knew she was in a safe place and my wife could work without stress.

TTom E.RegularJan 18

May is actually a great time to start because a lot of other kids are aging out or moving to preschool. Less competition for spots.

TTrevorNew DadJan 19

Check the parent reviews on Care.com and ask the daycare for references you can actually call. Also ask about their sick policy because kids get everything at that age. We were unprepared for how often our daughter caught colds.

MMarkNew DadJan 19

Visit in person multiple times if you can. Don't just do tours. Show up unannounced a few times if they'll let you. That's how you really see how things run when they're not expecting you.