Some daycare centers take in babies as young as 6 weeks. When you want to send your baby to daycare depends on when you have to go back to work. There is no easy way of being comfortable with the idea of letting someone else look after your kid while you’re at work; you’re just going to have to trust them. But, before you send your child to daycare, there are certain things to check out before, like looking for feedback from parents whose children already go there. Check the internet for more reviews.
Visit the place and check out the staff, check whether the place is clean, hygienic, and their daily activities and how they take care of infants compared to toddlers. There are many pros of sending your child to daycare instead of a nanny taking care of your kid, like your child will develop social skills, interact with kids their age, and develop their gross motor skills faster than a stay-at-home baby.
A parent’s worst dilemma is choosing between going back to work or taking care of their child. Some mothers may decide to go back to work because it has taken them almost a decade of building up their career, and it can’t be all for nothing.
But choosing to send your little one to daycare can be a difficult decision for any parent, especially first-time parents.
I’m not going to lie, but leaving your baby in the daycare during the first initial days is going to be very hard. Handing over your most precious treasure to a caretaker can be an overwhelming experience for parents, but remember that it’s all going to be good- for you and your baby.
There can be hundreds of reasons you want to put your child in daycare, and I don’t judge you. You do what you think is best for your kid. After all, that is what most parents in this world aim for.
Some parents are hesitant with the idea of sending their newborn to daycare. Instead, they prefer the grandparents looking after the kid or hiring a nanny. Although both are good options, that doesn’t mean that parents who send their kids to daycare need to be crucified.
Jumping on the judgment wagon is relatively easy for everyone, but putting themselves in the other person’s shoes is often forgotten by these same people.
Where I live, hiring a nanny or sending your child to daycare is the last option parents resort to. The majority of the families prefer the grandparents looking after the kid or the mother herself.
And although patriarchal society is applauded for “letting” the women work, taking care of the baby will always fall upon the grandparents/mother of the child. So, sending your baby to daycare somehow makes the parents look “less competent” to take care of the kid.
But in my personal opinion, it’s an excellent choice for parents who want to go back to work, while the child spends her time in a place surrounded by childcare specialists, children of her age.
Imagine her personality being molded into someone confident, has good social skills, and learns things in a fun way.
What should you look for in infant daycare?
The below checklist is some of the basic things you should check in every daycare prospect:
- The daycare should be nearby, be it your workplace or home.
- The ratio of caretakers to infants, preferably 1 caretaker for 4 infants.
- Number of children going there.
- The staff’s qualification.
- The daycare’s licensing qualifications.
- Their daily routine for kids.
- Would they log every diaper change, feeds/meals, sleep.
- Cleanliness and hygiene of the place.
When it comes to your child’s safety, parents must know if the caretakers are educated and specialized in doing the job.
Also, the daycare you choose should be hygienic and clean, and that they make sure everything is sterile because your baby’s immune system is still developing. So, she will be more prone to any bacteria or germs lingering around.
It’s best if the ratio of the staff is 1 for every 4 infants.
Taking care of infants, especially newborns, is difficult, so the staff should have enough experience and resources to take care of your kid.
Why you should send your baby to daycare
There are so many reasons for you to send your child to daycare, although you might get to see people rolling eyes or judging you. A child spending her time in daycare while growing up might be the best decision you made.
Many centers take in newborns as small as 6 weeks. In places where the maternity leave is too little, the mothers or parents are left with no other choice than to enroll in daycare for their kids.
The advantages of daycare centers have been researched, and studies show a positive impact on the kid’s upbringing.
1. Social skills
Daycare is a perfect way for your child’s social and cognitive skills to develop. Your child will see and meet kids her age. They will interact with each other, learn to play, and share.
Qualified childcare specialists are trained and will support your child to foster traits like compassion, empathy, and emotional intelligence, which will make a lasting impact on the child’s social development.
2. Routine
The importance of routine will be very well known to us, from their everyday routine for feeding to their bedtime routine. It’s essential to upkeep this; otherwise, things might go haywire, and our whole day is disrupted.
Having consistency and routine every day will provide them with a structure that will teach them about limits and boundaries and how to behave in society.
3. Independence
An independent person is always confident. Introducing independence and fostering your child’s autonomy becomes essential for helping them lead a confident and capable life.
You won’t still have to put on his pants when he’s 18 months old because he might’ve learned how to do it and will want to be doing his things on his own. This gives him independence and gives us a little bit more freedom to do other things.
Transitioning your child into daycare
The transition period of putting your child into daycare is going to be very difficult for parents. The separation anxiety hits at a peak during that time.
As a mother who has gone through this, trust me, you will cry hard!
I was ugly-crying in front of the caretakers as if I was giving away my son. But, this is what will happen to many of us parents.
The first few days, weeks will be the hardest. Although I craved adult conversation so much, the guilt of letting my child be taken care of by a stranger made me quite hesitant to go back to work.
But, remember that it’s alright to feel this way, and it will be challenging, but at the end of the day, it works out for everyone, and your little one will be back in your arm for all the cuddle time in the world.
If you’re planning to go back to work, it’s better to start daycare 1 week before joining.
This will give you ample time to adjust if anything goes sideways, like if you don’t like the daycare or the commute takes too long.
I know this can become an anxious time for you and your partner, but on the other hand, think that the mysteries behind her cries are for someone else to figure out during the daycare hours; her poopy diapers and spit-ups are now someone else’s problem.
FAQs
How long does it take for a 3-month-old baby to adjust to daycare?
Being a 3-month-old, your baby will be able to easily adjust as they’re still too young to process everything that goes through but give or take 2-3 days, and this will become a routine for your little one.
Can babies feel abandoned in daycare?
As heartbreaking it is to leave your baby at a daycare center, remember many childcare specialists will look after every need of your kid.
Can a 3-month-old baby have separation anxiety?
Babies might start to recognize you at this age, but separation anxiety peaks when they’re around 8 months old.
How many feeds should my 3-month-old baby have in a day?
At 3 months, your baby will be feeding every 3-4 hours so that she would be feeding 7-9 times a day.
Takeaway
Choosing to put your child in daycare is difficult, but it’s also an excellent choice for working parents. Daycare looks after your kid and ensures that they positively impact the child’s personality and social development.
If the whole ‘dropping your child at daycare’ thing becomes too overwhelming, then ask your partner to accompany you for the first few days.
Don’t worry; the caretakers usually log in every little detail about your child for you to see and not miss out on anything.
Meanwhile, please take a deep breath, and take it one day at a time.
Also, comment down below on what you think about sending infants to daycare.
