When I was preparing Emma (and really myself) for daycare I noticed there wasn’t much on the topic in the world of Pinterest. As most all of my mom friends are stay at home moms and don’t use daycare, I was at a loss on guidance for what to expect during this process. So I wanted to share a few things that either I wish I’d known or that we did to help ease the transition from being at home with mommy to being at daycare!
Find a place that fits your family | We chose a Christian day care atmosphere as this was important for us. We strongly believe what Proverbs 22:6 says: “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” We chose a place that realizes that instilling good (biblical) character traits in children while they are young is vital in preparing them for a successful future. They focus on respect, honesty, obedience, and kindness, and in addition to these four character traits, the teachers emphasize one character trait each week starting in the youngest classes. There are stories, songs, and other learning opportunities built into the curriculum that changes as they get older, but we loved that even in the infant classes, there was a focus on these areas.
Get labels – for everything | We got InchBug labels for her bottles, and Lil’ labels for her clothes and blankets. I also used my Erin Condren stickers for her car seat! SO much cuter than just writing on everything with a sharpie.
Have a special bag for items | We got Emma her own tiny backpack specific for daycare! All of her extra clothes, pacis, blankets, etc. have their own space & we always know what to grab for her. Plus you’ll need to bring in extra wipes, diapers, creams, etc. and this gives you the space to do so. Also, it allows for notes and arts & crafts to have a place to travel home in as well!
Ease into the process if possible | We visited the daycare before choosing it, and went back with little miss to meet her teacher and the other aides as well. Also, my biggest tip is to schedule a shorter period of time for their first week if you can, and slowly increase the time there each day to ease them into the new schedule! We started Emma the week before my leave was over so I could do this and not only did it help her, but it really helped me! It allowed me to cry as much as possible those first few days without having to “suck it up” at work and gave me an opportunity to ease myself back into work mode from being home caring for her as well.
Start feeding from a bottle | a few weeks before daycare, even if you’re exclusively breastfeeding until then, make sure your little one can take a bottle as this is how they’ll be fed at daycare. We love these ones especially. If this is a challenge, you’ll want to have some time to adjust before starting so that when it comes time to feed they won’t go hungry or be excessively fussy! Thankfully, little miss has taken a bottle from the beginning and hasn’t had any issue switching from breast to bottle and back again. Also, if you plan on switching to formula full time or for just those bottles at daycare, try that out as well to see what kind of formula they like. This way you can stock up when they send coupons and always have it on hand.
Start pumping before you return to work | If you plan to continue breastfeeding and then pump while at work to supply the milk for the daycare bottles, start this before you return to work! You’ll need to have some pumped for the first day if you don’t plan on introducing formula, and you’ll need to have an idea of how many times you’ll need to pump to match the demand of ounces per bottle for feedings. Also, be sure to talk with your employer about a space for you to pump and store the milk as well before you return. And don’t forget, you can likely get a pump for free through your insurance!
Follow the daycare schedule as much as you can | Our day care provided us with a schedule of what they would be doing throughout the day that included naps, bottle time, and activities! We slowly tried to match up nursing times with bottle times so she’d get on that schedule and be ready for daycare. Now don’t get wrong, if she’s hungry, I still add in a few extra sessions, but we at least always do the times from day care as well. Same with naps, we’d at least try to lay her down around those times even if she didn’t fall asleep, and if she fell asleep before that time it was ok too. The only thing we don’t mess with is our bedtime routine!
Start sleeping in the crib | Before daycare, start the transition to the crib if you haven’t already. Even if you’re little one is going to remain in a bassinet overnight, try naps in the crib as this is how they will nap at day care. Also try naps swaddled and unswaddled so that they are able to rest either way!
Be noisy during the day | Day cares have multiple kids who won’t all sleep at the same time, and who will get fussy. It’s inevitable that someone will have a meltdown during some part of nap time! To help your little one sleep through the commotion, keep things loud during the day – have the TV or music on in the background, lights on/blinds open, talk at a normal voice, etc. Our dog barks when people are in the park and this doesn’t even phase Emma any more. She’s startled by loud noises, but it easily able to adjust without becoming fussy, and often will sleep through the noise in loud places.
Practice Tummy Time | One of the main activities for infant rooms is tummy time so start practicing as soon as you can. Slowly increase the time on the mat so that they can handle longer stretches of time trying to hold their little head up and roll over.
Use a bouncer or swing | There are always several bouncers and swings in the room and they will likely be put in a variety of them during the day, so make sure they have exposure to something along these lines at home as well. We like to use both as a time to look at the mobile, and also even soothe for nap time.
Keep open communication | This is key between your family & the day care but also between you and your spouse. Often the person who drops off is not the same as who picks up, so be sure to relay any messages along the way so everyone stays informed and up to date. Our day care has a sheet we fill in the mornings and they fill out during the day and send home each afternoon which lets us know how her day went and I love it!
At the end of the day, remember this transition is going to be tough for everyone! Be prepared for extra snuggles at night and remember that soon enough your little one will be settled into their new routine and be learning lots of very important skills each day while you are working!
What are your tips & tricks for sending a little one to daycare for the first time?
