Newborns in daycare: How to Start a Baby in Daycare

How to Start a Baby in Daycare

How to Start a Baby in Daycare

Infants can typically start daycare as early as 6 weeks old — but as a parent, you might be wondering about the best time to start, and how to start a baby in daycare.

Whether you’re still pregnant and thinking ahead about finding daycare, it’s time to go back to work after maternity leave, or you’ve been working from home for a while and you want your baby to have a more social and engaging experience during the day, we’ll cover how to start baby in daycare.

Find a Nearby Baby Daycare

Starting daycare is a brand new experience — for you and your baby! Here are some ways to help ease the transition.

• Start Your Search Early 

  Daycares fill up quickly, so the earlier you start looking, the better. If you haven’t already begun, now’s the time. Wondering how to get on a daycare waiting list? Tour and speak with centers in your area, express your interest, and ask about potential start dates. If your ideal date isn’t available, put your child’s name on the waiting list.

• Be Confident in Your Decision

  Early childhood education has a positive impact on children — socially, academically, and more. Each day, your child will be loved and cared for by nurturing teachers, they’ll have fun and engaging experiences, and they’ll gain the knowledge they need to be ready for all the big steps ahead. At the same time, you’ll have the peace of mind you need to be able to focus on your work.

• Recognize Your Feelings

  It’s okay to worry and feel anxious when your baby starts daycare. Try to think about everything they’ll get from the daycare experience, and remember that you can always call to check in on them throughout the day. Plus, if your center provides daily updates, you’ll get notes, photos, and even videos that will help you stay connected.

• Build Relationships with Baby’s Caregivers

  Communicating with your baby’s caregivers can also help you learn how to start your baby in daycare. Talk with them at drop-off and pick-up; keep them up-to-date on what your baby’s doing at home and over the weekends; and ask for advice if you need it — before you know it, they’ll be a key part of your parenting team.

• Prepare for Pick-Up

  Some babies will cry when you drop them off, others might do so when you pick them up. Rest assured — it’s totally normal, and it doesn’t mean they didn’t enjoy their day. Babies feel a swell of emotions, sometimes all at once — and these feelings can be overwhelming for them. They’re experiencing so many new things throughout each day, and what seems like a simple transition to you (from daycare back to home) can be tough. To help make things easier on both of you, keep a special toy, book, or lovey in the car for the ride home. 

Now that you know how to start your baby in daycare, you can start the daycare comparison checklist and learn what to expect at child care in order to find a center that fits your child’s needs and works for your family. When you enroll your little one in daycare, remember that they’ll gain countless skills, hit exciting developmental milestones, and participate in engaging experiences each day. And they’ll still feel loved and nurtured by you at home.

WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT STARTING A BABY AT DAYCARE?

Why does my baby cry when I pick her up daycare?

Babies cry for many reasons, but crying at pick-up can be due to going through a transition from daycare to home, after they’ve gotten used to being at daycare all day.

How do I know if my child is ready for daycare?

All children are different! Babies can typically be enrolled in daycare as early as six weeks of age — but it all depends on what feels right for your family.

Find a center near you to get started with Bright Horizons

Find a Center

Or call us to start the conversation 877-624-4532

Bright Horizons is a United States–based child-care provider and is the largest provider of employer-sponsored child care. Employees looking to become a child care teacher are offered the opportunity to earn an early education degree for free as part of their corporate benefits. Search by zip to find a child care center near you. Bright Horizons Global Headquarters are in Newton, Massachusetts, USA.

Newborn day care: How to decide what’s right for your little one

It’s estimated that both parents in almost 60% of U.S. households are full-time employees. Meaning that once maternity and paternity leave has ended for parents of newborns, they’ll need to find child care for their brand new baby. One option that’s become popular among new parents is enrolling in a newborn day care. Around 40% of children under a year of age attend non-parent day care — but selecting the right facility for your newborn’s needs can take time. 

Here’s what to know about newborn day care and how to decide if it’s the best option for your family.

What is newborn daycare?

Newborn day care refers to the non-parent care of an infant that’s at least six weeks of age. There are two main types of newborn day care options: child care centers run by a staff of professionals out of a dedicated child care space or in-home day care run out of a provider’s home, often with other children. 

Child care centers for newborn day cares are the more formal option and must comply with state licensing requirements. This is often a more structured option, with children’s designated drop-off and pick-up times. Infants that attend a child care center for day care often do so with children of other age groups, which means they’ll interact with a variety of children and caretakers throughout the day. 

