Second Trimester

Child Care

"Be sure to ask many different people for referrals - you never know who may point you in the direction of the perfect nanny or daycare! It really helped for me to have a “trial” period to take my son to daycare for a couple of weeks before I had to return to work. The first couple of days, he went for an hour or two, then for a half day, then for 6 hours. It not only helped him to be acclimated to his new surroundings, but it helped to ease my separation anxiety of being away from him. I also was able to do some errands, like going to the dentist, so that I wouldn’t have to do them when I returned to work. It really was helpful for everyone- and going back to work, although tough, was not so sudden. Higher priced does not mean better necessarily when it comes to taking care of an infant. Developmentally, infants need a place that will help them to develop bonding relationships and to enable them to feel loved. During this critical stage, curriculum is less important- attachment should be the focus. Human interaction is imperative. Look for a place that has a low teacher/child ratio and where you see infants being held and cuddled."

—Allyson, Louisville, mother of two

“My theory on choosing childcare is to go with what your gut tells you. Look at several and see where you feel most comfortable. I prefer a day care center to a private home or nanny. In a center versus a private home, there are stricter rules and regulations. There are more parents to meet and there are other people watching what's going on, especially since an infant or small child can’t tell you what's happened during the day. We have been very happy with our son’s daycare even though we have had a few rough spots.  After one incident where he fell down, some other moms said that we should have changed daycares. I felt like that was a bit extreme and that he could have fallen at any place in anyone's care—or even with me.”

—Mary, Central Kentucky, pregnant with second child