OP
Thank you all for your responses! I ended up taking your advice and signing up for the daycare center. I am in DC and all the other daycares I'm on the list for didn't think they would get my daughter in before next September. It's rough out there! You were also right that they will not allow me to sublet the spot. It will be nice in the last few weeks of maternity leave to be able to slowly transition my daughter into being there and away from me. To the woman who is newly pregnant and wondering about daycare - get on lists now, I heard everywhere that wait times were at least a year. I was only on the Library of Congress and the House of Reps daycare lists, both have great facilities.

Hi Everyone,
I got word last week that a daycare I applied to had a spot open up for my daughter on the day she was born! In order to reserve her spot in the daycare I have to start paying for it now or lose her place. My question is, is this worth it? I plan to be home for 3.5 months and then my husband will be home for one month. Does it make sense to start paying for the daycare now out of fear that I don't get in anywhere else? This is my second choice daycare, but my first choice still has me behind about 30 families. This problem of course begs the question (again) of what is wrong with the Federal government that they can't provide enough childcare for their employees?! Another option could be to find a family that needs daycare for the next 4 months and then asking the daycare to let me sublet the spot. Any ideas about how to find a family like that too would be helpful.

Thanks so much!
Megan