JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- (Editor's note: This program is now called ASYMCA Children's Waiting Room)
A pregnant military wife drives up and pulls into a expectant-mother parking space. Sweat beads on her forehead; she's 15 minutes behind, due to a late babysitter.
As she walks up to the check-in desk, apologies roll off her tongue about why she is late. She makes it to her appointment - barely.
There's a program that could have helped alleviate much of her stress; the best part is they are located in the hospital.
The Teddy's Child Watch program began in 2004 after a request from the 3rd Medical Group's then-chief of staff; it was running by November 2004 as a way to help those who serve or have served in the past.
The Armed Services YMCA now hosts such programs at several installations, including Fort Wainwright.
"It's a program run by the YMCA, a free program to the military, where the parents can drop off their kids if they have a doctor's appointment," said Hazel Snyder, Armed Services YMCA childcare worker.
The benefit is not restricted to just active duty or a specific service.
"Military, retirees, basically any one with hospital access, can use this program," Snyder said.
Members interested in signing their children up fill out a two-page form; if the child is over one year old, shot records are also required.
Once signed up, parents can call in and make reservations to drop their children off before their appointment.
"When you don't have any family with you, who's going to watch them?" said Tiara King, ASYMCA childcare worker.
Although reservations are preferred, emergencies do come up and depending on how many children are in the area at the time, the Teddy Childwatch personnel will work with that emergency.
"When people come in a lot, we get to know them," King said. "One day (a service member) said his wife was going into labor and asked if he could drop off his child and we told him he could."
King has been a childcare worker since January and said she loves kids and likes working in the Teddy Childwatch program.
"This program is important because it reduces the stress of our active-duty military families when they need to go to the doctor," said Mary Jo Imig, ASYMCA executive director.
"They can leave their child or children at our Teddy Childwatch knowing they are safe and taken care of at a convenient location in the hospital," Imig continued. "This reduces the stress of having to find childcare elsewhere and having to pay premium for a couple of hours."
Imig said the option of on-site childcare has also helped reduce the amount of missed or cancelled medical appointments due to no childcare; fewer missed appointments means a shorter wait for service.
In 2013, the program cared for 2,161 children while parents had appointments.
The program gets its funding from donations.
"This program is one of the Armed Services YMCA top programs," Imig said. "The well-being of our military and their families is our mission, and we feel this program is very
important as it reduces stress on our families, thus making military life easier."
Teddy Watch is open Monday through Thursday from 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information or to get a sign-up sheet, call 580-6455.