Back to work/Day care.

kp90

I go back to work in mid July and I'm already having terrible anxiety about taking her to day care. I know I am going to cry the entire first week.. Maybe more! My SO pointed out last night that I need to start putting her down more during the day and even letting her cry it out for awhile because at day care they will not tend to her like I do. Which is true and I want this transition to be as easy as it can for her but it's so hard to come to terms with. Have any of you put your LOs in day care yet or gone back to work? How did you both handle it? Any tips or advice? 

cortney626

I go back mid July also. I've been thinking of her schedule at day care. Right now we have no real schedule of naps (with my first I remember a routine). We're always on the go so LO will nap in the car, etc. I've been wondering if I need to stay home during the day more and lay her down for every nap and get her used to that all day. But then I figured the daycare lady will have her own routine and will do what works for her. I'm not going to stress about it. I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing and if that means having the LO in tow while enjoying summer break with my older daughter, so be it! So enjoy your time with your LO!!

Bellodomani

I don't have much advice in terms of feeling sad- I wasn't able to go back to work til several months pp so by the time I did it I was very ready to get out of the house and daycare drop off was NBD. But, I will say that babies are really smart about differentiating between caregivers and what the norms and expectations are in each setting, so I don't think you need to worry about changing the way you're caring for your baby when at home. Her bond with you is lifelong and much more important, so being responsive to her cries is fine! And having done daycare for the 6 weeks - 18 months group when I was in college, it was actually incredibly rare that we ever let a baby cry for more than a minute or two. We just focused on getting all the babies onto a predictable routine and learning what soothed each child and things went pretty smoothly most days. Although somehow now I have no recollection of how we got the babies onto a schedule and could never do it with my own babies. 

jenl1681

I go back Monday it will be part time though. I can bring Grayson with me in the morning so that's nice. I am working opposite DH so he will be home with big kids then I come home early and I will be with all 3. Tuesday and Wednesday will be full days. I will bring LO with me for a few hours so DH can sleep since he works late. Then bring LO home around 10:30 and go back to work alone. It's our compromise since daycare for 3 would be more than my paycheck! And I am super nervous about Sending LO to daycare so we worked this out instead 

JoMunson

I'm still living in the dream that there will be a dedicated caregiver to my baby because he's JUST THAT IMPORTANT OKAY?!
im that mom.

Pascal86

This probably doesn't really help anyone, but I'm sending my baby to daycare at 3 months and not worried at all. My parents sent me to daycare at 6 weeks, and a ton of my childhood was spent in daycare, and I thought it was fine and my relationship with my parents had always been awesome. They're also pretty introverted and I attribute my social skills to the fact that I was forced to socialize from such a young age, because I don't think I would have got that from them. I also never had to experience the first time away from my parents because it happened before I could even remember, so sending your kids to daycare early has its advantages! Try to think of these upsides if you can, and maybe start with a half day or something if you're still super stressed about it. 

Charla1224

Right now it seems like I'll be starting a new job in August so DH and I had to get a late and rushed start on the daycare search. Next week we have an interview with one that seems really promising. 
Anyway. I'm confused about how to pack for daycare. Should I send an outfit or two to leave there? Same with diapers. Or do I just pack her diaper bag everyday with what they could need. 
How do I send her breast milk? How do I know how much she'll need? Would it be best to send it frozen or make bottles and send them? 
And schedule... We're pretty relaxed. I could tell someone what times of day she usually likes to eat but naps are sporadic. Is she going to be terrified her first week wondering where DH and I are? She's never been left with anyone else. 

I know this is just a hurdle we'll have to get over. 

yogahh

Everytime I think of daycare I want to cry. I'm so obsessed and attached to baby, how am I going to leave her all day with strangers? And a huge part of me is jealous that someone else gets to play with my baby and hold her and cuddle her all day. It sucks. But, I know they will get her on a more regimented schedule for napping which is good, and the socialization will aide her development. 

Charla, definetly take that list of questions. For ours, we provide diapers and wipes as needed (so we will be dropping of an economy box probably once a month). Two sets of clothes and crib sheets are left there in her cubby. Food is pre-made and sent in bottles daily. 

kp90

@Charla1224 I think all of that will be determined by your day care. Some provide certain things like diapers and wipes and some don't. With my day care I have to send her each day with two changes of clothes and plenty of diapers and wipes. As for the milk.. I BF so I have to prepare her bottles the night before and send them ready to go. The day care will just have to warm them up. Make sure to ask all those questions when you visit the day care! Good luck. 

dsmith211

@Charla1224 Our daycare gave us a list of things to bring with baby so maybe ask if the daycare you choose has something similar to give? I know we keep a pack of wipes and diapers there for LO and they let us know when we need to replenish. We're supposed to bring 2 outfit changes and a blanket for during the day. Also for breast milk they have us write down their approximate schedule and we have to portion out everything into the bottles ourselves before we go in everyday.

Delitachan

My DH and I will return to work in August, since we're both teachers. Our LO will be 2 1/2 months. I personally can't wait. I hate being confined at home and I'm not a homebody! Also, I want some normalcy back in my life. I'm so stressed at raising LO.