“Through careful, extensive research and consulting with trusted sources, parents can glean useful information that will help narrow down the best facility for their newborn.”

— DR. JACK MAYPOLE, A PEDIATRICIAN IN BOSTON

Family child care homes are still required to meet care requirements on a state-by-state basis, but these requirements are not the same as formal childcare centers. The structure of family childcare for newborns is less structured, but this may mean more flexibility for parents regarding drop-off and pick-up times. This option is often more affordable than enrolling a newborn in a childcare center. 

Deciding which option is right is a personal choice  — one that Dr. Jack Maypole, a pediatrician based in Boston, Massachusetts, says takes time. “With so many options to choose from, this is not a decision parents should take lightly,” Maypole says. “Through careful, extensive research and consulting with trusted sources, parents can glean useful information that will help narrow down the best facility for their newborn.”

For Kristina Tinsley, a working mother of two in her 30s living in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, starting her search when she was three months pregnant helped her secure a spot at her childcare center of choice. “We selected a mixed-age day care that incorporated a range of ages in a renovated barn house,” says Tinsley. “The location had two floors, with the bottom level designed for naps, younger baby play and a restroom. The upper room was full of light and had a kitchen, a mixture of toys, tables, high chairs and open space.”  

In addition to choosing an environment that felt welcoming and safe for her baby, outdoor activities and socialization were important factors in Tinsley’s search. “The owners were big on learning through outdoor play,” she says. “They had a great outdoor play space and a garden the kids used. I loved how they incorporated the babies in with the toddlers, making it feel more like a family.”

How much does newborn day care cost? 

The cost of newborn day care will vary depending on where you live and your chosen facility. On average, a child care center costs around $226 per week for one child. For families looking for more definitive numbers, using a child care cost calculator like this one can help zero in on expected costs. 

How to find a newborn daycare center that’s right for you

Finding the right newborn day care option is a process that’s unique to each family and child’s needs. In addition to reading reviews, speaking with staff and scheduling time to tour the facility (ideally more than once), Maypole encourages parents to trust their intuition.

“It is difficult to isolate any one thing to avoid in a child care center, other than an urge that parents should trust their gut check as they tour a center and reflect on how [they] feel when they get home,” says Maypole.

He advises asking yourself questions like:

• Does the staff seem professional and caring?
• Are the facilities well-kept, tidy and hygienic?
• Do families feel welcomed and treated as respected partners in their journey?
• Will it work for the household schedule, lifestyle and budget?

For Tinsley, getting clear answers to questions on how her baby would be treated each day was key. “As a parent, you want to ensure the place you pick can clearly communicate with you how much food your baby has eaten, how long they have napped and when, and any concerns,” she says. Her list of questions for day care facilities included:

• What is the child-to-teacher relationship?
• How do you determine when you feed the babies? Do you record the feedings and amounts?
• How do you handle heating frozen breast milk? If my baby doesn’t finish a bottle, do you save it for later or discard it?
• What type of communication should I expect about my baby’s day?
• What is a typical day like for a baby?
• Where is my baby going to nap?
• Can I see the space my baby will be spending their time in?
• Can I meet the staff that will be looking after my baby?
• What are the rules around a sick child?

In addition to these questions, Maypole encourages parents to review the experience of the staff members that will provide care to the infant and check to make sure the facility is state-licensed and accredited. 

“Gather your information and do your analysis,” says Maypole. “It may involve making a chart or spreadsheet and making a list of pros and cons. ” 

He also encourages parents not to hesitate to call references the child care center provides. “That will give you much more of a real deal perspective,” he adds.

To ensure the decision is not rushed, Tinsley urges parents to start the search as early as a few months into pregnancy. After all, as she notes, “Spaces are limited, and you want to find a place that you feel comfortable with.”

Kindergarten and newborn

Forums

Login

08/09/2010 22:49

Good afternoon! Tell me, please, who has the difference between children 2-6 years old, did you take your older child to the kindergarten at the time of the birth of the youngest? As with diseases, don’t you regret it? PS I am pregnant with my second child, we are expecting a baby in December. The oldest will be almost 4 years old. Last year they took the eldest to the kindergarten, but in 9 months he went to the garden 3, about the same time he was sick and the rest of the time he was kept at home healthy . .. And now I think that it is possible not to take him to the garden for the next year, but to take him to the garden through the year when by September the eldest will be 4.9, and the youngest is 9 months… Does that make sense?

Olya

10.08.2010 00:42

Last December I gave birth to my second child. The eldest was almost 4. They took him to kindergarten – he didn’t bring any illnesses. It’s even somehow surprising, since the previous year he was sick very often.

