Hi everyone! This is my first post. I waited and waited to start a family and finally I am pregnant and expecting in 2 months-reality just set in. Unlike others, I finished residency and in private practice full-time. I am debating about part-time, but even with that, I would have to put my new born child in daycare. I plan to breastfeed but I don't know how I am going to make it possible. My husband can take one day off every week and take care of baby but if I work 2 days at the minimum, I would still have to put my baby in daycare.
Anyone out there in private practice-what did you do?
thanks

If your goal is to avoid non-parental care entirely, I guess either you or your husband will need to stay home.

Personally, I love (high quality) daycare. It's been so wonderful for my older son. My new baby will start daycare at five months and I'm completely at peace with that.

Maybe I'm not understanding your question?

numom35: congratulations!!!

Re: the breastfeeding question - I managed to nurse through my intern year... I know plenty of academic medicine faculty who nurse while working full time... pumping's a drag and certainly always a disruption of some sort, and I know you're asking specifically about people in private practice, which I'm not, but it seems like unless you have a particularly unsupportive/unaccommodating employment situation, it's usually workable...?

I stayed home when I had a child in private practice (which of course is not good for your career!), but I currently work with lots of people who have babies at home. Breastfeeding is definitely possible if you make sure to take pump breaks at work and breastfeed a lot at home. There are lots of choices in childcare: husband, other family member (mom or MIL), daycare, nanny. It really just depends on what is available and what you feel comfortable with.

I have worked and breastfed all 4 of mine. The first two for 10 months, the third for a year, and this one 7 months and stsill going. I cart my pump everywhere and pump in the car too. It is a huge pain in the butt but I am committed to breastfeeding. Just to let you know it is possible. I found part time to be easiest. My first two children went to a quality daycare center which was family owned, not a chain. They started at 3 months old and went part time and have done great. Both are outgoing, independent, and ahead in terms of schoolwork. The third was watched by a friend of mine's mother for the first 15 months then we did a combo of that and 2 days in daycare. She had a much harder time transitioning to 'school' but is now doing well. The 4th is in daycare 3 1'2 days a week (Friend's mom had to go back to work). I am actually looking for a home daycare for her 2 days and the more school type setting 2 days for when she is older. Mostly due to logistics (the daycare is 1/2 hour away). She is doing just fine as well.

Congrats, numom35! My son is almost 4 mos and he is still breastfed and I went back to work when he was 2 mos old. I totally have a love/hate relationship with my breastpump, but if it wasn't for my pump I'm unsure if I would still be breastfeeding. I would say try to get the 12 wks of FMLA if you are eligible for it. The longer you stay home the more likely you are to be successful breastfeeding. I noticed a decrease in my supply when I went back to work, but I would say try stocking your freezer up while you are on maternity leave to get some extra milk for all the unexpected trainwrecks that like to come in at 5pm right when you are packing up-- you know like the guy with chest pain!

I work 4 days out of the week and so does my hubby, so there is technically 3 days that we need childcare. Right now my mom is helping me which is a God sent-- bless her heart! But my mom left her home 5 hours away so she will probably go back home once I get childcare. I'm looking for a nanny just to get my baby through the winter-- who knows if I find a good one maybe I'll keep her. There is a good daycare where I work, but I'm just cautious about putting a young baby in daycare-- flu, RSV, etc. I figured once he passes 6 mos of age and the winter season is over then I would consider daycare if I didn't find a good nanny.

I guess my question is the same as Emily's-- are you looking to only have parent provided child care? It is emotional-- the only reason I am ok presently is because my mom who I trust is with my baby. When I transition his care it may be a totally different situation But obviously it has gone smoothly with the other posters.

Congratulations! My husband and I are both in medicine, so we hired a team of two nannies to care for our son when he was young. We had him in daycare initially, but he got very sick, stopped eating, etc. so we pulled him out and got one-on-one care. He had one nanny for 50 hrs per week and a second nanny for nights and weekends, since we both were working 80 hrs/week at the time. I breastfed till my son was over a year old. I pumped a lot while home with him on maternity leave and built up a freezer store. This was a lifesaver. I would often write notes or read while pumping, so I tried to minimize the amount of "lost" time. It's definitely possible to do, it's just an adjustment to take breaks in the workday. I personally highly recommend nannies if you can find a good one. They are more flexible than daycare and it's great to have someone come to your home so you don't have to wake up baby, get him/her ready, etc. early in morning. Good luck and feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Even with my crazy work schedule where sometimes I could only pump once in a 10 hour period, I was able to exclusively breastfeed at night, post call, and weekends. I did supplement with formula, but I had supply issues long before I started working again and was supplementing already. I breastfed until my son was 18 months old. Don't worry too much about breastfeeding. If anything, with this baby, my plan is to not be so crazy and stressed out about breastfeeding and enjoy my baby more.

I just had my third baby. I currently work in a clinic as an employee of the hospital. I work PT 4 hours a day, 5 days a week from 7a-11a. I have a sitter come to the house and watch the kids while I'm at work. I breastfeed in the morning before I leave and again as soon as I get home. I don't pump. There is formula here if she needs it, but she hasn't taken it (although it has only been 2 weeks).
I have my afternoons free for playdates, going to the playground, perusing farmer's markets in the summer, going sledding in the winter, etc. I love it.

hello everyone! thanks for the replies. I guess my issue is trusting someone else to take care of my baby. My husband and I moved to a new place (family is 5 hrs away) and so don't really know much about the area or have friends who can recommend a good daycare/nanny. Daycare/nanny is expensive from what I hear so working part-time would help.
Do you guys think putting the baby in day care for one day is cost-effective? My husband and I can figure out the rest of the days (He can work from home one day a week and i work part-time)
I also have to figure out when the start point is for putting the baby in day care - 3 months or 2 months?
thanks