How did you transition your LO into daycare?

Mrs.C042807

DS is starting daycare in a little less than a month.  I'm returning to work the week after he starts. 

What did you do to help transition your LO from staying at home to being in daycare?  Did you do a full day right away, or have your child in part time, gradually building up the time they are in DC?

I'm wondering if a quick bandaid type (all day right away) is the better way to go, rather than dragging it out. 

He's going to be in a DC centre, if that helps.

wheelenl

I'd probably do most of the day, but be on call if anything comes up.

angie05161

I did the band-aid method -- all day.  He did fine but was exhausted the first couple days.

Temp159135562506975

our center has you bring them in for 2 hours the 2 days before they start for real... my boys all did just fine. they all love daycare.

beckytr

i went back to work on a monday and the thursday before he went a half day and friday he went a full day.  it was good to practice before the real first day

roshybride

We are going to be out of town the week before I start school, so it will have to be the bandaid method for us.

pook1105

I did the bandaid thing, he did have a hard time at first with me leaving so i would bring his favorite toy in with us and he was fine.

yellowcar

I did cold turkey--all days, because I didn't want to lose any of my maternity leave.  But DS was 3.5 months old--8 months old is a whole different ballgame.  You're getting close to separation anxiety time.  I would tell you to do 1/2 days at least during that week before you officially go back, so that he gets a feel for it.

Good luck!

Mrs.C042807

Thanks ladies.  I have the added benefit that the DC is next door to my school.  I will be going in to get myself organized the week before I officially go back, so I'll be on call should he have a freakout.

He gets upset when there are lots of new people around and takes a while to warm up to them, so the first day should be interesting.

I'll just have to play it by ear, I guess.

Mjmksb04

He went for one day before I actually went back, just to see how he did and so I could run errands (like get my hair cut and other things I couldn't do while on mat leave with him in tow), and then he went right to being there FT.

AutumnBride929

I took DS to the center for half days Wednesday-Friday the week before I started going back to work.  Then he was going full-time once I started work the following Monday.  He did just fine!

gypsywitch

Nothing, I jsut dropped her off LOL...but she was only 6wks old so...at 8months I'd do a week of 1/2 days and then go to full days.

nnbarriere

yellowcar:

I did cold turkey--all days, because I didn't want to lose any of my maternity leave.  But DS was 3.5 months old--8 months old is a whole different ballgame.  You're getting close to separation anxiety time.  I would tell you to do 1/2 days at least during that week before you officially go back, so that he gets a feel for it.

Good luck!

 I totally agree that at 8 months it's different. I tried going cold turkey and my daughter screamed the whole day when she was 8 months. I would have to go back to get her by lunch some days. I had to finally send her with my mom to the daycare that she worked in until she adjusted (3 months later).