Anonymous

10.08.2010 15:03

I didn’t drive for the first 2 weeks. And then it turned out to be a “forced” vacation: there was simply no one to take / pick up. Then they drove. It all depends on the elder, if he is often sick, then maybe it makes sense not to drive. So my friend did. Her eldest was often sick.

Anna

10. 08.2010 15:20

my 3.5-year-old daughter went to the garden, she got sick 2 times, and both times closer to spring.

Stampelina V.I.P.

11.08.2010 11:13

I have a 2.5 difference in children. the youngest is just a january. during pregnancy, and especially after childbirth, she led the eldest into the garden. I had no helpers, so the garden was like a salvation. you hand over the eldest to the garden, and you yourself go to the doctors during pregnancy. when the youngest was born, the garden really helped out a lot. although the eldest was sick a lot, she went to the garden for a week – 1.5 months in the garden. but even this week’s respite saved me a lot. I note that in infancy, the eldest did not get sick at all. I started getting sick in the garden. the younger in infancy, because of the older one, quite often, but in an easy form, was ill with brought sores. but when the youngest went to the garden, she never got sick for the first year !!! those. she had developed immunity at home to the gardening bullshit. But for me, a working mom, this is very good. because I didn’t have to ask for time off, take sick leave or hire a nanny for the duration of the children’s illness. so I’m for the garden! even in the mode of a week in the garden, a month at home. then if you don’t take the elder to the garden, then in reality you can lose the place and the privilege for the younger (the elder is in the garden).

Hochonia C.B.

08/11/2010 19:50

my difference is 4.4, the older one went to the garden in the fall, the little one was 2 me, I didn’t take it since the winter, because both got sick, treated both for a month

Svetochkin V.I.P.

11.08.2010 21:55

I drove, I don’t regret it, although I had to treat both of them and, sometimes, also my husband and I.

Tomcat V.I.P.

15.08.2010 02:53

My sons are 2 years apart. The first year of the second son was often sick, because. the eldest carried all the diseases from the garden (mostly a cold plan), treated both: (I was tormented: the eldest only recovered, a small one with snot, then a cough and away we go, I’ll cure the second one in a week, the first one went in a new circle: (:(This year we managed a small blood. The little one was sick only a couple of times, it even happened that the older one got sick, and the youngest at least henna. In September, the youngest goes to the nursery, he will be 1 year and 10 months old. I think that he is adapted to the garden and will not get sick often.

Nikityonka **

10.08.2010 08:11

I have a difference of 3 years. My son started kindergarten when my daughter was 2 months old. Yes, I got sick, but my daughter never got infected – I think GV gives a powerful immunity. For me, the garden was just a lifesaver.

Lucy Byakina V.I.P.

08/10/2010 08:21

we have a difference of 5.10 years. The eldest, in connection with the move, did not go to the kindergarten for the last year before school, he went to different classes. Small in the fall (about 6 months), he did catch snot from him. But he wasn’t in GW. So it’s not just about the garden …. I would drive until December, and there I would look – New Year (10 days of rest), frosts, something else – and you yourself won’t drive. And in the spring you orient yourself ….

kuze4ka **K**

10.08.2010 08:54

My eldest is 2. 4 years apart, he went to the garden. Only the first six months during quarantine periods in any of the garden groups took him home. Never got infected

kamysh C.B.

08/10/2010 09:58

We have a difference of 4 years. September baby. The eldest, after 4 years, almost did not get sick, once in the fall in the midst of the flu and in the spring, when he let boats into the stream with his bare hands. The kid fell ill for the first time in February, a week later he got obstructive bronchitis. The second time in April, and nothing foreshadowed the disease. He began to cough sharply, there was no temperature, in the morning he was taken to the hospital with OB. We walked a little because of the cold weather, GV, why did you get sick??? They say it happens in babies against the background of growing teeth. Because of our teeth and snot, and stomatitis, and ears hurt + cough with a weekly temperature. I won’t go to the hospital again. Everything they do there can be done at home. In the summer, the baby also had a temperature of 40, there were no more symptoms, why, why ??? no new teeth, no redness in the throat, the temperature was 3 days.

Masha8 V.I.P.

10.08.2010 10:37

3 years difference. No special sores were noticed (I exclude the period of growing teeth, of course), but my eldest also rarely got sick, for example, a runny nose sometimes. Here she brought chickenpox from a kindergarten, yes, and the youngest had been ill at 2 years old, but she endured it quite easily. By the way, we had IW from scratch with both one and the other, so draw your own conclusions 🙂

natava C.B.

