Starting infant at daycare

lorist202

How did you ease your infant into daycare? DD will be 12 weeks when she starts, and I can enroll her a week early. Should I start by spending time with her in the nursery? Then day 2 leave her for a couple of hours? How do I do this without frightening her?

MickeyM04

We just started DD this week.  Like @PrivacyWanted, with both of my kids I didn't do anything to transition them.  I think it depends on your child though.  With both of mine, they didn't care who was holding them, they weren't sensory sensitive or anything like that.  So I just brought them both on the first day (which was a long day--we are gone 11 hours a day with our commute) and they were fine honestly.  The only issue was bottles.  DS we had a lot of trouble getting to take bottles, even with LOTS of practice in the months prior to starting DC (he was 12 weeks when we started, and we introduced a bottle at about 2 weeks).  It took about 2 weeks before they said he was taking them like a champ.  DD we never had any trouble but for some reason on the first day of DC they had a lot of trouble with her; she wouldn't drink more than an oz or so every few hours.  By day 3 she was eating all 4 bottles I sent with her.

So other than making sure they are introduced to bottles, I can't think of anything else that I would do to transition them.  I mean at that age honestly they really don't care I don't think.  Now when we started our now 2-year old at daycare 6 months ago, that was something I wish I could have transitioned more slowly (we couldn't because our nanny left without notice).  He 100% knew he was in a different situation, different place, different people...not napping in his bed, not playing with his toys, not with his nanny all day, etc.  There was a lot of crying involved for a lot of weeks (of course now he loves it).  Every time I drop off DD, she is completely fine.  Same at pick up.  I honestly think as long as she's got her milk and a clean diaper, she doesn't give a hoot where she is.  It's ok, someday she'll like me

TheBorg7of9

I personnally don't think a transition is necessary. Just enjoy your last days of leave together. You don't know if your baby will have issues or what they will be. After you start daycare, you can work on any issues that come up. No need to torture yourself over something that might not even be a problem.

[Deleted User]

I didn't transition.  I went and talked with his main caregiver a few days before and that was that.  

Mustardseed2007

We could start DD a week before our leave was over (I took 9 weeks, then DH took 4 weeks) so we did go visit the DC and did half day drop offs for 3 days. This wasn't for her, though, it was for us so we could get to know the teacher and the room and figure out what challenges their would be. I'm glad we did it, but it didn't make a difference to her at all.

radiohd18

I had a harder time with the transition than my LO did. She didn't know where she was!

Slb22

Our daycare offered this to us.  We went there to visit all together before I went to work.  Then my H was home for 2 weeks and he dropped her off one day for a couple hours so he could get something done.  Otherwise, we didn't do anything.  Just be prepared for your LO to be exhausted.  The whole first week R was a zombie when she would come home because she wasn't napping well.  Good luck, it is a tough transition for us mommas!

heatherwhite1984

i took ds to visit a few times before starting, me with him the entire time. the morning of his first day, i stayed a while, to ease my mind. he started at 6.5w (i had to start back then due to financial reasons). i wrote everything done and shared with them. much harder on me than him. he was the youngest. the next oldest was almost 12m. 

Puppies+Rainbows+Unicorns

We left a blanket that he was used to sleeping with...that was about it for transitioning. I had a harder time than he did.

Russiandea12

My DS started DC at 12 weeks.  I took him in for a couple hours the Friday before I started back to work. However, this transition was more for me to be comfortable leaving him for an entire work day as he had no clue what was going on that young.  This time around DS has been going to this DC for around 2 years, so I am more comfortable with the DC and staff, so probably will just start DD on my first day back to work.

73jewels

We did a little bit of a transition and it was definitely more for me than for him.  I started back FT on a Tuesday.  On Wednesday the week prior I dropped him off for about an hour to go grocery shopping.  Then on the Friday I had to go into work for a few hours to get set up and back up to speed so I dropped him off for for about 1/2 a day (I think 11 - 5 if I recall).

I also started at about the same time (he was 13 weeks), and he was perfectly fine with whoever was watching him (stranger anxiety doesn't start for a few months).  But for me it helped to ease in when it wasn't the long day (I drop off around 8 AM and don't pick up till 6:30 most days), and to come back in and find him happy made it easier for me to concentrate on work my first real day back.

I have seen other babies who start around 7 - 8 months have a much more difficult time then the younger ones.

radiohd18

tricia560 said:

Frankly, I just started him on the day I went back to work.  He was fine; I cried all the way to work.

this! and, I still cry about it sometimes and it's been a month.

jtmomma13

We did a half day- it was more for me than for LO. 

Do whatever feels right for you. I would imagine that every day care would allow you to do a "trial day". We had originally decided on a center and they were going to do the trial day free of charge- but I ended up switching to a home daycare right before I went back to work. 

Serenla

As PP have said, I didn't transition. I just brought DS to the DC and made sure he would take a bottle. I think it was harder on me than him .

alyss0nl

I personally would not stay. I dropped mine off, stayed a couple minutes and left. I cried for a couple minutes, then went off to work. I went back when DS1 was 8 weeks, and will return this time when DS2 is also 8 weeks.