Part time day care-- what works best?

[puente]

Hi all,

I have a 3 month old, and have to go back to work at the beginning of February to retain my job, but I can work part time.  The more hours I work, the longer I can stay part time.  (Eg. If I work one day a week, I can stay part-time for a little over two months.  If I work three days a week, I can part-time for almost five months.)   How would you structure it?  My daycare provider is flexible, as is my boss.

I especially want to know: 

1.  Would you maximize time at home with a younger baby or would you maximize the length of time spent at a part-time schedule?

2.  If I were to work 3 days a week, would you do 3 in a row?  Or M/W/F?  Or some other pattern?

Other relevant facts: I EBF, but pumping is going well.  I'm comfortable with my care provider.  I will be working mostly very near my care provider, so on a day she is "in care" she'll be there about 7 hours.

Thank you!

[34me]

Do you have to work full days? After my third, I went back 5 days a week for 4 days and then when he went to school I did 4 days a week for 5 hours each. My position is only part time. If I had to go back full days I would probably start 2 days a week for a month or so, then three days a week for a month or so.... That way you can ease into it for both of you

[MacKinnon]

I would structure a gradual adjustment back for both you and baby. Starting with maybe two half days for a few weeks and building up. Part-time child care is really hard for infants. My infants have had Grandma as their primary child care provider, but they still had a really hard time until they were closer to 6 months. The lack of consistency, I think, is hard. I go back and forth between thinking that back to back days is easier for them (consistency) vs. every other day (more time with Mom, in between). After six years, I have no great solution! Next fall I am going to go to four 7 hour days, for the first time. I think it will be easier for all of us, same routine four days a week, then long weekend. We'll see! Best luck on your transition back!

[Tigerle]

I'd say babies prefer shorter hours, on more days, so there is more of a routine. For easing in something like four hours is great (playtime, nap, mommy's back, and if she's a bit flexible you may not even have to pump.) If you can't do it that way, 7 hours is not so bad though. For the mother, it's easier to have fewer, but longer days. I'd do days in a row up to three. With four days, I really liked a Wednesday-off-schedule (very French).  

I would ease myself in, because going back is really draining (at least I felt that way - having to get out of the house at a certain hourk, having to be showered all the time, making sure no spit up on clothes...) but quickly work myself up to a schedule that maximises the part time period. She'll be still reall young in five months' time...

[askins]

Here's my story:

I decided to maximize time off, and took four months, then went back to work full time.  My husband went way part time so that Bug started out in an in-home day care one day a week.  Around 5.5 months, DH upped his work hours and Bug went to in-home day care on Tues/Thurs.  Now, My DH does 3x10hr days (TWR), and I am taking Wednesdays off, so we each end up at about 30 hrs/week.  Bug is with Daddy on Mondays and Fridays, DCP on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Mommy on Wednesdays. 

Next time around I think it will be better to go back part time for longer rather than try to maximize time off completely.  Returning to work full time with a 4 month old was beastly.  I have not yet decided what that will look like: few full days or many short days.  I think it will depend on what my work looks like at the time, and what DH's schedule is like at the time.

So my answer to question 1 is to go part time longer, instead of maximizing time off.  But that comes from my experience doing it the other way.

For question 2, I think it depends on you, your work, and your baby.  I know that some babies are extremely sensitive to any disturbances in their routine, but I think most babies are pretty resilient.  If you need to try something and then change it or tweak it, I think that's the way to go, because every baby is different.  Yes, I wish we had slightly more consistency, but my DS is pretty easygoing.  I'd rather maximize his time with his parents, even if his schedule is a little awkward.  And we take it as it comes - when it is not right for one of the three of us (me, DH, DS), we adjust.

One more thing: we noticed a huge shift in social interaction and ability to play semi-independently just before 6months.  It gave me a lot more confidence in working full time, and confidence that DH could go back to work for more hours.  As he gets older, I get more and more comfortable with DS's ability to be okay when he's away from me.