KyleeWaller

Charla1224 said:

Right now it seems like I'll be starting a new job in August so DH and I had to get a late and rushed start on the daycare search. Next week we have an interview with one that seems really promising. 
Anyway. I'm confused about how to pack for daycare. Should I send an outfit or two to leave there? Same with diapers. Or do I just pack her diaper bag everyday with what they could need. 
How do I send her breast milk? How do I know how much she'll need? Would it be best to send it frozen or make bottles and send them? 
And schedule... We're pretty relaxed. I could tell someone what times of day she usually likes to eat but naps are sporadic. Is she going to be terrified her first week wondering where DH and I are? She's never been left with anyone else. 

I know this is just a hurdle we'll have to get over. 

@charla1109 definitely send extra clothes! I work at a daycare center, and I can ascertain that extra socks, pants etc...are all put to good use at one point or another! I think a lot of the questions you've asked (diapers, breast milk) will be covered by the staff member you see for the interview, as I'm sure it varies slightly from facility to facility. Good luck! 

JoMunson

KyleeWaller said:

Charla1224 said:

Right now it seems like I'll be starting a new job in August so DH and I had to get a late and rushed start on the daycare search. Next week we have an interview with one that seems really promising. 
Anyway. I'm confused about how to pack for daycare. Should I send an outfit or two to leave there? Same with diapers. Or do I just pack her diaper bag everyday with what they could need. 
How do I send her breast milk? How do I know how much she'll need? Would it be best to send it frozen or make bottles and send them? 
And schedule... We're pretty relaxed. I could tell someone what times of day she usually likes to eat but naps are sporadic. Is she going to be terrified her first week wondering where DH and I are? She's never been left with anyone else. 

I know this is just a hurdle we'll have to get over. 

@charla1109 definitely send extra clothes! I work at a daycare center, and I can ascertain that extra socks, pants etc...are all put to good use at one point or another! I think a lot of the questions you've asked (diapers, breast milk) will be covered by the staff member you see for the interview, as I'm sure it varies slightly from facility to facility. Good luck! 

One thing I know from working daycare for 10 years is kids do freak out for about the first two minutes (longer if you linger!). I always made sure to call or send a text the second the kid was happy so the mom or dad didn't have to spend their day thinking they were a horrible parent.

jenl1681

Just survived a few hours at work!! I brought LO, breastfed him in my office that now has some new blinds, a lock on the door, and a sign for the door! Tomorrow is my first full day back 

1mae2016

I'm TERRIFIED for this. We went over to the in-laws this weekend and LO won't even let someone else feed her! Granted I don't go back until the beginning of August but I have a lot of prep work to get my baby to be a little less high maintenance so she doesn't drive her daycare sitters insane. The daycare I plan on taking her to has an average of 13 babies a day. 13! I used to work there before going back to school and I really trust the ladies there, but that's a lot of babies and I worry they may not be able to love my LO anywhere near the level I do to care for her. Anxiety for real! 

kp90

@JoMunson omg that would be amazing if the ladies there would text me to let me know she's calm and doing ok. Would I be a crazy, over protective mom if I asked for texts or calls like that? At least for the first week.. Or six. 

yogahh

kp90 said:

@JoMunson omg that would be amazing if the ladies there would text me to let me know she's calm and doing ok. Would I be a crazy, over protective mom if I asked for texts or calls like that? At least for the first week.. Or six. 

Our center has an app that they use to give you daily updates on naps, feedings, diaper changes, etc. one of the reasons I'm willing to pay do much. You would think they all would be doing this by now!

folamij

Charla1224 said:

Right now it seems like I'll be starting a new job in August so DH and I had to get a late and rushed start on the daycare search. Next week we have an interview with one that seems really promising. 
Anyway. I'm confused about how to pack for daycare. Should I send an outfit or two to leave there? Same with diapers. Or do I just pack her diaper bag everyday with what they could need. 
How do I send her breast milk? How do I know how much she'll need? Would it be best to send it frozen or make bottles and send them? 
And schedule... We're pretty relaxed. I could tell someone what times of day she usually likes to eat but naps are sporadic. Is she going to be terrified her first week wondering where DH and I are? She's never been left with anyone else. 

I know this is just a hurdle we'll have to get over. 

Check with the daycare you will end up choosing. Some states have regulations they need to follow regarding breast milk. Here in TX breast milk needs to be in individual bottles and kept in a labeled bag and then heated using a separate  warmer from formula. Regarding clothes/diapers- you should have your own cubby/place to put diaper bag so sending extra clothes/ diapers/wipes/diaper cream would help both you and the people looking after your LO. 

JoMunson

kp90 said:

@JoMunson omg that would be amazing if the ladies there would text me to let me know she's calm and doing ok. Would I be a crazy, over protective mom if I asked for texts or calls like that? At least for the first week.. Or six. 

No way! My experience was I really felt like I was helping the parents and I wanted them to feel great. Just let them know you're nervous not that they won't love your baby and take care of them perfectly but just that she'll be unhappy and you'd really love a text just saying your baby is doing okay