Pre-school drop off/pick up w/ a newborn?

Harper'smom · February 2012

I'm just wondering how you managed this? If this VBAC goes as planned I would like to start dropping off and picking up DD around 2 weeks post partum so I can get her home and bathed earlier. DH works late and I strongly prefer for her not to ride in his compact commuter car. I'm not overly paranoid about germs but taking a newborn into DD's pre-school and having the kids clamoring around sounds awful. I don't know if it is reasonable to ask if the floater teacher could come meet us at the gate for a few weeks? They are so hectic in the morning. If I end up with a c-section I guess it won't matter as much since I won't be able to drive. (oh and we don't plan on buying a different car for DH until I see how returning to work pans out)

mgrulke · February 2012

Just a thought, if baby is in a carseat can you open the door to preschool room and call for your DD to meet you at the door and leave baby at the door. I'm not saying to leave baby all alone in the hallway but within eyesite so you don't have ten little one hands touch and wanting to see it. Working in a preschool myself it is hard to keep every child away from new baby. I would also speak to her teacher and see if she could have her ready for you so when you call her name you can go right away. I do not know if this made any sense, but at least its a option. GL

AgrippaRidesAgain · February 2012

The moms at DS's preschool that have newborns either used the carpool lane (which I'm guessing you don't have?) or carried the babies in in the carrier with a blanket over it, just like you'd do out in public.

luvmagoldn · February 2012

You could also coordinate with other moms. One of the moms at our school had twins and since I know how hard that is to coordinate I offered to stay by her car with the babies inside while she runs her preschooler in. We've tried having her son come in with us and mine going with her but no one is game for that! So we take turns instead which works out great.

bim38106 · February 2012

I always kept DD2 in her carrier. We have a few families w/ newborns now in DD1's class, and the moms always bring the babies in their carriers, in the stroller, usually w/ a blanket on top.

I have to say, both seeing the NBs now, and when I had a NB, none of the kids ever came up trying to see or touch DD2. When she was a little older, I would wear her in my Ergo. Again, not one child ever tried to touch her or came close really. They were all too busy doing their own thing..

jlw2505 · February 2012

I had a c-section with my second and started doing daycare drop off and pick up when I was 1 1/2 weeks PP. It was also late March in MN so I hear you on the sickness stuff. I simple left my newborn in the carseat, carried that in and my older DD who was a few months shy of 2, walked in while holding my hand. The teachers were great about keeping the kids away from the baby when I had to set her infant seat down plus I kept her pretty covered up with a blanket. It really was not an issue for me and carrying the seat was not a big deal. She started going to the daycare at 3 months and then I just carried her in without the seat and older DD and I would take her 1st and then at pick-up, I would get her second.

ArcticFox · February 2012

I always went in, kept the baby in the carrier with the shade over it. If you wanted, you could get one of those taut covers, sort of like a bug mesh, so no one could touch the baby. Our pickup is mayhem, so it was tough, but you do what you have to.

AZ123 · February 2012

When I was post c/s and couldn't lift the car seat, I'd call the director from my cell and she brought DS up to the car for me.

After that, i would carry DS2 in the car seat carrier and it an attack by the little kids in DS1's classroom. But DS1 had a big brother job and loved telling the kids "don't touch the baby" and I would tell the kids the same thing and I wasn't hestitant about grabbing little hands and telling them no. The teachers didn't do anything to stop it because they were too busy with other stuff.

Another thing I did on some days was leave the baby and the carrier in the director's office with the director.

funchicken · February 2012

AgrippaRidesAgain:
The moms at DS's preschool that have newborns either used the carpool lane (which I'm guessing you don't have?) or carried the babies in in the carrier with a blanket over it, just like you'd do out in public.

That's what I did when DD2 was born last year. At most, the other kids tried to touch her feet a few times, but honestly, DH and DD are the ones who gave her colds, not the pre-school kids.

penguingrrl · February 2012

I will probably have a newborn in a year, and have a preschooler and a kindergartener (in a town too small for bus service, so I'll be picking up). I figure that as long as the kids don't touch the baby will be fine. If s/he is sleeping I'll put a blanket over the carrier to block out some light and noise, but I'm not worried about it.

Also, what car does your husband drive? Many small commuter cars are actually very very safe and have excellent crash test scores. Our only car is a beetle and I don't worry at all about my kids riding in it.

Pesky · February 2012

It works out. If you are concerned, just keep a blanket over the carseat during the pickup and drop off. Otherwise, I just put the baby where it would be tough to reach him and told the kids to back off and give him some space.

