F/U to Daycare...Advice Needed

SBMBride406

In case anyone missed my previous post, I had been asking for thoughts on sending DS to a special daycare run by our County for medically fragile children. I had planned to send DS to a small in-home daycare with 3 other babies (the in-home daycare is licensed by the state). I went to go visit the medically fragile daycare and meet with the administrator on Friday.

There were some things about I liked including:

* really stringent infection control (ie: changing tables have paper put over them for each changing and then are sprayed down with bleach before another child is changed). There were signs about RSV everywhere, so I know they understand that.

* the teachers are able to work with each child each day on their needs as recommended by the EI therapists each week. EI shares an office with the daycare so they work closely together. The am teacher in the baby room does training for EI. They also read to the babies every day and play classical music at nap time (things I do at home that are important to me).

* there is a nurse there at all times and they are very familiar with caring for a baby with reflux.

* they are well organized - each day you fill out a card with how the baby slept/ate the night before and they fill out the card with each time the baby ate, how they ate, when the napped, when they were changed, etc. You get a copy of this at the end of each day.

* they seem to love children

* there are way too many regulations (they receieve state funding so it is very regulated) and people around for my wishes not to be followed or anyone to do something wrong to the baby.

The downsides are:

*I never really liked the idea of a daycare center where there are many children together. I don't know what it is, I just prefer the idea of a small place in someone's home (more like the environment here in our home). At this daycare, there can be up to 6 babies in a room (with 2 teachers, 1:3 ratio), although right now there are only 3 other babies. The in-home daycare DS would go to won't ever have more than 4 total.

* there are more people in general in the building....4 classrooms of kids, offices, other rooms used for EI, etc. While there are stricter guidelines, there are more germs there in general.

* I doubt I would keep DS there past 1 year of age. I didn't like the set up for babies over age 1/ They had waddlers/toddlers together in a room with a limited divider so about 15 kids in one room. It was very loud in there and lots of germs going around with kids that age...I ideally want to keep DS in the same place until age 3 and then put him in a Montessori school until kindergarden.

* it's more expensive and has a lot less flexibility in terms of drop-off and pick up.

I thought the choice would be clear when I went there but it wasn't. I will say that I was feeling a little claustrophobic worrying about germs when we were there and I did not feel that way when I went to visit our in-home provider this month.

Any thoughts? You all are the only ones I know who really "get it" so I value your opinions.

SuwaneeGirl

You should follow your gut. You need to do what's right for you.

Aidge

I agree with the PP, and although it may not be the specific answer you're looking for, I truly feel that as mom's (especially of preemies), our "guts" and intuitions are the most telling, and what you should go by.  If you have any hesitiations whatsoever about the daycare, even if it is just a feeling, I wouldn't do it.  My concern would be what you said about the number of people in the building, where (I assume) you would not have that in the homecare (except for the other babies and parents around your son).  I will say that when DS goes to daycare (next September), we will be looking into homecare.  Luckily, my mom is taking him this January when I go back to work, but if this should change, it is homecare for us.  Good luck, and just follow your feelings!