Preparing infant for child care
Preparing your new baby for the transition to child care is extremely important. The last thing anyone wants is
a baby who is crying all day because the transition is just too much. Below are some tips for preparing your
baby for child care.
Let your baby nap in his or her crib.
Your baby will not be able to sleep in a swing, carseat, carrier, or the caregiver's arms, so it is imperative that
your baby learns to sleep on his or her own in a crib or pack 'n play. Make sure you start the transition to a crib
for naps a couple weeks before starting daycare if not sooner.
Recreate the same sleep environment the baby will have at daycare.
If your caregiver allows swaddling and your baby enjoys it, make sure you are using the approved type of
swaddle and consistently use that during nap time at home. Make sure you always place your baby on his or
her back for naps and don't use any equipment, clothing, or other items that will not be used at daycare. Also,
make sure nap time is not a silent time because in order for the baby to sleep soundly at daycare, he or she
must be used to sleeping with some noise.
Give your baby a bottle on a regular basis if breastfeeding.
I know from experience that bottle feeding and breastfeeding can often be a difficult combination, but it is
essential that your baby can drink from a bottle consistently throughout the day. Nobody wants a baby
starving and screaming because they aren't used to drinking from a bottle. Practice early and often.
Try pumping at the same intervals you will at work if you will be pumping.
It may be hard to maintain your supply because pumping is much different than a baby emptying the breast.
Try pumping for a few days and bottle feeding to get your body used to this new routine and to figure out how
much milk your baby drinks.
Write things down for your child care provider.
It will be helpful for your provider to know when your baby often naps, how many dirty and wet diapers he or
she typically has and at what interval, and how often/much your baby eats.
Don't use all your sick leave on maternity leave.
As much as we all hate illness, children are bound to get sick not just at daycare but interacting with anyone
who leaves their home! While illnesses help build immunity, we don't want illnesses spreading all over the
daycare if we can help it, so most child care settings have strict illness policies. You may be spending a few
days at home with your sick baby upon starting child care.
Expect your baby to be clingy and extra hungry in the evenings.
If your baby is extra clingy and hungry the first couple weeks of starting child care, don't automatically assume
he or she is not receiving quality care. Babies often will eat less at daycare so they can eat more at home
bonding with their mom and dad. They also will have missed you, so they will want to spend extra time with
you at night and on weekends. Snuggle your baby but be sure not to hold your baby constantly because that
is impossible for the caregiver to keep up when they are caring for other children as well.
Preparing your new baby for the transition to child care is extremely important. The last thing anyone wants is
a baby who is crying all day because the transition is just too much. Below are some tips for preparing your
baby for child care.
Let your baby nap in his or her crib.
Your baby will not be able to sleep in a swing, carseat, carrier, or the caregiver's arms, so it is imperative that
your baby learns to sleep on his or her own in a crib or pack 'n play. Make sure you start the transition to a crib
for naps a couple weeks before starting daycare if not sooner.
Recreate the same sleep environment the baby will have at daycare.
If your caregiver allows swaddling and your baby enjoys it, make sure you are using the approved type of
swaddle and consistently use that during nap time at home. Make sure you always place your baby on his or
her back for naps and don't use any equipment, clothing, or other items that will not be used at daycare. Also,
make sure nap time is not a silent time because in order for the baby to sleep soundly at daycare, he or she
must be used to sleeping with some noise.
Give your baby a bottle on a regular basis if breastfeeding.
I know from experience that bottle feeding and breastfeeding can often be a difficult combination, but it is
essential that your baby can drink from a bottle consistently throughout the day. Nobody wants a baby
starving and screaming because they aren't used to drinking from a bottle. Practice early and often.
Try pumping at the same intervals you will at work if you will be pumping.
It may be hard to maintain your supply because pumping is much different than a baby emptying the breast.
Try pumping for a few days and bottle feeding to get your body used to this new routine and to figure out how
much milk your baby drinks.
Write things down for your child care provider.
It will be helpful for your provider to know when your baby often naps, how many dirty and wet diapers he or
she typically has and at what interval, and how often/much your baby eats.
Don't use all your sick leave on maternity leave.
As much as we all hate illness, children are bound to get sick not just at daycare but interacting with anyone
who leaves their home! While illnesses help build immunity, we don't want illnesses spreading all over the
daycare if we can help it, so most child care settings have strict illness policies. You may be spending a few
days at home with your sick baby upon starting child care.
Expect your baby to be clingy and extra hungry in the evenings.
If your baby is extra clingy and hungry the first couple weeks of starting child care, don't automatically assume
he or she is not receiving quality care. Babies often will eat less at daycare so they can eat more at home
bonding with their mom and dad. They also will have missed you, so they will want to spend extra time with
you at night and on weekends. Snuggle your baby but be sure not to hold your baby constantly because that
is impossible for the caregiver to keep up when they are caring for other children as well.