Tips For Settling Baby Into Daycare

I had to start DS earlier than I would have liked too, it was really hard. The first month is the WORST - not only is it emotionally traumatic but they (and consequently, you and your husband as well) get sick constantly as they are exposed to new bugs in the process of building up their immunities.

But once you get past that initial hump, you'll find things much easier. DS absolutely loves it at daycare and has gone from crying when we drop him off to crying when we arrive to take him home because he doesn't want to leave his teachers/toys/friends! Not sure I didn't prefer it the other way around...

Anyway - in terms of settling tips, what we did in the weeks running up to his official start was to visit the centre together a few times so that it became semi-familiar. After the first few visits I left him there briefly (only about 45 mins to an hour) a couple of times so he got used to the idea of me leaving but coming back. After those sessions we tried longer stints which included either a sleep or something else significant like a bottle or meal. Will depend on your daycare what they are willing to accommodate.

We kept one of DS's blankets at Daycare permanently (obviously taking home to wash from time to time!), it was one that we had two the same of so that he associated it with home. He also always took the same favourite soft toy there and back each day so that he had something constant wherever he was.

re visiting during the day - having tried this myself can I offer some advice? Try not to do it. It benefits us, but not them - it is confusing for them when we turn up for a while and then leave again without them. What I do instead is to ring the centre each day in the early afternoon, when he will have just woken up from his nap, and they tell me what he's been up to that day, how much he's add to eat/drink, how long he slept for etc. They are really lovely and don't mind at all - I'm sure your daycare will be the same. Sometimes I also ring when I get to work after dropping him off if he was upset when I said goodbye - invariably he was fine within a couple of minutes of me walking out the door.

Good luck, it is a difficult time but I can assure you it is a lot harder on us than it is on the children!!

I would also suggest don't expect it will be terrible. It may (and probably will) be fine. I have had both my kids in great care since they were 7 or 9 months, and they have thrived. I was teary once (the first time I left my second son), but because I know it's great and that they love it, it has taken a weight off my mind.

I don't mean to minimise how you feel because I know it can be gut-wrenching.   I think settling visits are great (often more for the parents than the kids!), have something familiar and develop a good relationship with the primary carer.   Our carer said that when the child was under 9 months, it was often a smoother settling, as they don't tend to develop separation anxiety till older and by then, they're settled and familiar with the carers.   Sounds like you have a great staff/child ratio and I really like the primary carer system for littlies.