Written by the Progyny Editorial Team. Reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg — May 2025.
Returning to work after welcoming a child into your home can be overwhelming. But having the right childcare provider for you and your child can provide a good deal of peace of mind. Studies have shown that quality caregivers can have a positive social, emotional, and cognitive impact on children.
Getting started
Begin your childcare search early.
This will ensure that you have time to carefully review your options and that you find a safe and positive caregiver for your baby. Some providers have limited capacity, so you may need to reserve your spot as soon as possible.
There are many options, so let’s take a closer look at each one to help you decide.
Daycare centers
Pros
- Daycare centers have regular, fixed hours with a structured day including outdoor play, learning, meals, and naps.
- Caregivers are often referred to as teachers and have a degree in early childhood education or a similar field.
- Some daycare centers double as preschools, so once your child is two or three years old, they can move to a more formal curriculum.
Cons
- These centers may not be the best choice if your child needs one-on-one attention or has a disability and needs added supervision.
- Rates are per child, and cost can be prohibitive for two or more children, even with a sibling discount.
- Daycare centers have minimum age requirements and may restrict options for infant care.
Costs
Fees vary drastically based on where you live. The younger the child, the more you will pay. By law, infants require a lower teacher-to-child ratio than older children. Enrichment classes like music, tumbling, and field trips aren’t always included in the basic fee structure. And if you find yourself running late to pick up your child, you may be charged a late fee.
Family daycare
Family daycare, or in-home daycare, is like a daycare center, except it’s run out of private homes. They could include an assistant, but that is determined by the number of children and space available. Depending on where you live, family daycares may be required to be licensed by the state.
Pros
- Family daycares offer a warm, home-like environment with a smaller group of kids.
- They also offer a smaller teacher-to-child ratio and the ability to mix age groups, meaning siblings will stay together during the day.
- Generally, family daycares offer more flexibility with schedules.
Cons
- There is less supervision with family daycares, which means trust is critical.
- Caregivers may not be required to fulfill as many educational requirements as those in a daycare center setting.
Costs
Fees are typically less than daycare centers and vary depending on where you live.
Nanny
A nanny is a career caregiver who comes to the home to watch all the children in the family. There are several agencies a family may work with to prescreen and help match them with a nanny who fits their specific needs.
Some nannies live with the family, while others come to the home for a specific number of hours each day. Depending on the arrangement, some nannies do laundry, light housekeeping, and cooking for the family as well.
Pros
- A nanny provides one-on-one care for a child and will build a lasting relationship with the child over a period of many years.
- Generally, nannies have chosen caregiving as a career and are educated in childcare as well.
Cons
- Nannies are more expensive than daycare centers and in-home daycares.
- Finding a back-up caregiver is a must as you are relying on one person for your child’s care.
- When you hire a nanny, you become an employer. This means you need to provide disability insurance. Plus, the IRS requires you to pay employment tax if you pay a nanny more than $2,200 per year.
Costs
The average nanny salary in the U.S. is about $49,027/year or $23.57/hour. There are many factors that affect their pay:
- Special skills, like teaching or caring for those with a disability
- Local cost of living
- Living in your home vs. living independently
- Number of children
Nanny share
In a nanny share, two or more families team up to hire one nanny to care for all their children. The setup can vary — sometimes the nanny rotates between homes, while other times everyone gathers in one place.
Making a nanny share work takes strong communication and a spirit of teamwork. Families need to align schedules, transportation, and day-to-day details to keep things running smoothly.
Pros
- With a nanny share, families split the cost of care, making it more affordable than hiring a nanny on their own.
- These arrangements are also flexible — they can be customized to fit each family’s schedule, values, and routines.
- Children benefit, too. They get to spend time with peers in a smaller, more familiar setting, which can help build social skills and lasting friendships.
- A nanny share often offers more one-on-one attention in a home-like environment.
Cons
- A nanny share isn’t always simple. It requires ongoing communication and a willingness to compromise.
- Families may have different parenting styles or expectations, which can lead to misunderstandings if they aren’t addressed early.
- Like any shared arrangement, disagreements can pop up around scheduling, discipline, and household logistics.
Costs
- See nanny cost information above
Au pair
An au pair is someone from another country between the ages of 18-26 who comes to the U.S. on a cultural exchange via a J-1 Visa. There are specialized agencies that screen and train candidates. An au pair lives in your home and cares for your child for a predetermined number of hours up to a maximum of 45 hours per week or 10 hours per day. This is usually for a period of one year with the option to extend the placement by 6, 9, or 12 months.
Pros
- An au pair offers full-time, in-home, one-on-one childcare.
- Au pair placement agencies prescreen applicants and make sure they are a safe choice for families.
- Many families love the cultural aspect. This may include the opportunity to learn a new language along with the customs, recipes, pictures, and music of their homeland.
Cons
- An au pair may have chosen the program to engage in American culture and not want childcare to be a career, which may result in lack of enthusiasm.
- An au pair is not a professionally trained childcare worker. They are only required to have a minimum of 32 hours of childcare training before they start. And if your kid is under the age of two, they need at least 200 hours of training to do so.
- An au pair cannot watch children under three months of age without an adult around.
- They are not allowed to be left alone with children for extended periods of time, including business trips or adult vacations.
Costs
Choosing an au pair for your childcare needs is less costly than a nanny. This is because an au pair considers being hosted in the U.S. as part of their compensation. The minimum monthly stipend for au pairs in the United States is set by the U.S. Department of State at $783.
Relative
A relative caregiver is a family member who cares for your child, either at your home or their home.
Pros
- It may seem wonderful to have a family member care for your child and provide a loving home with one-on-one care.
Cons
- Is your family member up to the task, physically and emotionally?
- Do they have the energy and enthusiasm to provide care for young children?
- It is also important to consider the impact this situation could have on your relationship.
- Finding a back-up caregiver is a must as you are relying on one person for your child’s care.
Costs
Costs vary depending on each family situation and are determined by you and the relative caregiver.
Babysitter
A babysitter, or sitter, is someone who takes care of a child in your home for a short period of time and is paid by the hour. They may be responsible for tasks like feeding, playing with, and generally supervising the child.
Pros
- Babysitters offer an inexpensive solution to keep your child entertained and happy for a few hours.
- There are several caregiving and babysitting organizations available to help prescreen applicants.
Cons
- Babysitters have no formal training and may not be experienced in childcare. However, there are usually local certification classes in CPR and first aid.
- It’s typically used for evenings or weekends only due to limited availability of high school and college students.
Costs
Costs vary significantly depending on where you live. Babysitters who are certified in CPR and first aid may have higher rates. You may also be expected to pay for transportation to and from your house.
Resources
Once you have a better idea of the types of care that are best for you and your family, tap into the following:
- Contact your company’s employee assistance program (EAP) and request a childcare referral packet for your area.
- Learn about your state government’s resources.
- It may include a directory of licensed childcare providers, health and safety details, capacity and hours of care, health and social services, financial assistance, and support for children with a disability.
- You can also find out if your chosen provider has any sanctions or other documented issues.
- Visit your chosen childcare site a few times and schedule interviews with staff. These visits will help you evaluate the team, facilities, health and safety processes, and activities for the children.
- Ask scenario-based questions such as how they handle bad weather, early or late coverage, discipline, medications, and emergencies.
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