10.08.2010 23:20

the difference between 4 and 3, even doctors say, on the one hand, it’s good that you don’t go to the garden. .

Tan-ka C.S.

08/11/2010 08:51

I have a year difference. The boy went to kindergarten at the age of two. He rarely got sick, the small one also rarely got sick. Now they are 6 years old and 5 years old. For the last three years, I have not been sick at all. Both are artificial. It seems to me that kindergarten also gives a strong immunity. And my friend didn’t take me to the garden at all, but when he went to school, he went for a week, he was sick for three.

Ksyunka))) *

08/12/2010 09:12

I have a difference of 4 years 10 months. The elder went to the garden all the time, but he didn’t get particularly sick. The only thing is that he brought chickenpox, and the small one became infected at 11 months.

Redfield V. I.P.

12.08.2010 17:46

we didn’t even think about sending the older one to kindergarten until the younger one grows up, mom will still be at home, and it’s better for a child with mom than in the garden, not to mention the sores and infections that the elder can bring from the garden and “reward” the younger. IMHO just more worries. Mine will just go to the garden together this year, at the same time. :))))

sebaily **K**

08/12/2010 22:19

Thank you very much for your answers! I think that I will try to send my son to the kindergarten in September and see how he will walk and get sick (it also happened to us that we are moving to a new kindergarten in September – we moved to a new area), I will see what kind of educators, whether they will deal with children whether they will treat children well, etc. If I don’t like something, I’ll take it away… There is time to look around until December 🙂

Author

13.08.2010 14:26

my eldest goes to the garden, and it helps me a lot. I had one of the problems with 2 children that they sleep at different times, the eldest and the baby and wake each other up, it’s just a disaster.

Anonymous

16.08.2010 12:10

how old is the elder? at 4.4 I understood that my brother was sleeping, we were quieter, my girlfriend’s older one was also 3, nn was normal,

Svetochkin V.I.P.

17.08.2010 18:42

Even if the older one understands, the little one will walk with him.

Anonymous

Open in forum

Excerpt from the book “Abandoned Children”

Preprint

Svetlana Durboy

February 7, 2020 18:17

The Naked Heart Foundation has released an electronic version of the book “Abandoned Children”, which presents the results of a long-term study of how living in a closed institution (orphanage, orphanage or boarding school) affects development. “Afisha Daily” made a summary of the sixth chapter “The danger of living in an institution for the development of the child.”

Children lie in their beds day and night, only occasionally leaving them. They are deprived of care and attention, because the employees of institutions do not have time to play with each child. Contact with children strictly according to the schedule – to bathe, feed or change a diaper. While for normal development, babies need interaction with others who show them a variety of feelings and stimuli. Without proper attention, children are rapidly losing physical and mental health.

Children develop worse physically

Pupils who spent a long time in orphanages showed slow growth. Many of them were found to have developmental disorders around their head circumference (an indicator closely related to brain size). The head size of children who were adopted at an early age returned to normal by the age of 11. But for those guys who spent a long time in orphanages, head circumference still remained significantly below the norm of . The researchers also noted a lack of body weight in many children from orphanages.

IQ declines

Studies show that children living in orphanages have a lower IQ than their peers living in families. When measuring IQ, the age of getting into shelters was taken into account. It was found that children who entered institutions before the age of one showed lower results than those who got there at a later age.

Memory and attention concentration worsen

Psychologists examined memory, attention, ability to concentrate and other executive functions in children from orphanages. Children who were adopted at the age of 8-10 performed worse on tasks than those who were adopted into the family earlier. Psychologists came to the conclusion that the more the child was in the orphanage, the worse he copes with tasks.

Speech does not develop

Infants in shelters make fewer sounds than infants living in families because they hear speech much less often. In order for children to develop a language skill, educators must respond to the sounds of babies by entering into a certain dialogue with them. But in the conditions of an orphanage, when a whole ward of children is assigned to one teacher, there is no time to respond to sounds. Therefore, children stop all attempts to talk and lie silent most of the time.

Will not be able to build intimacy

Newborns need to feel cared for and see the interaction between other people. This is how they gain social experience. During their first year of life, infants form attachments to adults who care for them and create a safe environment. To form an attachment, requires enough interaction so that a child can learn to seek support, comfort and care from an adult . Children who grew up in an orphanage will not be able to build a safe intimacy.

Psychopathologies appear

Most often, attention deficit and hyperactivity was noted in children from shelters.