Help a Mom: Mom-to-be seeking day cares in Wake Forest, north Raleigh

A mom-to-be, due in about six months, emailed me the other week, wondering when she needed to start looking for day care for her baby.

Here's what I told her: Now!

In my opinion, writing as a mom whose first child was in day care for five years, it's best to lock in care before your child is born. That way, once your baby is born, you can worry about counting all those little toes and whether you'll ever sleep again, without having to fret over what will happen when you return to work. And, in some cases, you'll need to put your name on a waiting list if you want to eventually secure a spot in a popular center.

Even if you're not able to settle on a day care right away, starting to look for care early on in your pregnancy will give you plenty of time to consider all your options.

I know this mom-to-be would love to hear the experiences of other moms who were in her same boat. She'd also love to get some recommendations for day cares in the north Raleigh and Wake Forest area. (See the box above for links to some resources, including Go Ask Mom's Preschool database).