Popped in on my infant care...

[Ellien C]

So I've been running a milk deficit (long story, warrants another thread) and last Thursday and Friday I had to bring the morning's pumpings to day care at lunch so there would be enough milk for the afternoon.

Can I just tell you how sweet the scene was? On Friday there were 2 caregivers for 4 infants (it varies from 4 to 7 throughout the week). One was sleeping, one was getting fed, one sat in an excersaucer looking out the window/door at the big kids on the playground and one was on a floor mat with the caregiver lying nex to him. It was just so sweet and calm and peaceful. All the little babies hanging out, grabbing their feet, stuffing their fingers in their mouths.

Let me tell you that when I have my kid at home, it does NOT look like that. I'm trying to talk to the older one, check her homework, cook dinner and sort the mail and comfort the baby all at once. Or I'm doing laundry or trying to plan with DH or doing any one of a million household management things. I don't know how people do it. I just thought I'd share.

[marinak1977]

That would be the scene at our daycare as well. 2 caregivers and up to 8 babies, but they also have floaters that can help if a baby meltdown is happening. All the little ones are attended to promptly, nurtured, and never allowed to cry alone. I just love my daycare center, so glad we found it.

[Super~Single~Mama]

I visited my baby in his daycare today too! He was sleeping (go figure!) and the other babies were playing so nicely! One of them was so cute, I was talking to him and then I said bye-bye and he got upset! He calmed down after I blew him a kiss though! The babies are all SO CUTE!!!!

[CatsCradle]

Thanks for sharing, Ellien. I've had those kinds of positive experiences too! It means a lot.

[mimie]

My DS starts daycare on Thursday, so we've been dropping by to visit his classroom the past few weeks, and have had the same experience. The babies in his room range from 2-10 months old. Two caregivers, 4-6 babies, all happy and doing their own thing. Some on mats on the floor, rolling or crawling and playing with toys, one may be having a bottle in the rocking chair being held by a teacher, two might be in high chairs being fed solid foods, and one might be napping in a separate area of the same room.

When the weather is nice, they just open up the door and go on outside. They have a fenced grassy area with a tree, and an area with soft ground cover (like the mats put under playground equipment). The older babies' (10-18 months) classroom opens to this outside area, too, so the little guys get to visit with their toddling buddies during outside time.

They handle all the breastfed babies so well, too, it's just no big deal to his teachers to deal with breastmilk. I can drop it off fresh or frozen, in bottles or bags, they won't toss any out if I don't want them to (like, if he didn't finish a bottle), etc. They even will keep a supply of our own bottles there and wash/sanitize each evening so I don't have to! The only thing they are not equipped to handle is cloth diapers, which I am fine with. I have no qualms about DS's care when he starts on Thursday. Me, however, I will be a wreck!

[*MamaJen*]

That's great. I've been super happy whenever I've dropped by DS's daycare. It's usually a bunch of kids having fun and getting dirty in a big garden.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by Ellien C

So I've been running a milk deficit (long story, warrants another thread) and last Thursday and Friday I had to bring the morning's pumpings to day care at lunch so there would be enough milk for the afternoon.

Can I just tell you how sweet the scene was? On Friday there were 2 caregivers for 4 infants (it varies from 4 to 7 throughout the week). One was sleeping, one was getting fed, one sat in an excersaucer looking out the window/door at the big kids on the playground and one was on a floor mat with the caregiver lying nex to him. It was just so sweet and calm and peaceful. All the little babies hanging out, grabbing their feet, stuffing their fingers in their mouths.

Let me tell you that when I have my kid at home, it does NOT look like that. I'm trying to talk to the older one, check her homework, cook dinner and sort the mail and comfort the baby all at once. Or I'm doing laundry or trying to plan with DH or doing any one of a million household management things. I don't know how people do it. I just thought I'd share.

This happens to me too... my sitter only focus's on DS all day, but I always feel like I'm trying to get something else done with him.

[cchrissyy]

that's so nice to hear : )

[Mosaic]

Thank you for posting this! My first DD stayed home with grandma for her first year, and as idyllic as that sounds, I *know* she would have been better cared for at a center. My second DD will be starting daycare in 2 weeks at only 5 months old, and I'm now putting my money where my mouth is, and I admit it will be a little hard at first. But stories like this help remind me that I've made the right choice.

[rhiOrion]

I've dropped in a couple of times. Generally DD is asleep in the swing (she takes her naps there because she won't sleep in the crib). A few babies are asleep in their cribs. A couple are playing on the floor. And one or two might be getting a bottle or solids.

Twice I've gotten there and DD was crying, but both times she was being held and comforted.

Only once have I gotten there and she was crying without anyone tending to her. And that particular time one of them was changing a diaper, and one was tending to another crying child. and I could tell DD had just started crying.

I love our day care!

[WifeMomChiro]

That's so wonderful!

[Geofizz]

a breath of fresh air for this board.

We interviewed a nanny last night whose training was at the daycare we loved so much where we had DS up until a year ago. And oh, how the mentality of that place showed through in the interview. We're calling references now and we're hoping to nab her!