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DCPs - opinions, please?
Ellie is a little colicky I guess...I don't have another name for it. She has some great days, and some great half-days, but there are times when she can scream for an hour or more (like every day this weekend, usually at night or early in the morning, but today it was from about noon until 1:30). It seems to coincide with exhaustion even when she's slept -- it's not hunger for sure, and although it may be gas sometimes, it doesn't seem egregiously bad to warrant that kind of screaming...and she only sometimes responds to gas relief drugs or gripe water. Most of the time there is one hold that will work to calm her down, but it varies from week to week, and it always involves standing up and moving.
I'm just worried that daycares may have a low tolerance for such things, since they have other kids to deal with. I'll be honest, if they have to put her down and let her scream sometimes, I'm fine with that. I have to do that sometimes for Owen's sake. My concern is that they can't/won't deal with such a high maintenance baby and will kick us out. Is that an irrational fear????
Re: DCPs - opinions, please?
We never kicked anyone out other than for non-payment, well except that one child who really needed a specialized Autism program
[sidebar] but we got him all set up to transfer and did all the leg work - then mom said she didn't want to sent him, so we had to say either you send him to UCP or find another daycare because he can't come back; we can't meet his needs. [/sidebar]
I think it will be fine. Let them know what she does, when, and how you want it handled (including that it's ok to let her CIO). Just know that in ME law (I don't know MA) you have to "attend to a crying child" and different DCPs may interpret that differently. I never considered it ignoring/not attending if I knew; why the child was crying, the child was in a safe place, and I continued to keep an ear out.
Also, many infant care places do Primary Caregivers where they assign a staff member to an infant and that person does most of the feeding, changing, rocking... of that child, so they could assign a staff member who has 3 never cry babies and Ellie. Ratio in ME 4:1
Wouldn't hurt to have her checked my a Dr. before she starts to make sure that it is not a medical thing (colic, reflux, ear infection, chronic constipation) If it was you could go in w/ a Dr. note/instructions.
This was my exact fear with Abrahm. By 2.5 months he was a little bit better but he was very very clingy. At that age he had to be held almost all the time. Having never seen a DCP I wasn't sure what they were going to do with him and I was worried that he would cry all day long because the teachers had other babies to tend to.
I'm sure he does cry sometimes and has to cry for more than a half a minute because both teachers have their hands full with another baby. But they have been fantastic about caring for him in the way he needs. Every single time I have gone in to pick him up either a teacher has been holding him, he is asleep in his chair, or he is in the saucer with the teacher next to him. I think a good DCP will adapt and care for his needs.
I also showed one of the teachers (his favorite girl) how to use the sling. This allows her to wash bottles and dishes and hold him at the same time.
I think Ellie will be fine. And I think the DCP will be fine too...Ellie isn't the only baby to ever be colicky.
The ped doesn't think it's anything but her disposition and maybe an "immature G.I. system".
thanks you guys, these responses make me feel better. I've noticed that she gets this way when tired and something sets her off (tummy time, being left alone too long, Owen yelling at the top of his lungs, etc.). Maybe in a place where the focus is on babies and the bulk of the attention doesn't have to go to a crazy 2 year old, she'll be better.