Daycare and Preemies

JennaNAaron

My husband and I are foster parents and are anticipating the arrival of a the sibling to our current placement.  She is a preemie (32 weeks).  I'm  off for the summer, but due to go back to work in the middle of August.  I do have the ability to take FMLA for up to 12 weeks, and I'm wondering when the doctor cleared your preemie to go to daycare?

jacque_z

My D started daycare 3 days a week when she was 10 months actual/7 adjusted.  Her doctor wanted her out of DC as long as possible.  She started in September.  Her doctor would have rather her stay home through the fall but that just wasn't a realistic option for us.  She got sick a LOT!  But she powered through and now rarely gets sick.  We'll see what this cold and flu season brings.   Congratulations on bringing home your preemie!  I hope she stays healthy!

Pips09

My 30 weeker was cleared to go to daycare at 12 weeks old. She was really only at daycare or at home for several months, and our day care provider took care to keep the other children away from her, as much as was possible. Good luck to you!

katie4253

For a 32 weeker it could go either way. I think you'll have to wait and see what they say. 

 

MeggM1

I have a 32 weeker that is on the healthiest end of the spectrum - he has done amazing developmentally and he is rarely ill (and hasn't had any major illness - cold and a viral rash is it in the last 14 months, knock on wood).  He was only in the NICU 10 days and his only issue was temperature regulation.

All that being said, our pediatrician asked us to keep him out of daycare until 6 months minimum.  I had 12 weeks of FMLA and our ped wrote a note to my company requesting an additional 12 weeks on top of that of medical leave (unpaid).  Most daycares in my area that I checked into wouldn't take our son until he was 5 months, or three months adjusted (and they required a note from our pediatrician, who I didn't ask, but knew would be super hesitant to sign off on that).  In the end I decided to cut back to working part time and went back around 6 months and we hired a nanny.  I think if you have a connection to a wonderful daycare that you can trust to take extra precautions, that's great, but if it were me I would absolutely take the additional 12 weeks FMLA starting in August.

Congratulations on your placement and best of luck with your preemie!

Irishsapphire

Our daycare takes infants as early as 3 months.  So my son started daycare when he was 3 months old.  My daughter will start daycare when she is 4 months old--she will start in September.  Daycare actually asked us to get a note from the pediatician that stated that it was okay for our daughter to go to daycare since she was a preemie, so we got that note along with a record of her immunizations at her 2 month appointment for the daycare. 

gringa78

Our girls were born at 33 weeks and are going to day care a 4.5 months old.  The doctors really only told us to keep them away from people the first couple months they were home.  They're the same size as a full-term 4-month-old and have been healthy since coming home (with the exception of L being re-admitted for a UTI in May), so I don't think anyone is concerned.  The ped hasn't said anything to me about it.

aquariogirl

Try to find a DC with the smallest number of kids possible. The problem is that the baby can get sick and the larger the number of kids, the more chances to get sick more often. Lets say the baby has a cold and fighting a virus, then comes another sick kid and introduces a bacteria. That scenario is too much for an immature immune system, even for a full term baby and can lead to serious complications. My biology professor explained that to me, bc i had a question about DC, she is also a physician and strongly recommended to avoid DC before 18 months. Of course that's no possible for everyone so try to go to one where there only a few babies. 

Also your baby' s pediatrician can tell you what she recommends for your baby based on the medical history.