How long can I wait to start getting on waitlists?

[Anonymous]

Before I get a dogpile about needing to waitlist this second or last week, I am 6 weeks pregnant now, and had a missed miscarriage last year at 7 weeks. DH and I plan to be home in combo for the first 6 months, so we are are still more than a year out from needing care. DH and I would like to wait to start touring/ waitlisting until we clear our first US in two weeks, as we thinking calling around to get off wait lists would be too painful. But also I am also worried we will be late! Additional info- DH is at Commerce and our first choice is probably Commerce Kids for convenience, where he has preference. Haven't really started exploring other centers beyond poking around here. Is it really such a big deal to wait 2-3 weeks to waitlist?

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry OP, I completely understand. No 2-3 weeks isn't a huge deal. I think you can wait. I think the Commerce list is long from what I've read on this board but I don't think 2-3 weeks is going to make or break anything. It's really only the centers that you need to get on the list as early as possible, so once you feel comfortable hop on the commerce list right away and if there are a couple other centers you're interested in maybe those but things like home daycares for example don't know availability til a few months out anyway.

[Anonymous]

I got on lists at 12 weeks because of a similar anxiety (infertility, IVF). It was fine. They won't actually pull people off of lists until you update them with a date of birth once your kid is born (can't take them until they are a certain age), so it's not quite as simple as first on the list first off, there are other factors in availability and also things like sibling preference.

[Anonymous]

I only got into our preferred daycare because I was on the waitlist ~2 years from an earlier miscarriage. I would not waste the 2 weeks here.

[Anonymous]

I'd get on the center lists now -- at least Commerce. You wouldn't have to call right away to get off the list, anyway.

[Anonymous]

Get on the list now. If you have a miscarriage, and get pregnant again, just call and update the date you'll need care. I hate to say it because it sounds so uncaring, but this happens a lot.

[Anonymous]

Leave DH number as the primary (or only) contact number. That way if you have a loss and they call, they are calling him. You will never even know and won’t have to face that call looming / triggering.

[Anonymous]

People go on our waitlist when they are trying, not even pregnant yet. Odd, but it happens.

[Anonymous]

Incoming fed employee here- I am single and doing IVF- planning to be pregnant in Jan 2022. Can I get on waitlists for federal centers now? They ask for a "due date". Can I just make an estimate based on what I am planning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I only got into our preferred daycare because I was on the waitlist ~2 years from an earlier miscarriage. I would not waste the 2 weeks here.

+1

NP here who had similar situation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Incoming fed employee here- I am single and doing IVF- planning to be pregnant in Jan 2022. Can I get on waitlists for federal centers now? They ask for a "due date". Can I just make an estimate based on what I am planning?

Sure, why not? They don't care, they will just cash your check and put you on the waitlist.

I had friends in Embassy Berlin put their kid on the Diplotot waitlist, in anticipation of coming back to the US two years later when their tour was over.

It's absurd.