To find a caregiver or facility:
Check with your local child care referral service.
Look in the paper for mommy and me groups or new mom support. Network with them for caregiver suggestions.
Contact the hospital where you had the baby or the birthing center nearest you, they will likely have a list of new parent groups to refer you.
Ask the pedi and the nurse if they have recommendations or are aware of a referral list.
Check with your employer, many larger companies have a referral service as part of the benefits package.
Contact your community “welcome wagon” and ask if they have suggestions.
Contact the local community college early childhood development training program, these programs sometimes run childcare there at the college. They tend to be highly acclaimed with long waiting lists though.
Don’t keep yourself from asking friends and neighbors just because none of them have small kids. Network momma! Ask everyone, even if their kids are grown your coworkers and neighbors may have good leads. Don’t forget to ask the grannies in the neighborhood either. In my experience the best places aren’t ones found through traditional advertising, because they don’t have to advertise.
Once you find a place to consider:
Make a list of the qualities and values that are most important to you in a child care setting.
Next, contact your local childcare resource and referral organization and request a list of licensed facilities near your home and/or workplace.
Arrange to visit and or interview providers at several facilities, as well as home care givers (when children are there) using your self-inventory to help you decide what questions to ask. Note the mood of both children and care givers as well as other staff.
Ask about turnover with care givers as well as how long children stay once they start coming, both are clues to stability and quality of care.
Check references.
Congrats on parenthood and best wishes for a productive search.