Background Lack of childcare has been linked to missed healthcare appointments, especially among lower-income women. The COVID-19 pandemic created additional stressors for many low-income families that already struggled to meet childcare and healthcare needs, impacting women’s health and daily life experiences in unknown ways. By exploring the experiences of women who were referred for childcare services at a US safety-net health system, we aimed to understand the challenges women faced in managing their health and childcare needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with participants in Dallas County, TX between August 2021 and February 2022. All participants were referred from the county’s safety-net hospital system’s women’s health clinics to an on-site drop-off childcare center by staff who identified lack of childcare as a barrier to accessing healthcare. Participants were the primary caregiver for at least 1 child ≤ 13 years. Interviews were conducted in English or Spanish. We analyzed data using thematic content analysis. Results We interviewed 22 female participants (mean age 34 years); participants had on average 3 children and primarily identified as Hispanic or African American. Three interrelated themes emerged from the data: disruptions in access to healthcare, the inextricable link between childcare and health, and emotional distress. Conclusions Our findings emphasize the intersectionality of family and social context with a patient’s health and add to our understanding of childcare as a social need.