The Playbook

17 Weeks Pregnant: Childcare Waitlists and the Return-to-Work Plan

By the Guide to Fatherhood editorial team. Last reviewed . 2 min read.

Checked against guidance from organizations like the AAP, CDC, ACOG and NHS (linked below). This is general information, not medical advice. Read our medical disclaimer.

Trimester2
Sizea turnip
Length / weightabout 5.1 in (13 cm), about 5 oz (140 g)

The baby is starting to put on fat, the skeleton continues to harden from cartilage into bone, and the umbilical cord is growing thicker and stronger.

Your to-do list this week

  • Find out what infant care costs near you, and whether centers have waitlists. Some are a year long.
  • Use the childcare comparison with real quotes.
  • Check whether your employer offers a Dependent Care FSA and when you can enroll.
  • Rub her calves before bed. Leg cramps at night are common in the second and third trimesters.
A conversation to have this week

"Who's going back to work, when, and how do we feel about it?" Expect feelings, not just logistics. Plans often change after the baby arrives, and that's fine.

The baby this week

About the size of a turnip, the baby is starting to lay down fat, which will help with temperature control after birth. The skeleton keeps turning from soft cartilage into bone, and the umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger (Mayo Clinic; NHS).

How she may be feeling

Her growing bump is changing her balance and posture, which can bring back aches and some clumsiness. Heartburn, nighttime leg cramps and a big appetite are common. Stretching her calves before bed and staying hydrated can help with cramps; anything severe or one-sided with swelling should get a call to her provider.

Start the childcare search now

It sounds early. It isn’t. In many areas, infant care is the hardest age to find, and centers keep waitlists. The U.S. Department of Labor found infant center care medians ranged from about $7,500 to over $15,000 a year depending on county size, and it can be higher in expensive cities.

Here’s a realistic plan:

  1. Figure out when you need care. Your leave plan tells you the date.
  2. List your options: centers, in-home daycares, a nanny or nanny share, family.
  3. Get three real quotes and put them in the childcare comparison.
  4. Tour two or three places in the next couple of months, and join a waitlist if you like one. Deposits are often refundable; ask.
  5. Check your benefits for a Dependent Care FSA, which can save real money.

The return-to-work talk

Before you can plan childcare, you need some sense of who’s going back when. That conversation can carry a lot of feeling: about careers, money, identity, and what kind of parents you want to be. Start it now, keep it open, and expect to revisit it after the baby arrives. Plenty of couples change plans after meeting the person they’re planning for.

Frequently asked questions

When should we start looking for daycare?

Often during the second trimester. In many areas, infant spots are limited and centers keep waitlists. Touring a few options and joining a list or two early gives you choices later.

Sources

  1. Fetal development: The 2nd trimester, Mayo Clinic
  2. New data: Childcare costs remain an almost prohibitive expense, U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau
  3. Week 17: Your baby and your body, NHS

We link to the original source for every medical and safety claim. Guidance changes; if a source has been updated since our last review, the source wins. How we research.