ETA: I never removed DS from the carseat so that helped right there.

UsedToBeGoldie · February 2012

every mom in my daycare just brings the baby in = keeping baby in the carseat... sometimes using a SNG stroller, sometimes just carrying the carseat.

I can't imagine asking someone to bring your daughter to the car/door every day... they can't do favors like that for one person and not everyone.

I had 2 babies to get in/out and still went in and got my son with them.

your daughter will bring home all the germs anyway... walking in/out with the baby won't do any harm.

Harper'smom · February 2012

Thanks for the suggestions. I guess the carrier makes the most sense but man I loathe that thing :-). DD was so isolated from the general public as an infant but I guess I will get used to #2 being out and about much more often out of necessity. And everyone is right, DD will get the new one sick which really sucks but oh well...

As for the poster who asked about the car. DH drives my old 1998 Honda Civic 2-door Hatchback from college so there are no airbags in the back/sides and getting DD to school requires traveling on 2 busy So Cal freeways. I walk a fine line between caution and paranoia but can't get over letting her ride in that car. The car is so cheap to maintain, is in excellent condition, and gets good mileage. We are trying to hold on to it until we pay off our family car but I don't know how long we can sustain with one car for two kids. It has been easy so far with just DD.

shopgirl78 · February 2012

When DD was in PreK and DS2 was a NB, we walked. DS2 (and DS1) were in a double stroller. People looked, some known people touch...no big deal. It did suck that sometimes he'd get hungry or have to be woke up to leave...

penguingrrl · February 2012

Harper'smom:
Thanks for the suggestions. I guess the carrier makes the most sense but man I loathe that thing :-). DD was so isolated from the general public as an infant but I guess I will get used to #2 being out and about much more often out of necessity. And everyone is right, DD will get the new one sick which really sucks but oh well...

As for the poster who asked about the car. DH drives my old 1998 Honda Civic 2-door Hatchback from college so there are no airbags in the back/sides and getting DD to school requires traveling on 2 busy So Cal freeways. I walk a fine line between caution and paranoia but can't get over letting her ride in that car. The car is so cheap to maintain, is in excellent condition, and gets good mileage. We are trying to hold on to it until we pay off our family car but I don't know how long we can sustain with one car for two kids. It has been easy so far with just DD.

I used to have that exact car and loved it! Hondas are very safe. I understand the concern, but the civic is a very safe car. If she rides in the middle of the backseat she'll be extra safe. I haven't yet owned a car that had side airbags and drive daily in NYC (we live in Manhattan and my daughter goes to school in the Bronx).

*sallymad* · February 2012

When dd2 was a little baby I just carried her in in the infant bucket seat, put the sunshade up, and put a blanket over her so no one would touch her.

howleyshell · February 2012

Ditto PP's that it's a "You do what you have to do" kinda thing.

I've seen plenty of newborns at drop offs and have never once seen the kids crowd, touch, etc the baby - especially when covered up. You're more likely to be fighting off the other parents who are anxious to get a peek.

Mine are 17 months apart. I racked my brain trying to figure out how on earth I was going to do just about anything - getting them both in the car without the toddler running into a parking lot and getting hit, how to manage 2 of them at the grocery store, what to do with the toddler when nursing the baby, etc.

You'll figure it all out. You'll have a system down in no time and it will just become your new "normal"

GL!

Sawyerplus1 · March 2012

Since it's a quick drop off and pick up I would just leave LO in the car seat when you go in. And if your worried about little hands poking, etc, then cover the car seat with a blanket or receiving blanket. I would deal with it, instead of asking for help from a teacher.

Harper'smom · March 2012

howleyshell:
Ditto PP's that it's a "You do what you have to do" kinda thing.
I've seen plenty of newborns at drop offs and have never once seen the kids crowd, touch, etc the baby - especially when covered up. You're more likely to be fighting off the other parents who are anxious to get a peek.
Mine are 17 months apart. I racked my brain trying to figure out how on earth I was going to do just about anything - getting them both in the car without the toddler running into a parking lot and getting hit, how to manage 2 of them at the grocery store, what to do with the toddler when nursing the baby, etc.
You'll figure it all out. You'll have a system down in no time and it will just become your new "normal"
GL!

Thanks! I think it is just now hitting me that this baby is really coming. I never felt any guilt when I got my BFP but I'm realizing how little "just DD time" we have left. I must admit I'm a bit afraid of the new normal.

Pre-school drop off/pick up w/ a newborn?

Re: Pre-school drop off/pick up w/ a newborn?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards